Graduate students at the University of California, Santa Cruz walked off their jobs and went on strike Monday, May 20, the first campus to do so as part of a systemwide protest against a public university they say has violated the speech rights of pro-Palestinian advocates.

United Auto Workers Local 4811 represents 48,000 graduate students who work as teaching assistants, tutors, researchers and other academic workers on the 10-campus UC system, stated a report by PTI.

Organisers said the campuses will not strike all at once, opting instead for rolling strikes among the campuses.

Organisers are protesting the administration's response to pro-Palestinian encampments, including arrests of protesters at the Los Angeles, San Diego and Irvine campuses.

They say the actions constitute an unfair labour practice.

The ball is in UC's court, and the first step they need to take is dropping all criminal and disciplinary proceedings against our colleagues," Rafael Jaime, president of UAW 4811, said in a statement.

The administration says the strike is unlawful and a violation of the union's contract with UC, which prohibits work stoppages, Lori Kletzer, campus Provost and Executive Vice-Chancellor, said in a statement.

A rally is planned for noon at the main entrance of UC Santa Cruz.