For those in California, our union, University Professional and Technical Employees (UPTE) has blown the whistle on the inadequate avian bird flu testing in the

For those in California, our union, University Professional and Technical Employees (UPTE) has blown the whistle on the inadequate avian bird flu testing in the state. There is only one lab rated in the state of California at UC Davis that is responsible for timely testing of poultry and dairy. You can read the article at the following: https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2024-12-01/lab-workers-conducting-californias-avian-flu-testing-report-mismanagement-overwork-burnout-amid-outbreak-season https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2024-12-01/lab-worker... We had an informational picket at UC Davis last week, and you can find more details at our website at https://upte.org/news/upte-members-at-uc-davis-blow-the-whistle-on-dangerous-lab-conditions-in-the-facility-testing-dairy-and-poultry-for-bird-flu https://upte.org/news/upte-members-at-uc-davis-blow-the-whis... The University of California system has failed to keep the health and safety of our food supply in safe and working order, with lab testing sometimes waiting weeks for turn around, causing avian bird flu to spread and causing mass culling of chickens, and tainting diary, and increasing the likelihood of animal to human spread. UPTE members at CAHFS are raising concerns about severe understaffing and unsafe working conditions that jeopardize their critical role in testing for diseases like Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1). After five out of seven lab workers quit since January due to inadequate compensation and a lack of support, the timely and accurate monitoring of our nation's food supply is at risk, potentially leading to catastrophic outbreaks affecting poultry and human health. Your can support us by urging CAHFS management to address these issues and protect the health and safety of our communities. You can help by emailing the Dean of Veterinary Medicine, Dean Dr. Mark Stetter to support staffing and safety at CAHFS using the following link: https://upte.org/cahfs https://upte.org/cahfs