When the University of California systemwide academic strike hit on November 14, 2022, Supply Chain Management’s (SCM) Logistics team stepped up to fill the void when UPS halted service to UCSF campus and medical centers, successfully delivering more than 7,100 packages.

UPS notified SCM on November 18 that it was suspending deliveries and that meant Logistics would need a plan to ensure that the UCSF community received their packages without interruption. The first hurdle was sorting and delivering five truckloads of packages from the backlog when deliveries were canceled. That meant some Logistics staff worked extra hours and weekends to prioritize, sort and deliver packages.

Speaking about the first days of the strike, Senior Mail Processor Israel Alvarado (pictured to the left) said, "It was a big, scary moment. We didn't know how we were going to tackle it, but we have a good team here. We worked together and just did it."

As the strike progressed, Logistics staff made daily pickups from two UPS locations and offloaded them at the warehouse in Oyster Point. The team then processed all of the packages along with their normal volume from everyday suppliers.

"Logistics was overwhelmed with the additional packages and supplies of the gases to our medical and industrial customers and we knew we needed additional resources, but the great team we have here was up for the challenge," said Warehouse Supervisor Veimau Lakalaka. "I’m thankful to the diligent staff for providing excellent service to our UCSF community."

Logistics staff was honored for their outstanding work, diligence and dedication on February 15 with a special lunch.