Presidential candidate Julian Castro to join UCSF strike

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Presidential candidate Julian Castro is joining a workers' rally at UCSF Medical Center at Mission Bay -- 15,000 employees are on a one-day strike for higher wages, retirement benefits and job security.

They plan to rally at noon on Thursday and walk the picket line until 4 p.m.

This planned strike forced hundreds of appointments and procedures to be rescheduled.

Emergency departments at the Parnassus and Mission Bay campuses are open.

In a statement, UCSF says it respects employees' rights to representation and freedom of speech.