The union representing University of California service workers faces an uphill battle if members carry through with their threat to walk off their jobs next month, given that they have no strike fund.

Only workers with emergencies would receive financial help and that’s from funds union officials have redirected from their operating budget.

And only about 60 percent of the 7,000 workers represented by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299 are actually dues-paying members, so many workers might just stay on the job.

What’s more, the nine-campus system already has preparations in place to use replacement workers should janitors, housekeepers, nutritionists, security guards, parking lot attendants and groundskeepers call a strike. There are 2,500 such workers at UCLA.

Union leaders say they may go ahead with the strike anyway, given that the latest contract offer contains no guaranteed pay increases over the next three years.

“Many of these folks are working hard and living in poverty. When they feel that management is ignoring their concerns they are willing to take strong action, including a strike,” said Craig Merrilees, director of Local 3299.

The employees’ contract expired last June, but the agreement was later extended to Jan. 30 of this year. But both sides remain far apart on dozens of issues, including the wage hikes.

A sticking point is the union’s demand for wage increases of 3 percent during the 2005-06 school year and 4 percent in each of the following two school years. Those increases are based on what UC President Robert Dynes and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger agreed to in a compact signed last year over funding to the system.

However, funds for the wage hike have not been included in the system’s budget given the state’s financial problems, and university officials say they are not willing to write them into a contract without the funding.

“Obviously we don’t want a strike,” said Noel Van Nyhuis, a UC spokesman. “We don’t believe it solves anything. (But) there are still quite a few issues.”

An initial impasse was declared by the union on Jan. 18, which prompted a strike authorization vote this month by 92 percent of those who cast ballots.

The dispute was in a fact-finding stage last week. If a compromise is rejected, the California Mediation and Conciliation Board would likely declare a final impasse, which could set the stage for a strike within two weeks.