Contract Action Watch

RX and TX seek solutions to understaffing, low pay at session #14

UPTE-CWA members are now preparing to stike in solidarity on May 8-9 with their sisters and brothers represented by AFSCME, who have planned a 3May 7-9. Join us on the picket lines TUESDAY, MAY 8 & WEDNESDAY, MAY 9. Wear your UPTE t-shirt, and bring your coworkers and your voice.

UPTE members from Advanced Light Source, a specialty work area at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab say they are ready to take action. At the union’s last bargaining session with UC, they said their supervisors are unable to hire due to low pay. Jobs go unfilled, increasing the daily workload and upping the time spent training new hires.

IT workers at UCOP also want a contract that will improve their work situation, which is described as overworked, stressed, and poorly-staffed. They have been told that there is no money to hire when employees leave due to normal attrition, let alone leaving for higher pay and better work conditions.

Staff are getting complaints for delays in service caused by poor staffing and getting penalized due to poor management. The IT department is using contract employees and restricting UC employees from getting overtime. New contract employees have to be trained, increasing workload and decreasing everyone’s satisfaction. Here’s what they want everyone to know: “We know our collective power and we will not be dehumanized and devalued. We will continue to fight and mobilize, and together we will win the contract that we deserve. We choose to protect the security of our pension.”

UPTE is in a “status quo” period, where UC is not allowed to change any existing terms and conditions. If your manager tries to do so, please notify UPTE promptly. Contact your UPTE rep with any questions.

UC’s divide and conquer tactics continue for HX session #12

UC’s latest compensation offer for HX employees included a meager one-year equity increases to a handful of titles at some campus in exchange for the same overall contract proposal that would amount to a pay cut over the next 4 years.

Is an extra increase this year worth sacrificing fair raises, steps, and permanently undermining our retirement security?

UC pays between 5-15% of our salary in health insurance costs, depending on our salary. Without a limit to those increases, as UC has proposed, they can make us pay those costs. How would a 5% pay cut over the next 4 years affect you? What about 15%?

UC is hoping to divide us and weaken our fight for what we all deserve: annual cost of living increases, longevity steps, health care cost controls, and a secure retirement.

“We cannot allow ourselves to be tricked at this crucial moment – we have to stand together to get the kind of contract that we all deserve,” said Jamie McDole, UPTE’s chief bargainer.

Holding picket signs that said “No Second Class Workers” and “Respect,” UPTE members showed up in large numbers at the last bargaining session to describe problems with recruitment and retention due to low market wages.

Members clearly stated that the current local wage proposal with meager increases of 1-2% for some job titles and 2% across the board will not solve worker issues, nor benefit the worker or the university.

	UPTE’s Proposals	UC’s Cuts
Access	UC prints your contract, including wages. Access to Better Employee Information in accordance with new law	Wants contracts posted online only. If you can’t access it, you won’t know your rights.
Campus Closure	Use of up to 5 days of accrued vacation or sick time during campus closure	Use of maximum 3 days vacation time only during campus closure.
Compensation	6% (HX), 5.5% (RX/TX) annual cost of living increase and step to reward longevity and skill development. Equity for below- market titles.	2% across the board, no steps to move through the pay scale, add steps to tops of many ranges that you will never touch. UCD excluding many HX titles.
Corrective Action Discipline	Remove salary decrease as a form of punishment so employees aren’t forced to work for less. Add language that requires UC to notify you that you are going into an investigatory meeting and have the right to a steward.	Shorten employee response time to discipline to 10 calendar days from 10 business (12 calendar) days. Allow managers to suprise employees by dragging them into investigation meetings with no warning.
Grievance Procedure	Protect your right file a grievance and have a union steward’s support in cases of sexual harrassement	Cut your right to union protection in sexual harassment cases by illegally forcing victims through UC’s Title IX process.
Health and Safety	Give you the right to refuse to work in abnormally hazardous conditions until it has been cleared by EH&S. Provide size appropriate safety clothing and equipment.	“Work first, grieve later” UC will “try” to provide appropriate size protective gear.
Holidays	Premium pay for MLK and 12/24 like the nurses currently receive.	No extra holiday pay.
Hours of Work	Overtime begins after shift, double time after 12 hours. Specify rest between shifts.	Overtime only after 40 hours worked in a week, no limit to work day hours and no minimum between shifts.
Layoff and Reduction in Time	Protect your rights when laid off.	Cut your option to choose reduced severance and recall combination.
Leaves of Absence	Create paid parental leave. Allow for option to use CTO during leave.	Opposes paid parental leave
Nondiscrimination in Employment	Protections regardless of immigration status.	Immigration is a “social issue” that doesn’t need to be in the contract.
Parking	Maximum 1% (HX), 2% (RX/TX) annual increase in rates for life of the contract.	Ability to raise your parking rates with no limit.
Performance Evaluation	Evaluation of managers and supervisors by employees to discourage abuse of power. Stop management abuse of including peer reviews and having staff do their job.	Refuses to allow employees to review management. Continue practice of having employees review
Professional Development & Edu. Leave	No limit in usage of Ed. Leave for online courses, reimbursment for costs of educational, non-required training programs for maintenance of a license.	No reimbursement for costs of license or professional training for your license, maintain 12 hour limit to online even though the University uses online trainings for employees
Reasonable Accomodation	Create a sanctuary state on campus.	Refuses to put into writing after President Napolitano publically she will file charges against the government for ending DACA
Sick Leave	Up to 15 days sick leave for bereavement.	Only 5 days sick leave for bereavement.
Transfer, Promotion & Reclassification	Compulsory review for reclass to Clinical Research Coordinator (CRC) II after 2 years in CRC I job title (RX/TX).	No compulsory review for CRC II reclass for CRC I regardless of years in that title.
UC Health & Welfare Benefits	Control the cost shifting of medical benefits. Maintain current retirement benefits for new hires to maintain solidarity and stability of our retirement.	Unlimited healthcare cost increases. End the union-labor benefit committee where unions have input into the benefits UC will provide the following year.
UC Retirement & Savings Plan	Stop UC from undermining our pension health and security. Pension for all that provides retirement with dignity.	Put your pension at risk by offering new hires the ‘choice’ between an inferior pension benefit and a 401K.
Vacation	Communication in writing of reason for vacation denial by management.	Refusing to put reason for vacation denial in writing.