UPTE-CWA Local 9119, the union that represents UC’s 9,000 technical and professional staff systemwide, announced that its membership has voted to ratify a new five-year agreement.

• The contract includes significant pay raises for three years of the contract (beginning in 2010), as follows:

October 2010:            2.5% across-the-board pay increase
                                   Plus a step increase (2%-2.2%) for eligible employees

October 2011:            3.0% across-the-board pay increase
                                   Plus a step increase (2%-2.2%) for eligible employees

October 2012:            3.0% across-the-board pay increase
                                   Plus a step increase (2%-2.2%) for eligible employees

Depending on an individual’s eligibility, this adds up to 15.1% in base-building salary increases. In addition, all unit members will receive a $1,000 lump sum payment by July 1, 2010 to help compensate them for last year’s time at the bargaining table. The contact limits increases to employees’ share of health care costs and parking, and requires UC to bargain with the union over future increases.

Union members agreed to the proposed 2% “redirect” of DCP funds to begin 4/15, and an addition 1% contribution to UCRS in 2011 and 2012, but only if this is also required of other employees. UPTE members subject to furlough may now take advantage of START.

• The raises are NOT dependent on the state budget.

You can find out more about the new contract at UPTE’s website.

UC employees without a union contract deserve better than what we’re getting

We’ve had multiple years of no pay increases, pay cuts under UC’s furlough program, rising healthcare and parking costs, and new contributions to our retirement plan. For those of us without a union contract, it all adds up to total compensation that is rapidly declining.

UPTE’s research and technical members were able to negotiate a contract – even in these challenging budget times – that includes pay increases to help offset retirement contributions and increases in health care costs. Moreover, these significant pay raises will have a compounding effect over time on base salaries, which will beneficially affect retirement benefits.

If you support a union for UC’s staff professionals (analyst, programmer, student affairs officer, admin specialist, library assistant v, buyer, accountant, senior and principal editor, learning skills counselor, and many others), please sign the UPTE commitment card, become a member of UPTE (dues are $22/month), and/or contact us for more information.

This bulletin provides a resource for workplace issues affecting UC’s staff professionals and ways we can work together to solve them. It also keeps us updated on administrative professionals’ organizing efforts with the University Professional and Technical Employees union (UPTE).