Please find this week’s UPTE Update below.
HEADLINES
UC Merced may delay start of semester amid housing shortage
https://abc30.com/uc-merced-housing-students-campus/10950391/
Fake vaccine cards? Bay Area colleges grapple with verifying shots in age of easy forgeries
Voter turnout proves crucial in Gov. Newsom’s upcoming recall election
To make workplaces safe post-pandemic, California must make Cal-OSHA stronger. Here’s how
https://www.sacbee.com/article252759723.html
California community colleges begin to mandate vaccines as Covid-19 cases surge
Mt. San Jacinto College Unveils New California Campus
https://schoolconstructionnews.com/2021/08/10/mt-san-jacinto-college-unveils-new-california-campus/
UC UPDATE
UC System Administrators Head Back to Bargaining Table
Our Systems Administrators (SAs) will head back to the bargaining table tomorrow. The University of California Office of the President (UCOP) will present its first contract proposal at the meeting.
At the SA’s first bargaining session in July, UCOP representatives walked out after more than 80 SAs showed up to support their peers.
The UCOP representatives, startled by the high turnout, said they wanted ground rules to continue. UPTE has never had guidelines in bargaining sessions before.
At the SA contract meeting last week, UCOP bargainers agreed to drop its unprecedented and blatant stalling tactic as the ground rules proposal would have forced closed meetings and backroom deals. UPTE won open meetings, a significant victory.
UPTE also presented its first contract proposal to UC.
The UPTE outline hits on retirement, bonus and incentive programs, telecommuting/remote work, vacation/sick leave, exempt status, and much more.
Some highlights from the first proposal:
- The University shall pay SAs tax-advantaged retroactive compensation dating back to the Public Employee Relations Board (PERB) initial decision that System Administrators are eligible for union representation as of 5/26/2017.
- SAs hired or rehired in a UCRP eligible appointment following a break in service on or after July 1, 2013, will be placed in the “modified 2013 tier” for retirement.
- SAs hired before July 1, 2013, will continue in the 1976 retirement tier and increase their UCRP employee contribution to nine percent (9%) of Covered Compensation.
- SAs shall remain eligible for all current and future bonus programs specific to local campus procedures and policies.
- All SAs shall be allowed to telecommute and shall choose their telecommuting days at their discretion.
You can read the full proposal and get answers to common questions here.
When UCOP presents its proposal, we will share it with you.
CWA UPDATE
Stop the Recall Phone Bank
We must stop the recall of Governor Gavin Newsom.
Anti-union organizations, individuals, and politicians have contributed millions to the recall campaign. They want nothing more than to replace Newsom with an anti-union governor to attack union jobs, voting rights, public education, pensions, and minimum wage law. If they succeed, we will lose years of progress in protecting workers and good jobs.
We urge CWA members to Vote NO on question 1 to stop the recall of Governor Gavin Newsom.
Ballots and instructions on using your ballot will be mailed to registered California voters. We encourage you to fill out and return your ballot as soon as possible. The special election will take place September 14.
Governor Newsom implemented the country’s strongest COVID-19 protections for essential workers. He expanded COVID-related paid sick leave, signed legislation to keep workers safe and shut down unsafe workplaces, and supported unions and local groups to get vaccines to essential workers. In 2019, Governor Newsom signed a bill, AB 5, to crack down on worker misclassification and restore basic rights to millions of workers.
We hope you will join us in making your voice heard in this election. The votes that we cast as union members will be crucial in stopping this recall.
Please join us for a phone bank to stop the recall! The next phone bank is Wednesday, August 18 at 5pm PT! We will hold phone banks every Monday and Wednesday until the election: https://actionnetwork.org/forms/stop-the-recall-phonebanks
In unity,
Frank Arce, Vice President
CWA District 9
GENERAL UPDATES
Cancel Student Debt!
Many of our members have significant student debt. The debt holds them back from fully living their lives.
Earlier this month, President Biden extended the federal government’s student loan payment freeze.
Several groups feel the president’s action doesn’t go far enough.
Student Debt Crisis is a people-powered advocacy organization with over 2 million supporters. It is committed to making education free and saving families from the crushing burden of student debt.
The group is currently running a petition demanding President Biden do more to cancel education loans.
You can send a letter to President Biden here.
Call for UPTE Photos
We here at UPTE are looking for photos of our members to use in marketing materials. We want shots of members working. Do you have any of these photos? If you do, please send them to sfelsing@upte-cwa.org.
Follow Us On Social Media
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https://www.facebook.com/UPTECWA
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For past UPTE Updates, visit https://www.upte.org/local/new/upte-weekly-update/.