What difference can a union contract make? Over 80,000 University of California employees are covered by contracts--including researchers, healthcare professionals, lecturers, librarians, nurses, clericals and service employees. And 14,000 UC professional and technical employees are represented by UPTE-CWA Local 9119. Here are some of the reasons they’ve said “UPTE Yes!”
With A Union Contract | Without A Union Contract |
UPTE-CWA-represented employees negotiated guaranteed pay raises of up to 32% for 2019-2024. | Successive years of no salary increases or tiny increases that don’t come close to keeping pace with inflation. |
Length of service is the criterion used when selecting employees for layoff. | Departments are required to consider “...skills, knowledge, and abilities, documented performance, and length of service…” when choosing who to lay off. |
When faced with layoff, employees have the option of choosing severance pay, preferential rehire, or a hybrid of the two options. 60 days notice of layoffs. | Campuses decide if they will offer recall and preferential rehire or if employees who are laid off will simply be given severance pay. 30 days notice of layoffs. |
Any furloughs and pay cuts must be negotiated. | Job furloughs in 2009-10 (equivalent to pay cuts that ranged from 4-11%). |
A collective voice - in coalition with thousands of other unionized employees - in determining our healthcare benefits and costs. | No say in the type of healthcare we receive, or how much it costs us. |
An active coalition working with faculty and other UC unions to protect our pension benefits. | No say in the contribution amounts and investment policies of UC Retirement Plan (UCRP). |
Professional representation by trained UC stewards who are experts in UC policies and contracts. | You can pay for a private attorney--who may not be familiar with UC--to represent you if you have a problem with your job. |
Binding arbitration for grievances. | Arbitrators’ decisions in grievances are merely advisory to UC. |
A “step-based” pay system, which has negotiated wage levels. Employees whose performance is at least “satisfactory” move up one step. This is transparent and fair. | “Merit” pay system makes arbitrary salary decisions that are dependent on underfunded salary pools. |
Contract language guarantees that corrective action may only be taken for “just cause.” | No guarantee that corrective action will be for “just cause.” |
A powerful, collective voice to advocate for our professions, our careers, and our constituencies. | No voice. No opinion. No power to advocate for the students, faculty and public we were hired to support. |
It’s time to join 80,000 other UC employees at the bargaining table. Student Services Professionals want the same rights as other UC employees.