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The Union Difference

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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.