Dear Colleague,

UC has begun negotiations with the University Professional and Technical Employees union for a new contract for you and your colleagues. During our first bargaining session May 8-10, UC presented the union with a set of successor proposals for a new contract that we hope will pave the way for efficient negotiations.

Our goal is to reach a comprehensive multi-year agreement that ensures market-competitive pay, excellent benefits and good working conditions for you and your colleagues, while preserving the long-term financial health of UC. As you know, UC must juggle and balance multiple priorities, from student tuition to employee salaries.

It’s important to us to recognize employees for their contributions at UC. Here are some of the ways we do this:

  • Market-competitive pay: We provide market-competitive pay and conduct routine market studies to ensure we fairly compensate our staff. UC has provided regular increases to you and your colleagues the last several years, and is committed to ensuring your pay stays market-competitive.
  • Quality health benefits: UC provides generous health benefits for employees and their families. UC offers six excellent, affordable health plans to choose from. Most employers offer fewer. UC research support employees pay an average of $648 a year for health insurance for themselves and their family. The average American worker typically pays over $5,200 for less generous health coverage — just for themselves.
  • Excellent retirement benefits: All current employees would keep their current retirement benefits. UC offers a traditional pension that features a guaranteed payment to help you plan for a secure retirement. For future employees hired after a new contract is ratified, UC proposes to add a plan that allows future employees a choice between the traditional pension plan or a 401(k)-style plan. Few employers offer this choice, or a traditional pension.

Thank you for the important role you play in groundbreaking research and innovations at the University of California. Across our campuses, medical centers and laboratories, the contributions you make through your work help UC fulfill its public service mission to research for the public good, strengthen our economy and improve quality of life here in California and around the world.

We’ll provide regular bargaining updates as negotiations continue.

Sincerely,

Dwaine B. Duckett

Vice President of Human Resources