Since May, UC has worked hard to reach a new agreement with good wages and benefits for its research support and technical staff, before the current contract expires Sept. 30, 2017. We are disappointed that despite nine multi-day bargaining sessions, no agreement has been reached.

The university has proposed annual wage increases that ensure market-competitive pay, along with excellent health and retirement benefits for you and your family. UPTE has rejected UC’s proposals, including on wages and health benefits, and has not presented its counterproposals despite several requests over the last four weeks.

At the last bargaining session on Sept. 25-26, 2017, UC offered to extend the current contract to allow more time to reach agreement; UPTE declined.

UC’s proposals included:

  • Market-competitive wages: A 2 percent increase after ratification of a new contract, followed by a 2 percent increase a year for the duration of the contract. This wage offer would ensure salaries remain market competitive.
  • Affordable health coverage: Continued access to UC’s broad range of health plans for you and your families at a cost well below the national average. The typical UC research and technical  support staff member spends $648 a year for the Kaiser plan — about 12.5 percent of the $5,200 the average American worker pays a year for health benefits.
  • Excellent retirement benefits: All current employees will see no change in their pension benefits.
    • Employees hired after a new contract is ratified will have a choice between a traditional pension plan and a 401(k)-style plan. Offering this choice to future employees will not affect the pension benefits of current employees; accrued pension benefits are protected by law and cannot be reduced or revoked. (To learn more, see our fact sheet.)

The next bargaining session is for Oct. 19-20, 2017. We hope UPTE comes to this session ready to fully respond to UC’s proposals and negotiate all the terms of the agreement. 

Access bargaining updates at ucal.us/researchstaff and ucal.us/technicalstaff.