2006

Benefits
UC has announced on the web page http://atyourservice.ucop.edu the proposed 2007 increases to the Health Insurance Plans. The UC Bargaining Committee has now passed that proposal at the HX Bargaining table. The lowest paid employees with families will carry the largest burden of the increased healthcare costs!

Pension
In addition to the increase of healthcare benefit plan costs, the Regents are proposing the 2% contribution you make to your “Defined Contribution Plan” for your retirement, go instead to the UC Retirement Plan. For those with salaries of $94,600, the proposal calls for the 2% rate up to that amount, any salary beyond that amount a 4% rate will kick in. Though UC says there's no reduction in your take home salary in 2007, you will no longer be able to control how the contribution is invested. The proposal also includes more cost shifting to you for your pension in 2008.

UC has called UPTE's TX (Technical) and RX (Research) units back to the table for this issue, along with AFSCME and CUE unions. They will be bargaining with UC as a coalition on this sole issue. HX has asked that our retirement pensions be moved off of this table and that we be allowed to bargain with the Union Coalition, but UC has refused. This puts the HX unit in a much weaker position to bargain on this issue, but we will continue to insist that UC allow us to join the Union Coalition.

NO COST SHIFTING IN BENEFITS AND PENSIONS!

Compensation
UC has finally given us their first proposal for compensation. They want to continue with the current Zone Salary Range for 2006, before switching to the Step System in July, 2007. Their proposal was only for 2006 zone range compensation. As expected, it was insultingly low. Their offer was for individual and zone increases of an average 2 – 2.5% at all campuses and all job titles. There were a few exceptions with UCLA being offered even less! And, UC San Diego's are somewhat more.

SALARIES WILL FALL EVEN FURTHER BEHIND THE MARKET STANDARDS!

Recruitment and retention that are continuing problems at every campus and medical center, will become even more extreme. This does not even take into account staffing levels--which are now approaching threats to health and safety if more staff is not hired soon.

UC is “a world class center of teaching and research,” and President Dynes has the responsibility of ensuring that UC remains a top university. Taking away competitive compensation and benefits is not the way to retain and recruit the best people to continue doing excellent work for the university.

What can you do to help?

1. Participate in or initiate petitions in your work area that demand a fair market rate wage and no cost shifting to the employee of healthcare and pension funds for 2006 – 2007.
2. Most local campuses are planning informational pickets – help build and come and participate in these rallies. They are being scheduled for October.
3. Come to the bargaining sessions, observe, make a presentation, deliver your petitions, etc. Let UC know you are not happy with their insulting proposal.
   
   October 9, 10, and 11 at UC Irvine
   October 16, 17, and 18 at CWA offices, Santa Fe Springs
   November 6, 7, 8, and 9 at UC San Francisco
   
   
4. Contact the UC Regents and let them know you're “NOT INTERESTED” in the additional cost shifting to the medical plan! You are “NOT INTERESTED” in their pathetic wage proposal. Tell them to get serious!

Following is a list of the Regents, along with a sample letter you can use, edit, or write your own. Attached is a list of the UC Regents, contact them and get your voice heard!

Let them know what you think of a 2% pay increase for all your hard work for UC.

Tell them that retention and recruitment will become an even more extreme problem if these wage proposals aren't brought up to market rates. All we are asking for is a fair market rate salary package.

WE DEMAND COMPETITIVE SALARIES!

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF THE REGENTS
1111 Franklin St. , 12th floor
Oakland , CA 94607
tel (510) 987-9220
fax (510) 987-9224
Write to the Regents by email

Dear Regent________________,

As a Healthcare Professional employee of the University of California , I am very concerned about the Regent's current proposal to increase the cost of our Health Care Benefits starting July 2007. Those individuals making the least are being charged with the greatest percentage increase in their Health Care Benefits.

We are equally dismayed by the Regent's plan to change the current structure of our Pension Plan. Employees are being asked to redirect 2% into the UC Retirement Plan, instead of the Defined Contribution Plan starting July 2007. In 2008, an additional 1% is scheduled, meaning that employees will be contributing 3% to their own retirement. Furthermore, the preliminary compensation proposal being put forth by UC only offers meager wage increases and continues to keep employees far below market.

With all the projected increases to Health Benefits, deductions for Retirement and MINIMAL salary increases, an expected escalation of parking rates, the Healthcare Employees are falling farther and farther behind our counterparts Statewide. IS THERE NO END TO TAKING FROM EMPLOYEES AND NOT GIVING BACK?

Historically, the University of California has had the reputation of being a premier Research and Teaching Facility, in which employees take pride. Unfortunately, this type of cost shifting by the Regent's would cause an extreme financial burden for the many dedicated, hard working UC employees.

My Healthcare Professional colleagues and I hope that the Regents will give serious consideration to NOT making these changes to ensure that the University of California continues to be able to recruit and retain qualified Healthcare employees and maintain the outstanding reputation of UC Hospitals and Medical Centers .

Sincerely,

____________________________________________

Name and Title

____________________________________________

Hospital/Medical Center