The HX Bargaining session was held at the CWA offices in Santa Fe Springs. UC again had no new salary proposals to offer. We did get their compensation language in writing this time. What they are proposing is a 3 year contract. The first year would remain on the current zone system. Their intention is to give make some equity adjustments to get ready for going to the step system. In 2007 and 2008 they would move to the step system. They envision something similar to what we proposed – about 15 steps, each step entails a 2% salary increase. Unlike our proposal, each campus and even each job title would have a different step system and different salaries. They wish to retain the ability to offer different job titles, or different locations, equity increases – not increases across the board as we have proposed. They intend to make market adjustments over the two year period, 2007 and 2008. We will again counter with our wage proposal, which is uniform salaries across the UC system, yearly market equity review and increases, and 5% yearly COLA's.

There was a presentation by a representative from the Retirement (UCRP) office. He gave a power point presentation on UC's plans to divert money from our DCP account to pay into the UCRP retirement pension plan. Very slick, but we weren't impressed.

Not surprisingly our request for increases in evening and night shift differentials was not accepted. And, our request for weekend differential was totally shot down. We will resubmit. In the meantime we are looking into the unfair and inequitable differential system they have set up for the student health centers. We will be proposing that all CLS's and others working for the various student health centers be compensated for their overtime and weekend work.

We had a discussion at the table regarding the intent of the various work rules regarding unscheduled sick leave. They made it clear that the Letters of Warning issued for violation of the 6 day limit on unscheduled sick leave only refers to those employees who violate the policy. The policy's intent is not to discipline those who have valid reasons for their unscheduled sick leave use. We need to ensure that our members understand this and notify their local UPTE steward if they think they are being unfairly disciplined.

Other outstanding articles are Out of Class Assignments, the No Strike article, Holidays, Reasonable Accommodation, and Vacation Leave. We are still attempting to get the pensions issue moved off the HX bargaining table. We want to bargain this issue with the UC Union Coalition, which includes UPTE's TX and RX units, AFSCME and CUE.

We will have much more bargaining power if we can join the coalition vs. trying to bargain this issue on our own.

We ask you to join us at the table when we bargain. There is still plenty of time to make a presentation (we can help you prepare) to UC. This is very effective in educating UC as to value of your work to UC and the lack of support and compensation that UC gives you in return. We still are really looking for a Pharmacist, including a Poison Control Pharmacist, and an Audiologist to make presentations. Please contact your campus president or bargainer for more information.

We will be bargaining at UCSF, China Basin campus, on November 6, 7, 8 and 9 th .

We will be bargaining next on November 27, 28, 29 and 30 th , probably at UCLA.

And, we tentatively have December 11, 12, 13 and 14 th set aside as bargaining dates.

Your HX bargaining team,

Bob Dawson (BK), Wendi Felson (SF), Larry Freed (IR), Sue McCormick (DV),
Sheila Stittiams (SD), Ellen West (CWA Dist 9), Cindy Yuge (LA)