January 26, 2007

The HX Bargaining team met last week with UC at the CWA offices in Santa Fe Springs. The bulk of the contract has been TA'd (tentatively agreed upon by both sides).There are still a few of non-economic issues pending, such as Out-of-Class Assignments as well as a few economic issues like Duration (of the contract) and Shift Differential. Most of our bargaining time was spent sending wage proposals back and forth across the table. We are still quite a bit apart from UC on wages for some job titles at some campuses. In general, we are moving toward a final agreement on compensation. We are demanding that all compensation be retroactive to when the contract initially expired on June 30, 2006. We also composed and submitted several side letters (specific or unique actions that would not generally affect or change the contract). Finally, we gave UC a few more information requests.

At this point we have not come to an agreement regarding our pension and healthcare benefits. UC has proposed a 5 year contract, with a re-opener in 2 years (July 1, 2008) on benefits and wages. In the interim they propose that we do a “me too” with the TX/RX units on those benefits. In other words, whatever UPTE's Technical and Research units are able to bargain for themselves on pensions, the healthcare unit would also have to accept. That means that we would give up our right to strike over those issues even if the TX and RX units were to go on strike.

We have counter proposed that the bargaining of the pension/healthcare issues for the HX unit be moved off of the HX table and be moved to the TX/RX UCUC bargaining table. We would then bargain as a whole, along with AFSCME and CUE. This means we don't give up our right to strike, and we settle the rest of the contract as soon as possible. Our salary increases would not tied to pension and healthcare benefits issues, which may take months to settle. It also means we don't split up the UC Union Coalition and are bargaining those issues as a group in a much stronger position. The UCUC coalition represents some 12,000+ employees while the HX unit is only 2300 strong.

UC has rejected our counter proposal and repeatedly stated they don't want as participants at the UC coalition table except as observers. They want to make sure the power of the healthcare unit members is not part of the rest of the unions. UC seems to realize that the HX workers have a great deal of power within the medical centers.

UC has stated that unless we reach some sort of settlement on this issue they will file for impasse. If that happens, it means we are no longer bargaining, and we may be subjected to mediators, appointed by Schwarsenegger t o resolve the issue. Obviously, this would not be good. On the other hand, we did not agree to extend the contract after January 19 th . This means we are without a contract and could potential strike or take other actions if we feel UC is not bargaining in good faith. Being without a contract means that UC management cannot impose any changes on HX members, such as work rule changes, schedule changes, wage increases/decreases, etc. Everything must be approved by UPTE first. If you think the “status quo” has changed at your work place, please contact your UPTE representative immediately.

Pressure needs to be placed on UC to force them to move HX pension and benefits bargaining to the UC Union Coalition table. We can only do so much at the table, we have made our position clear: we will not accept any agreement that requires us to give up our right to strike and bargain over our pensions. However, there is much that can be done.

• UPTE will be circulating a strike petition for you to sign one way or the other. UC needs to know how serious we are about getting a good contract soon, and not tying our pensions to our wage increases. It you are serious about striking - sign the petition and get your co-workers to sign also.
• Call or write the Regents (see below) and let them know you want HX benefits bargained with the rest of the UC unions.
• You want our wage increases to not be tied to the pension issue. And, you might want to add how much more you could be making if you worked at the medical center across town! Or, how many job offers you received, with good benefits, just this month.
• Circulate and sign a petition or letter to the Regents, have everyone sign.
• Get your supervisors or managers to contact Human Resources - let them know they need a good contract for their workers - too many are choosing to work elsewhere or are quitting over the low wages and short staffing at UC.
• Contact UPTE or your bargaining team representative if you have questions, suggestions or would like to set up a meeting in your work area. We would happy to come and help explain the issues and make plans to pressure UC to stop holding up the HX contract over pensions!

REGENTS:

Arnold Schwarzenegger
Governor of California
State Capitol
Sacramento , CA 95814
(916) 445-2841

Fabian Núñez
Speaker of the Assembly
State Capitol, Room 219
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento , CA 94249
Phone: (916) 319-2046

Jefferson Coombs
Alumni Regent
(President of the Alumni Associations of UC)
340 Main Street , 3rd floor
Venice , CA 90291
(310) 907-17401

Robert C. Dynes
President of the University
1111 Franklin St , 12th Floor
Oakland , CA 94607-5200
(510) 987-9074

Cruz Bustamante
Lieutenant Governor
State Capitol, Room 1114
Sacramento , CA 95814
(916) 445-8994

Jack O'Connell
State Superintendent of Public Instruction
1430 N Street, Suite 5602
Sacramento , CA 95814-5901
(916) 319-0800

Stephen Schreiner
Alumni Regent
(Vice President of the Alumni Associations of UC)
Solomon Ward Seidenwurm & Smith LLP
401 B Street, Suite 120
San Diego , CA 92101
(619) 231-0303

APPOINTED REGENTS

Richard C. Blum
Office of the Secretary
1111 Franklin Street , 12th floor
Oakland , CA 94607
(510) 987-9220

William De La Pena, M.D.
1111 Franklin Street
12th floor
Oakland , CA 94607
(510) 987-9220

Russell Gould
Office of the Secretary
1111 Franklin St , 12th floor
Oakland , CA 94607
(510) 987-9220

Judith Hopkinson
Office of the Secretary
1111 Franklin St, 12th floor
Oakland , CA 94607
(510) 987-9220

Eddie Island
1111 Franklin Street , 12th Floor
Oakland, CA 94607
(310) 395-2954

Odessa Johnson
P.O. Box 580595
Modesto , CA 95358
(209) 521-0887

Joanne Kozberg
California Strategies, LLC
1875 Century Park East , Suite 1025
Los Angele s , CA 90067
(310) 843-9600

Sherry L. Lansing
The Sherry Lansing Foundation
2121 Avenue of the Stars , Suite 2020
Los Angeles , CA 90067
(310) 788-0057

María Ledesma
Student Regent
2005A Moore Hall
Box 951521
Los Angeles , CA 90095
(310) 206-4416

Monica Lozano
La Opinión
700 S. Flower St., Ste 3000
Los Angeles , CA 90017
(213) 896-2153

George Marcus
The Marcus & Millichap Company
777 California St .
Palo Alto , CA 94304
(650) 494-1400

John J. Moores
JMI Services, Inc.
12680 High Bluff Dr, Suite 200
San Diego , CA 92130
(858) 259-2500

Gerald L. Parsky
Aurora Capital Partners
10877 Wilshire Blvd.
Suite 2100
Los Angeles , CA 90024
(310) 551-0101

Norman Pattiz
Westwood One
8965 Lindglade Street
Culver City , CA 90232
(310) 840-4201

Peter Preuss
The Preuss Foundation, Inc.
2223 Avenida de la Playa #220
La Jolla , CA 92037
(858) 454-0200

Fred Ruiz
Ruiz Foods, Inc.
P.O. Box 37
Dinuba , CA 93618
(800) 477-6474

Leslie Tang Schilling
Office of the Secretary
1111 Franklin St , 12th floor
Oakland , CA 94607
(510) 987-9220

Bruce D. Varner
3750 University Avenue
Suite 610
Riverside , CA 92501
(951) 274-7777

Paul Wachter
Main Street Advisors
3110 Main Street
Santa Monica , CA 90405
(310) 392-7607

REGENTS-DESIGNATE

Benjamin Allen
Student Regent-designate
408 Eshleman Hall
Mail Code 4500
Berkeley , CA

Eleanor Brewer
Alumni Regent-designate
(Secretary, Alumni Associations of UC)
1111 Franklin Street , 12th floor
Oakland , CA 94607
(510) 987-9220

Philip J. Bugay
Alumni Regent-designate
(Treasurer, Alumni Associations of UC)
P.O. Box 22546
Santa Barbara , CA 93121
(510) 987-9220

FACULTY REPRESENTATIVES

John B. Oakley
Chair, Academic Senate
University of California
1111 Franklin St. 12th Floor
Oakland , CA 94607-5200
(510) 987-9303

Michael Brown
Vice Chai r , Academic Senate University of California
1111 Franklin St , 12th Floor
Oakland , CA 94607-5200
(510) 987-0711

Your bargaining team and UPTE are hopeful that we can resolve these issues soon. We continue to bargain in good faith and with the hope that we have a contract by next month.

We bargain again on February 12, 13, and 14. We don't have a location yet, but probably in northern California . We will let you know.

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)