Contents:
(1) UPTE Achieves First Step Towards TX/RX Wage Increases
(2) “Where's the Dough” Workshops At Your Workplace
(3) Put in for Your Incentive Award Now!
(4) HX Increases On July 1, 2004

(1) UPTE Achieves First Step Towards TX/RX Wage Increases
Raises for RX and TX staff on the campuses have two parts:
(a) across-the-board increases that move everyone's pay up at the same time and
(b) step increases that move individuals up within their pay range.

(a) UC's Compact with Governor Schwarzenegger Sets Minimum for across-the-board raises:
UC uses the state budget as an excuse to limit our raises even though most of us are not state-funded. For this reason UPTE activists took a preemptive move to sign cards and lobby for our raises to be included in the “compact” that Governor Schwarzenegger was negotiating with UC for long term funding. The compact includes funding for across-the-board with no increase for the first year and 3%, 3% and 4% increases for the subsequent three years.

The compact must still be approved each year as part of the budget and UPTE must bargain these raises into contract language, so the increases in the compact are only the first step in getting our raises. We must hold UC accountable so that increases in their funding actually end up as raises for staff.

The full text of the compact is available at: http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/compact/compact.pdf

(b) UC Has the Money for RX/TX Step Increases:
In addition to an across-the-board increase that comes from actual increases in UC funding, UC has the resources to pay for step increases. All RX and TX employees that are not on probation and not topped out in their pay range must get an annual step increase of at least 2%. The step increases are funded from staff turnover savings, staff vacancy savings, and the excess money in grants and other revenue increases specifically allocated for our raises. UC diverts these savings away from our raises and claims they have no money for step increases.

Our TX/RX bargaining team met for the first time last week with UC and presented proposals that include step increases. This will undoubtedly be the major issue for our new contract. For more information on our raises at UC please see the primer UPTE has prepared at: www.upte-cwa.org/UCwage.html.

Note that the raises for TX/RX employees at LBNL are separate. They are still on a merit system that provides longer term employees with smaller raises.

(2) “Where's the Dough” Workshops At Your Workplace
UPTE members are holding lunch time “Where's the Dough” workshops all over campuses, hospitals and labs. Come find out how UC can afford to give us step increases and help us figure out what happens if they don't. We also want to hear ideas and concerns from all UPTE members one-on-one.

If you would like to host a “Where's the Dough” workshop for some of your coworkers please contact your local UPTE or send an email. We have a recipe (literature) to show where to find the “dough.” If all UPTE members are informed about how UC can pay for raises and we work together to hold UC accountable then we will achieve our goals.

(3) Put in for Your Incentive Award Now!
At most campuses/labs, your department retains 0.5% of your salary for the purpose of incentive awards (see below for exceptions). While some work locations distribute this money, many do not. If you have not received an incentive award, you can have your supervisor request one for any amount ($200 to $500 are usual but some have been more than $2000). The rules vary for each campus but most campuses require that this request be submitted to your department prior to the end of June. You can get a sample letter to request an incentive award from the UPTE website: www.upte-cwa.org/incentiveaward.html.

The Berkeley and Irvine campuses claim that they use this incentive award money for training and promoting staff. You can put in a request for training using this fund but you are not eligible for the incentive award.

At the Santa Cruz campus a flat amount of $200 will be distributed to all staff in the middle of June. You do not need to request the award. Some departments at other campuses do this as well.

LBNL and LANL have ongoing incentive award programs that come from different funds. You can submit a request at any time and the funds do not expire at the end of the fiscal year. You can edit the sample letter to omit the mention of the deadline for request.

(4) HX Wage Increases On July 1, 2004
All UPTE represented HX raises go into effect on July 1, 2004 (in your 8/1/4 paycheck). The San Francisco , Los Angeles , Davis , and San Diego medical centers and student health centers will receive an increase of 2%. The Irvine medical center will receive 1.5% and individuals that are low in their pay range after long years of service will be given equity increases averaging 2.8%. If there are any problems with your raise amount make sure to contact your UPTE representative/steward right away.