Contents
(1) TX/RX Contract Expiration: No Raises, No Contract 
(2) AFSCME Continues Push for Livable Minimum Wage  
(3) HX Cost-of-Living, Equity Raises, and Steps on July 1      

(1) TX/RX Contract Expiration: No Raises, No Contract
UPTE-CWA’s bargaining team has offered to extend the TX/RX contract if UC would agree to not make wage increases dependent on the state budget. UC has turned the offer down. Our team argued that less than 10% of the TX/RX depend on state funds and that grants and UC enterprises have budgeted for increases. With no promise of raises, why should we extend our contract and give UC free reign to continue with business as usual?

When the contract expires on June 30, the following conditions change:

• UC must bargain all changes such as reorganizations, shift changes, work rule changes, parking fee increases and raises. If the university makes any changes without union approval, we will file an unfair labor practice charge with the state’s Public Employment Relations Board. See our ULP fact sheet for a comprehensive description of the changes UC can no longer make and unfair labor practices charges.
  
  
• UC must pay for all overtime and cannot provide comp time without union approval.
  
  
• UPTE can strike if UC bargains in bad faith or we reach impasse.
  
  
• The arbitration of grievances is replaced by a hearing process imposed by UC.

Enforcing this status quo period after the contract expiration depends on UPTE members reporting any unilateral changes that UC makes so that we can challenge them. If you know of any such change, contact your UPTE office immediately. The first unilateral change that we will challenge is the parking increases that have been proposed at several campuses.

UPTE bargainers will continue to diligently push toward an expeditious contract settlement. Unfortunately, several of the bargainers’ UC supervisors and departments have been taking negative actions against our bargainers. UPTE will use every tool available to protect our dedicated bargainers.

(2) AFSCME Continues Push for Livable Minimum Wage
Many speakers canceled commencement engagements in support of AFSCME members, who are seeking a livable minimum wage at their UC jobs. After several intense negotiation sessions, UC still refuses to guarantee any raises for AFSCME service workers or to even bring the lowest paid up to a decent minimum wage. UC has made some concessions for AFSCME’s patient care technical workers, but has yet to bring them close to market rates.

AFSCME continues to put pressure on UC to seriously negotiate, especially for service workers. No new strike has been scheduled yet while the current intense negotiations continue. AFSCME leaders have expressed their gratitude for the support they have received from UPTE members.

(3) HX Cost-of-Living, Equity Raises, and Steps on July 1
The third year of raises and first step increases in decades will go into effect for UPTE-CWA healthcare professionals on July 1. The raises are different for each job title and each medical center and campus. Check the full raise table on UPTE’s website for details.

UPTE has succeeded in getting experience-based steps at San Diego and Davis. Los Angeles has pay zones based on experience. The union has also obtained additional equity increases for several titles at the other medical centers. UC has rejected some of our equity proposals. In particular, UC has discriminated against campus-funded employees by providing them smaller raises than medical center-funded employees. Depending on our members’ willingness to pursue these increases, we will take additional steps to convince UC to put more money on the table.

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