(1) TX/RX Ratification Vote This Week
A brief synopsis of the contract is available to non-members, but for the official contract summary and full agreement you must be a member of UPTE-CWA. Our records indicate that you are not yet a member even though you are paying dues. If you sign up, you can get the complete information and vote.

(2) TAKE ACTION! TX/RX Bargainers Targeted: One Laid Off, One Fired, Both African-American
UC managers have retaliated against UPTE-CWA bargainers. The worst two cases in this round of bargaining are the layoff of Dieskau Reed at UCSC and the dismissal of Victor Dorsett at LBNL. Both of these bargainers are African-American, and with the racially charged atmosphere at UC, we cannot overlook this targeting of black members of our team.

How you can support your bargainers: Take quick action by going to our e-action website and sending emails to the Santa Cruz and Lawrence Berkeley National Lab executives decrying this racist union-busting move.

Dieskau Reed was one of 7 computer resource specialists managing the main administrative computers on the Santa Cruz campus. The IT department made sure to cut 3 of the 7 so they could get rid of Dieskau, even though this required them to distribute his work to more highly-paid employees. Last week, Dieskau applied for an open computer resource specialist position for which he is qualified, but the campus human resources will not even consider him for the job. The email you send will insist that Dieskau be hired for the open position.

Victor Dorsett is being fired for the second time on completely trumped up charges. His supervisor claims that Dorsett has attendance and productivity problems. Records show that Dorsett has attendance and productivity that rivals his co-workers. He is being held to different standards than other employees at the Joint Genome Institute where he works. The email you send will protest this dismissal.

Send your email immediately so we can get these unjust actions against our bargainers reversed.

(3) Sign Ballot Initiative for Majority Rule and Signup for COPE
We are already hearing how bad the budget will be next year. We have to change the gridlock in Sacramento, and enable a fair budget to be passed. The current rules of a two-third s vote required to pass a budget or to raise revenue means that legislators cut programs in lean years and can t muster the votes to restore funding in good years. For us at UC this has resulted in UC s portion of the state budget shrinking from 7% to 3.5%.

You can change this now by signing Californians For Democracy majority rule petition. It would change the state s constitution so that a simple majority can pass the budget, as is the case in almost every other US state. Print out additional copies and have you co-workers, friends and family sign and return them before April 5.

Also during ratification, members will be asked to sign up for UPTE s political campaign fund. We request a payroll deduction of at least $5 per month. This money will be used to ensure that favorable legislators get elected and placed on key committees, and is crucial in ensuring that UC employees have a voice in Sacramento.

We want to hear your input. Participate in the UPTE member forum for more dialogue on UPTE issues.