The University of California recently completed the purchase of several hospitals, including Lakewood Regional Medical Center, Los Alamitos Medical Center, Fountain Valley Regional Hospital and Medical Center, Placentia Linda Hospital, Alvarado Hospital Medical Center, and West Hills Hospital and Medical Center—with more in the works.

These acquisitions have brought hundreds of new healthcare members into our union, with more to come, growing our collective strength and power as we prepare for our upcoming negotiations. UPTE has been hard at work to ensure that the rights and working conditions of new and existing members are protected throughout this process.

In a testament to our growing strength and power, we secured strong agreements with UC that will protect both the standards we have fought and won for ourselves as well as the security of our newest members. Looking at what we have been able to accomplish for our newest members, I feel even more confident that the work we’ve done over the last few years to grow our strength as a union is paying off.

As a pharmacist, an UPTE chapter co-chair at UCSF, and our union’s statewide Executive Vice President, I am excited to see this growth in our bargaining units.

I can’t wait to get to know our newest members, and I hope you feel the same way. We’re stronger than ever having them as part of the UPTE family.

In November 2023, UPTE members at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory protested for better working conditions and fair compensation, highlighting the issues of uncompetitive wages and workforce attrition. Marching on the boss, workers delivered a petition to the laboratory’s management demanding market equity raises for high-voltage electricians and seriously addressing recruitment and retention issues, leading to increased stress and exhaustion.

This showcase of collective action marked a significant step towards equitable treatment and improved labor conditions. It also caught management’s attention, as the lab responded by implementing a pilot program and distributing retention bonuses amounting to ten percent of base pay in two installments in acknowledgment of ongoing recruitment and retention issues.

“It’s the beginning of a win. It feels great, like a boiling pot finally releasing some pressure,” said David Tanno, a High Voltage Electrician at the lab. “It’s like being heard after years of inaction and excuses. The fact that they acknowledged the issues and provided a bonus makes it all feel worthwhile. It validates our feelings and reassures us that we’re not just going through the motions every day.”

Derek Edwards, a High Voltage Electrician Lead, echoed David’s sentiments. He described the current changes as “a crack in the longstanding dam” of resistance from management. “It’s a result of the march we did last year,” Derek explained. “Management finally realizes that there are issues at the lab. So we’re definitely heading in a good direction now to where we actually can have movement both ways on the subject.”

Gloria Hernandez is an UPTE Workplace Representative at Venice Family Clinic, a community health center under the UCLA umbrella that serves patients across Los Angeles, where she counsels women affected by domestic violence. She was also an active participant in helping VFC workers win union recognition and is now helping fight for their first contract.

Gloria recalls what led her to participate actively in the fight for union recognition: “I always felt like I was doing more; I was doing the work of a social worker, but I’m compensated less than half of what they’re getting paid. I had already been fighting with my previous boss to reclassify me, but I couldn’t do it alone. It will take a movement, a union, to get what we deserve.”

Gloria recently joined other UPTE members and nearly 5,000 union activists worldwide at the 2024 Labor Notes Conference in Chicago. The conference is an essential gathering for union members who want to strategize and exchange best practices about what has worked. “Going to the Labor Notes Conference was inspiring. When I saw people from all these different unions and how amazing it looks, it gives me a sense that we’re in a huge movement, and it’s just energizing,” Gloria reflected.

Her favorite moment of the event? Watching her daughter Cynthia lead a panel discussion about fighting the boss. Cynthia has followed in her mother’s footsteps and is now working to organize workers at the Amazon KSBD Air Hub in San Bernardino with Inland Empire Amazon Workers United under highly challenging conditions.

UC Davis workers in the technical and healthcare units have been showing us what solidarity in action looks like! Business Technical Support Analysts (BTSAs) at UC Davis Medical Center recently won equity increases ranging from two to twelve percent, while Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSWs) marched on their boss to deliver a petition calling for an equity adjustment of their own.

Josh Buxbaum, a BTSA 3 and an UPTE Workplace Representative, recounted their journey: “It was a challenging process. We started with basic forms for an equity review but had to escalate when we didn’t receive a response. We united with fellow BTSA 3s and drafted a demand letter to our supervisors to reinforce our case,” he shared.

In February, LCSWs at UC Davis Medical Center launched a petition of their own. The petition highlighted how these social workers were paid significantly less than their counterparts at nearby hospitals, leading to high turnover and difficulties filling vacancies. Low retention disrupts care as patients often restart with new clinicians, hindering recovery.

“It was truly inspiring to see the turnout because quite a few people from all different teams showed up,” said Arri Aguilar, an LCSW who has worked at UC Davis for almost four years. “Standing with my colleagues was empowering. It’s about more than just wages; it’s about respecting our role and securing the future of healthcare here at UC Davis. We’re here for the long game.”

April 1 marks the beginning of an exciting week for University of California workers. We kick off our 2024 Contract Platform vote and Bargaining Team elections. The polls will be open from April 4 through April 18.

"Last year, we had thousands of conversations with UPTE members across their state who made their demands loud and clear; we deserve fair pay, clear pathways to career progression, improved work/life balance, better staffing, and job security. Those are the principles that our 2024 Contract Platform is rooted in," said Matthew Stephen, a Physician Assistant at UCSF and UPTE Chapter Co-Chair.

Contract negotiations are about showing strength in numbers, and we want to start bargaining off from a place of strength. That means UC needs to know that an overwhelming majority of our 18,000 members support these priorities. Strong turnout during our ratification vote will help us send a clear message to management that we're serious.

"We have a responsibility to provide world-class patient care, research, and education to Californians in every corner of our state—and our employer has a responsibility to make sure we have the support, resources, and staffing to fulfill that tremendous mission," Matt said. "Swing by with a few of your coworkers to vote together and say 'hello!'"

Behind the academic achievements and vibrant campus life lies an essential yet often hidden workforce in the heart of campuses across the University of California system. Among this group of workers is Andrew Fugman, a Principal Electronics Technician at UC Santa Barbara, whose story showcases determination and the steps to win material improvements to working conditions.

"We worked on flyer materials that went beyond equity issues for us," expressed Andrew. "We emphasized in our messaging how our work directly connects to campus safety, staff safety, and, above all, student safety. We handed out the flyers in high-profile, high-foot-traffic areas across campus, including to prospective students doing their orientations with their parents to get the attention of management."

In response to the demand submitted by the Electronics Techs, the University proposed 3-7% equity increases and adjustments to pay scales that allowed members who had been at the top of their pay scale to receive a January step increase, as well as creating room for additional step increases with the next contract.

As we gear up for bargaining with the University of California, the story of the electronics technicians' fight for fairness is a potent reminder of the strength in unity. "It will be a lot different at the bargaining table when we have eighteen thousand members behind us systemwide instead of just a few electronics techs here at one campus," Andrew reflected.

In contract negotiations, the path to victory is often paved with steadfast organizing and strategic pressure. That was precisely the case for UPTE members at UCLA, who recently celebrated a significant win against UC management: a five percent equity increase for all, plus additional compensation for night and weekend shifts. This achievement wasn't merely handed to us; it was the result of persistent collective action and negotiations.

Jeanna Harris, a dedicated UPTE unit representative and Case Manager at the UCLA Medical Center, shared the behind-the-scenes story of how UPTE members, including social workers and case managers, came together to make their voices heard. Over the past few years, our members have faced the longstanding issue of inadequate differential pay for night and weekend shifts, a critical factor for ensuring sufficient staffing levels at all times.

Jeanna further highlighted that "this victory is a testament to what we can achieve when we stand together, united by our commitment to fairness and equity." She also noted the potential for this success to set a new standard for upcoming contract negotiations, focusing not just on compensation but also on holistic issues like work-life balance and job satisfaction.

As we move forward, this experience has taught us the value of collective action and the power of maintaining a constructive dialogue with management. Our success at UCLA is a beacon for UPTE members across the system, showing that we can achieve substantial wins for all UC workers when we organize, engage, and negotiate in good faith.

Along with our union siblings represented by AFSCME Local 3299, dedicated UPTE workers at the Division of Laboratory Animal Medicine (DLAM) have stepped forward in a march on the boss at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Paving the way for significant improvements across the UC system, the recent joint UPTE & AFSCME 3299 action in February served as a preview for the fight ahead for thousands of UC workers.



"The recent march on the boss at DLAM is a preview of what is to come," explained Ursula Quinn, an Occupational Therapist 2 at UCLA, vice president of UPTE, and chapter co-chair for the UCLA chapter. "More than just one labor union, we are a labor movement. UPTE and AFSCME 3299 have come together, determined to change the narrative and fight for a workplace that values every employee's health, safety, and dignity. As we enter the contract negotiations alongside AFSCME 3299, our strength comes from our numbers and the impact of our unified voice."



As we organize with AFSCME 3299, we are not just seeking to win better contracts for UC workers; we are demonstrating what it means to stand together in solidarity. The demands laid out by the DLAM workers for reasonable workloads, additional staffing, transparent reclassification processes, and a focus on employee recruitment and retention are not just items on a list; they are the blueprint for a fairer, more equitable workplace for all.

In 2022, an interim IT director was appointed at UC San Diego, signaling the beginning of a managerial shift in the Information Technology Services department. The new manager implemented changes that significantly disrupted the established working environment, including a drastic alteration in personnel duties, responsibilities, and scheduling. This led to a thinly stretched workforce, making recruiting and retaining necessary personnel impossible.

The situation highlighted significant operational flaws, including an on-call rotation with shift differentials established without proper negotiation or agreement with UPTE, violating the standard bargaining processes and contract negotiations. All of this precipitated an eventual call by UPTE members for an equity review.

The joint committee's collective efforts culminated in a victorious equity review for all Business Technical Support Analysts (BTSA) 2 and 3 working at UC San Diego Health. UPTE IT members also fought to reverse the one-way, non-negotiated on-call rotation with shift differentials policy and the constraining vacation policy.

"By building solidarity between workers, we hold an undeniable power," described Pablo Labarrere. "By coming together and not letting our differences divide us, we've shown that it's entirely possible to push back against and reverse unilateral changes imposed by management. What we did is not just about the issues we faced; it's a broader statement on the efficacy of collective action and solidarity. Our success is a reminder that we can ensure our voices are heard and acted upon through unity and collective organizing, leading to a more just and respectful workplace."