• HX Contract Near Completion
• Regents raise pension contributions, give execs raises
• One Nation Mass Event in Cities Across US
• Distribute Materials to Your Co-Workers
• UC to Reduce HealthNet Network or Increase Monthly Premium
• E-Raffle

The agreement will get most of our raises now, and will not force HX members to decide  how to deal with UC’s proposed pension contributions this year.

If you are planning actions at your medical center, please proceed because the pension and retiree health benefits issues will certainly remain a huge issue for many years to come.

Regents raise employee pension contributions 5%, give execs raises
The regents voted Thursday to raise the amounts that employees and UC contribute to the UCRS pension plan. Employees’ contributions would go from the current 2% to 5% by 2013, while UC’s would go from 4% of payroll to 10%. UC must negotiate changes with union-represented employees.

The regents also approved $3.1 million in bonuses for medical center executives, to be distributed among 37 executives across the state, including UCLA’s top hospital executive, whose pay will increase by $410,000, to about $1.3 million.

One Nation Mass Event in Cities Across US
“One Nation Working Together For Jobs, Justice and Education for All” is the slogan that hundreds of thousands will be backing on Saturday, October 2 in a massive march on Washington, DC.  Supporting actions are being held on October 2 all across the US including San Diego, Los Angeles, the Bay Area and elsewhere to hold politicians accountable for the change we voted for in 2008.

Wall Street speculated with our money and created the economic crisis. They got bailed out but now they demand we fix the economic fallout by cutting schools, health care, jobs and so much more.

Let’s rally to have our voices heard in Washington.

Distribute Materials to Your Co-workers
As you know, UPTE’s zone contacts are the foundation of our union. We have a several important materials to distribute to all our members. Just sending an email just doesn’t work as well as a face-to-face conversation with a colleague. Please talk to your co-workers about these items:

1. Flyers about defeating Republican candidates Meg Whitman (running for governor) and Carly Fiorina (running for Senate) in the November election. Make sure everyone is registered to vote (deadline is October 18).
2. Talk to the UC administrative professionals in your area and encourage them to support UPTE by signing a commitment card.
3. One Nation rally information. Can you or your coworkers go to the local or national rallies?

UC to Reduce HealthNet Network or Increase Monthly Premium
UPTE-CWA and other unions recently got a preview of the changes to UC benefits plans for 2011.

The biggest change is that HealthNet will be divided into two parts. UC excluded the more expensive providers from one of the plans (HealthNet Blue and Gold) to keep the cost down. The other HealthNet plan will retain the same providers but will probably be about 50% more expensive.

The largest provider that will probably be excluded from HealthNet Blue and Gold is Sutter. This will have a disproportionate impact on northern California campuses where half of the current HealthNet subscribers may have to change their primary care physician or pay much more. We will have additional information prior to open enrollment.

Last issue's winner was Michelle Hammond of UCB. Congratulations!