Dispatch from Negotiations: UPTE President Dan Russell shares his reactions to our first month of negotiations with the University of California

“Our first month of bargaining with the University of California for UPTE healthcare, research, and technical members is in the books and our solidarity was on full display all month. You can find bargaining updates after each week of negotiations here.

During both weeks of negotiations in San Diego and later San Francisco, members joined us for in-person rallies at lunchtime and packed the bargaining room throughout the rest of the day to observe, show their support for our team, and occasionally provide scheduled testimony on a particular issue. These first-hand accounts, and our visible displays of unity, have a powerful impact on bargaining.

Everything we do this year has to show UC that we are united and prepared to pull off a super-majority strike statewide if they continue committing illegal and unfair labor practices or fail to take our proposals seriously.

We're hopeful we can quickly reach a deal at the table, but we’re also beginning to educate each other early about our rights if a strike becomes necessary. UC needs to see that we’re ready to fight to win the world-class contract we deserve. If you’re eager to get strike school scheduled at your workplace, reach out to your local leadership and staff organizers and let them know. Otherwise, we’ll be sharing more details soon.”

Make sure you and your coworkers are getting updates from the UPTE bargaining team fighting for fair pay, career progression, work/life balance, safe staffing, and job security—not the team representing management who is negotiating against us.

Watch and share our first Dispatch from Negotiations: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Threads.

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UPTE-CWA 9119 is the union of professional and technical employees at the University of California.

UPTE was founded in 1990 by a group of employees who believed that UC workers would benefit from a union to safeguard and expand our rights. In 1993, UPTE members voted to affiliate with the Communications Workers of America (CWA), a 700,000-member union in the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), the largest federation of unions in the United States, to better represent our members.