A sound victory for audiologists at UC San Diego, who have won 17% pay increases

On any given day, audiologists perform a wide range of work to help diagnose and treat hearing-related issues. This can include giving hearing assessments, programming cochlear implants, performing tests, assessing blockages or pressure in the ear, writing reports to help inform ongoing treatment for patients, and much more.

Over time, audiologists at UC San Diego could see that low pay and high turnover rates were impacting the quality of care they could provide. It's a small world—there are only about 16,000 audiologists nationwide—and information about staffing and compensation travels quickly. They knew something had to be done and that they couldn't tackle a challenge like this as individuals, so they turned to the collective strength of their union to address the issue. 

A core of audiologists began to reach out to their colleagues as well as their union organizer to get everyone on the same page. Then, the team started to research market conditions, creating a comprehensive spreadsheet that demonstrated how their compensation fell far behind other regional employers, contributing to turnover that hurts UC patients. 

Audiologists had undeniable evidence, but having facts on our side often isn't enough—they also had to show management that they were prepared to stand together until this issue was addressed. The audiologists submitted their research and proposal together as a union and ultimately, they emerged victorious, securing a 17% raise across the board. 

"This increase is a clear victory for everyone. It addresses the critical issue of attracting and retaining qualified candidates, which management admits has been a pressing concern. It will make it easier to hire and keep talented audiologists, translating into better service for patients. And of course, it will make it easier for audiologists to stay at UC while also making ends meet here in San Diego," said Charles Ruby, a UCSD Audiologist. "This victory has really helped get more people excited about our union and what else is possible. Our union representatives helped us navigate bureaucratic hurdles and held management accountable throughout the process. Having a formal channel of communication with management, where they're required to acknowledge and respond to our collective effort, also made a real difference. It was such a positive experience, and we wouldn't have been able to accomplish this as individuals if we weren't in a union."

Congratulations to these dedicated healthcare professionals who can now better enjoy the fruits of their labor while paving the way for a more robust audiology workforce at UCSD.