Join the tech union at UC
Thousands of IT and technical professionals are organizing a union to win guaranteed raises, job security, improved benefits, career advancement, and remote work protections.
UPTE already represents systems administrators, business technology support analysts, and communication and network technology analysts. Being in the same union will allow us to work side-by-side to improve our careers and the services we provide to UC’s patients, students, and faculty.
Why are tech workers organizing with UPTE?
UPTE vs. Non-Union Wage Increases
*UPTE-represented tech workers in the TX bargaining unit received the following raises: 6% in 2019; 6% in 2020; 3.5% in 2021; 5% in 2022; 3.5% in 2023; 5% in 2024; at least 8% in 2025; and 2% so far in 2026.
Unrepresented tech workers at UC received the following raises: 3% in 2019; 0% in 2020; 3% in 2021; 4.5% in 2022; 4.6% in 2023; 4.2% in 2024; 3.2% in 2025; and 0% so far in 2026.
A strong union contract means strong wages
Between 2018 and 2026, UPTE members received 39% in wage increases, while the average non-union employee only received 24%.
UPTE workers are scheduled to receive another 5% raise in July, and if we reach a majority before then, we will win that raise too!
Job security
UC can’t replace employees with contractors
The right to an open position prior to layoff
Layoffs by seniority
Up to 3 years of rehire rights if laid off
Just cause protection against unfair discipline
“Without UPTE, I would have lost my job without recourse, even though I knew there was no logic behind the decision.”
Luis Baquera
System Administrator 3, UC Riverside
↪ Read Luis’ story
Remote work protections
UPTE won the right to at least 30 days notice of any changes to remote work and successfully organized to beat back return-to-work policies, protecting remote and hybrid schedules.
At UCSD Student Health Services, staff were ordered to return to the office full-time. After coming together to advocate with UPTE, they protected a 3-day in person/2-day remote schedule.
“Because of UPTE, I have a voice in fighting back against unnecessary return-to-office mandates and can protect my remote work agreement.”
Randy Turner
Business Technical Support Analyst 2, UC San Diego
Benefits
We protected affordable healthcare, saving up to $230/month on Kaiser and Blue & Gold plans compared to non-union employees. Check out the actual rates here.
UPTE members hired after July 2013 can still retire at 50 and maximize their benefits at age 60. Defeating UC’s 2-tier pension scheme has kept the pension strong and our union united: allowing us to continue winning on wages and other issues.
Member stories
“Four years ago, I moved across the state to work at UC Davis because I thought I was getting my dream job. Then management began expanding our team’s job duties without notice or training, and without taking anything off our plate. Whenever my coworkers and I tried to address this issue with management, we were told things like ‘just be lucky you have a job.’ We deserve to have a say in our working conditions, because the university does not run without us. Joining UPTE means my coworkers and I would gain a powerful collective voice to advocate for changes in our workplace, whether it’s adequate staffing, job security, or guaranteed wage increases.”
— Nick Drury
Business Systems Analyst, UC Davis
I moved across the country for this job because I wanted the traditional benefits and stability of working for a university. When I started this job, I was disappointed to find out I was excluded from representation. Every year, the budget crisis worsens, and the possibility of losing my job is higher than ever. We all deserve job security in a tough job market, benefits that give us peace of mind for our futures, and wages that keep pace with the rising cost of living. We won’t be able to win these things individually; we must unite and act together with our tech worker colleagues already in UPTE to win, and we don’t have time to wait.
— Anne Lyttle
Applications Programmer, UC Berkeley
When I was in an UPTE-represented title, I saw massive raises that kept well ahead of inflation and workplace protections that protected my union colleagues during a major reorganization of the main campus IT department. While unrepresented workers had to reapply for their jobs, UPTE fought to ensure union tech workers could keep their positions and avoid potential layoffs.
The work I do now as a Business Systems Analyst is no different from what I used to do when in UPTE. With another major reorganization underway across campus, there is no reason we shouldn’t have the same protections and benefits as our union colleagues. Let’s join UPTE!
— Max Belasco
Business Systems Analyst, UC Los Angeles
I chose to make a career at UC because I knew UC stands as a leader in my field. But in the last few years, I’ve watched the working conditions at UC erode—sudden layoffs, shifts to in-person work, higher benefit premiums, and pay that does not keep up with the cost of living in California—which threatens our mission to advance scientific research and make it available to the public. I joined the movement to unionize with UPTE to ensure that other IT workers and I have adequate staffing, resources, and the benefits we need to keep UC a leader in research and open science.
— Jade Yonehiro
Open Access Data Analyst, University of California Digital Library
I love working for UC because I believe in the mission of public education. I especially love supporting the UC Berkeley Library, where I get to contribute to providing anyone and everyone access to knowledge and information. Every day, I hear about more layoffs, more cuts to services, and bigger workloads for those of us who are lucky enough to dodge the axe. UC has kept IT workers isolated from each other for long enough—it’s time for us to join together and speak with one voice to demand the pay, protections, and respect that we have all deserved since day one.
— Jesse Loesberg
IT Administrator, UC Berkeley
Working at UC Davis, I developed a real sense of camaraderie with the people I work with. However, the cost of living keeps rising. It becomes harder each year to keep up with inflation, cover rising healthcare costs, and build up the resources to afford life in retirement. Joining UPTE gives us strength in numbers to protect our careers, preserve the pension, and win the guaranteed raises we need in today’s economy. Unions make UC a great place to work, which is why we must act together to join now.
— Dwayne Bobbit
Information Systems Analyst, UC Davis
When I started this role six months ago, I thought I had finally found a place where I was truly valued and respected for my skills. UC was supposed to be the job that provided stability and financial security. However, every day at 5 pm, when I clock out from UC, I clock into my second job to afford the healthcare my family needs. UPTE members just won an amazing contract with guaranteed raises, step increases, caps on healthcare costs, and layoff protections. If I had those things, I could have a life outside of work again and not be stressed about whether I should pay rent or healthcare for my family. I know my story isn’t unique; that’s why we must unite and act together to win.
— Anna Wilcox
Applications Programmer, UC Berkeley
For 26 years at UCLA—starting as a student and continuing through my career—I’ve dedicated my work to helping people and supporting the future of medical research with my computer skills. Being in a union matters to me because it means our compensation is negotiated and protected. It gives us stability, transparency, and the confidence to plan for the future while continuing the work that makes a difference.
— Ravi Shah
Information Systems Analyst, UC Los Angeles
I love the work I do at UC because my job is fulfilling and has a positive impact on patient care. However, the UC constantly tells our teams to do more with less, because it’s 'not in the budget.’ When we are understaffed and underresourced, our systems are more vulnerable to catastrophic failures that could severely impact patient safety.
By joining forces with our other IT colleagues in UPTE, we have even more power to hold UC accountable for its mission. Our patients deserve nothing less, but this is only possible if we take action now.
— Toph McDonald
Information Systems Analyst, UC Davis
I came to UCSF for the stability of better health insurance after consulting for 15 years. After working here for two years, I realized that healthcare progressively gets more and more expensive. Even after deductibles are met, I’m stuck with 20% of my bills on top of rising premiums. I support moving into representation so I can have a cap on the cost of my healthcare. Please sign your card now to demonstrate that change is needed!
— Bonnie Ankle
Instructional Designer, UC San Francisco
I’ve worked at UCLA for 10 years, and historically it’s been a good place to build a career. But over time, we’ve seen staffing stretched thinner and positions left unfilled when people leave. That impacts the quality of our work and the support we’re able to provide. I signed on to the union campaign because we need to maintain strong staffing levels, ensure we can backfill positions in a timely manner, and have a centralized voice to advocate for the resources our teams need. Protecting the quality of our work means protecting the people who do it.
— Dewan Alam
Database Administrator, UC Los Angeles
I came to UC looking for a job after being laid off from my last position. This was a difficult experience for me, and again, I’ve found myself being let go at the UC. I recently found out that my entire department will be dissolved by the summer. We all deserve job security and alternatives to layoffs, so we are not left scrambling to find new work to make a living. I know that with UPTE, we will be able to win these protections that we need and deserve.
— Kenneth Villalpando
Applications Programmer, UC Davis
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
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University Professional and Technical Employees CWA Local 9119 (UPTE CWA 9119) is a democratically run, member-driven union of over 23,000 technical, healthcare, and research professionals. UPTE members run the day-to-day operations of UC’s hospitals, laboratories, classrooms, museums, and more.
UPTE already represents thousands of IT and technical workers across the UC, including Systems Administrators, Business and Technical Support Analysts, and Clinical Applications Professionals. By organizing with UPTE, all tech workers will be united under one union which will give us leverage to advocate for our profession and our patients, students, and research.
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You can find a list of all of the UPTE represented titles here.
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Tech workers across the state are building to majority support so we can win representation ASAP. Some tech workers have won representation before reaching a majority, but there is no way to know how long this process will take, so until you are in, we need to keep organizing.
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There is no deadline but we will only receive contractual raises after our title is represented - not retroactively. For example, in order to receive our July 2026 5% raise, we need a majority signed up well before then.
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Signing a membership form does not mean we become represented - that only happens when the state board decides that everyone in your title should be represented
Signing a membership form means that representation will likely happen sooner. It also sends UC a message that you will be standing with your co-workers to advocate for your profession and gives you the right to vote in union elections.
Getting a majority is also important to showing management that you are united, even after you become represented, which will help us fight for even stronger benefits and protections moving forward.
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UC has committed to not changing accruals or bonuses unless those are bargained at the title specific level - which means we would have the opportunity to fight against any reductions.
If you are on Kaiser or Blue & Gold, your premiums will be reduced to the UPTE rates within 90 days of becoming represented: upte.org/premiums
No changes for other healthcare plans.
If you were hired (or rehired after a break in service) after July 2013, you will be moved to the 2013 Modified Pension tier within 90 days. Click here for more information on what this means.
There should be no other changes to benefits - if you see any, let your UPTE organizer know!
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1.3% and they only kick in after our first raise - meaning that if we reach majority in time for the July raise, it will be 3.7% after dues!
UPTE’s dues mostly pay for the salaries of our organizing staff, who help us build the power to win strong contracts and on issues in our workplaces. We won a stronger contract in 2025 than we did in 2019 because more members had signed up. If you don’t sign up as a member, what message are you sending to your management and to UC?
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Yes, since your pension is based on your highest continuous 36 months of pay!
Even though the UC pension is well-funded, more workers with better retirement benefits means that it will continue to be well funded.
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The way we will protect existing remote/hybrid agreements and win new ones is by coming together with our colleagues to show management that we are united. This is how UPTE-represented Student Health workers at UCSD stopped a full-time return-to-work proposal and maintained 3 days of remote work.
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Yes. If you were hired (or rehired after a break in service) after July 2013, you would move back to the 2013/2016 tier and would go back to paying non-union healthcare rates.
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It’s a great time for workers to organize unions, and it’s exciting to see unions building up strong organizing campaigns. One of the benefits of organizing with UPTE is that we have over thirty-five years of experience building power and winning strong contracts at the University of California. Because we have such a diverse group of workers—from healthcare to research to technical—unrepresented groups have a pathway to joining our existing union and benefiting from the strong contracts that UPTE members have already won, rather than fighting from scratch to win a first contract. We also have a democratic structure with over 1,000 workplace leaders across the state, which ensures that every job title has a voice within their union.
Survey and membership form for tech workers
Tech workers across the state are organizing to join a union so that we can win the same benefits, protections, and rights as tech workers in UPTE like systems administrators, business technology support analysts, and communication and network technology analysts.
Many of us are facing similar issues and have the same priorities like winning job security, a fair and objective process for career progression, and wage increases that keep up with inflation.
Fill out the survey to voice what issues matter the most to you and show your support for joining UPTE today.