Bargaining Update #4: UPTE Proposes Job Security, UC Responds to Reduced, Flexible & Remote Work
On July 31 and August 1 at UC Berkeley, your UPTE bargaining team made proposals to end UC's ability to move our work to non-union contractors and job titles. Divided workplaces undermine our ability to stand in solidarity and advocate for the best patient care, research, and education.
UPTE also proposed to streamline the process of bringing thousands of those already working alongside UPTE members under our contracts and stop UC from appealing to the courts in order to delay union-representation for years.
You can find photos and videos from last week of UPTE members showcasing our power and rallying on UC Berkeley's campus for a strong next contract on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Threads.
| UPTE's Proposals | UC's Proposals |
|---|---|
| Subcontracting -No subcontracting -Career jobs for currently contracted workers University Job Titles -Workers cannot be unilaterally placed in non-union job titles with inferior benefits -Stop UC's years-long appeals of state labor board decisions adding new titles to UPTE contracts |
Hours of Work -No reduced work week -No right to flex to a part-time schedule -No right to work from home when business needs allow Out of classification pay -Stipend for working in a higher classification only after 20 days Reclassification -Minimum increase for SRA 1s reclassed to SRA 2 reduced from 5% to 4% |
Despite UC once again refusing to meet on UC Berkeley's main campus, hundreds of UPTE members from UC Berkeley and LBNL joined a rally on campus and made the journey to bargaining to show their solidarity and determination to win a fair contract.
After four bargaining sessions, UC has offered no improvements to pay, benefits, reclassification, or staffing.
It is becoming clear to our bargaining team that UC is not hearing the voices of the members across our job titles who have spoken at our bargaining sessions. Despite more than a thousand workers mobilizing to bargaining, UC's actions thus far show no intent to reach a fair agreement nor to respect its obligations under the law.
We encourage all members to join the mass meetings that UPTE is organizing, where we will discuss whether we need to begin preparing to strike and what that would look like.
Jonathan Bradford, UC Berkeley Principal Lab Mechanician and UPTE Bargaining Team member, said:
"We've sent some meaningful proposals as far as vacation and reclass and all these other important things that we want. And guess what their response has been? No. In fact, the vacation proposal that they gave us back wasn't even finished! They couldn't be bothered and they gave us a half-finished language!"
Jamie Gardner, a UC Berkeley Staff Research Associate 2 and UPTE Bargaining Team member, said:
"What I've seen in the past two months of bargaining is that UC is scared. They do not want to deal with us. They do not want to give us anything. They don't even want to talk. And they're trying to wait us out now, but every minute that they're stalling, we're getting more organized."
Bargaining & Rally at UC Irvine
August 14 from 12 noon - 1 pm
At the Healing Garden on the lawn of UCI Medical Center
101 The City Dr S
Orange, CA 92868
Lunch will be provided to those who RSVP in advance. Questions? Reach out to your local UC Irvine leadership or staff organizers at upte.org/contact-us.