Tentative agreement on UC contract reached—UPTE strike canceled!

UPTE and the University of California have reached a Tentative Agreement (TA) after the mediator brought us back into communications following days of mediation. This is a major victory for UPTE members across the University of California system and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory: delivering significant pay increases over four years, predictable and progressive caps on healthcare premium increases, and improvements in work-life balance, career progression, and job security.

The TA summary is below. Further details about the TA and timing of a ratification vote will be forthcoming. RSVP for a presentation and Q&A on the Tentative Agreement on Wednesday, November 12, at noon, via Zoom. We will address all your questions about the agreement and the next steps in our campaign to reset UC's priorities.

For UPTE-represented employees working at the University of California:

Compensation	2025: 8–10%: January 2025 step* + (5% Across the Board (ATB) or $25 minimum, whichever is more**) + Additional Title-Specific Equities for all titles of at least 1% retroactive to ratification, to be paid within 120 days of ratification 2026: 7% (January Step* + July 5% ATB) 2027: 6% (January Step* + July 4% ATB) 2028: 6% (January Step* + July 4% ATB) *Lump sums for those eligible, but at the top step. January 2025 lump sums for those at the top step to follow ratification. **Imposed by UC with full retroactivity as of the first full period in November of 2025.
Benefits	Maintain affordable healthcare premiums, with no increases for some plans! Go here to review rates. Annual caps on monthly employee premium cost increases in 2027 & 2028: 5% for Blue & Gold, 7.5% for Kaiser
Work-Life Balance	1 additional Floating Holiday Additional Unpaid Parental Leave (up to 12 months for birth parents) Management must provide a pre-approved window of up to 10 consecutive days within 6 months of a denied vacation request
Career Progression	Improved reclassification language: 90-day timeline for UC to respond to reclassification requests Requirement for UC to consider clear criteria when considering reclassification requests Right to the department reclassification committee, appeals review panel, and binding enforcement of this process. Right to use Professional Development Leave when not scheduled and remotely
Job Security	Right to open positions for those facing layoffs Expanded Preferential Rehire Rights (statewide, up to three years)

For UPTE-represented employees working at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory:

Compensation	2025: 7% Raise Retroactive to October 2025 2026: 7% Raise in October 2026 2027: 6% Raise in October 2027 2028: 6% Raise in October 2028 No Merit Matrix - everyone receives the same raise!* *Pending United States Department of Energy approval
Benefits	Significant savings on 2026 rates versus non-union, with no increases for some plans! Go here to review rates. Annual caps on monthly employee premium cost increases in 2027 & 2028: 5% for Blue & Gold, 7.5% for Kaiser
Work-Life Balance	1 additional Floating Holiday Additional Unpaid Parental Leave (up to 12 months for birth parents) Requirement for management to provide a pre-approved window of up to 10 consecutive days to use vacation within 6 months of a denied vacation request
Career Progression	Improved reclassification language: 90-day timeline for UC to respond to reclassification requests Requirement for UC to consider clear criteria when considering reclassification requests Right to use Professional Development Leave when not scheduled and remotely
Job Security	Right to open positions for those facing layoffs Expanded Preferential Rehire Rights (statewide, up to three years)

Remember to RSVP and join your fellow UPTE colleagues as we review the tentative agreement together on Wednesday, November 12, at noon, via Zoom.

This would not have been possible without the perseverance and commitment of thousands of UPTE members and more than one thousand unit and workplace representatives, who helped develop our platform and advocate for our patients, research, and students over the course of a two-year fight that included seven days on strike.

In solidarity,

Dan Russell
UPTE President & Chief Negotiator
Business Technology Support Analyst, UC Berkeley