Is UC ready to bargain in good faith?
Our unfair labor practice strike on April 1 forced UC executives to admit to California legislators in a March 31st communique, that "the strikes in November and February cost UC tens of millions of dollars each day to staff our medical centers and campuses." This is presumably in addition to lost revenues from things like cancelled surgeries, which are likely in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
Why does UC continue to provoke costly, disruptive strikes at the same time that announces a hiring freeze based on supposed financial uncertainty? UC executives are panicked about the power and determination of our campaign and are saying whatever they can to try to slow us down.
This week, UPTE filed an Unfair Labor Practice charge over the University's imposition of the hiring freeze, which would further undermine patient care, research, and education across the state. UC knows what it has to do to avoid further strikes - end its unfair labor practices and bargain in good faith with all UPTE members over our proposals to end the recruitment and retention crisis.
Our unfair labor practice strike on April 1 forced UC executives to admit to California legislators in a March 31st communique, that "the strikes in November and February cost UC tens of millions of dollars each day to staff our medical centers and campuses." This is presumably in addition to lost revenues from things like cancelled surgeries, which are likely in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
Why does UC continue to provoke costly, disruptive strikes at the same time that announces a hiring freeze based on supposed financial uncertainty? UC executives are panicked about the power and determination of our campaign and are saying whatever they can to try to slow us down.
This week, UPTE filed an Unfair Labor Practice charge over the University's imposition of the hiring freeze, which would further undermine patient care, research, and education across the state. UC knows what it has to do to avoid further strikes - end its unfair labor practices and bargain in good faith with all UPTE members over our proposals to end the recruitment and retention crisis.
We are also continuing to meet with elected officials at all levels to push UC to reset their priorities and get our negotiations back on track.
Check out coverage of Tuesday's strike from across California, including outlets like KQED, the San Francisco Examiner, KCAL News Los Angeles, KION546 News Central Coast, ABC10 San Diego, CBS News Sacramento and stay tuned for next steps.
UPTE Ends 1-Day Unfair Labor Practice Strike, Calls on UC to End Unlawful Behavior & Engage in Meaningful Bargaining
On April 1, twenty thousand UPTE members at every University of California healthcare center, campus, and key laboratories participated in an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) strike. The strike was in response to UC’s decision to engage in a pattern of illegal behavior including continued attempts to unilaterally and unlawfully increase health insurance costs for some of the most vulnerable union members outside of the bargaining process. UC has also forced newly organized groups of workers into their own separate negotiation process, which has rendered the bargaining process hopelessly impractical and ineffective—a classic “divide-and-conquer” strategy that violates the law.
“We believe UC’s priority should be the people of California and that they have an obligation to follow the law just like any other employer in our state. When they egregiously trample on our legal rights and protections, it emboldens other wealthy and powerful bullies to do the same to the rest of us—but we’re willing to fight to hold them accountable. It isn’t clear to us why UC has such a hard time respecting the rights of workers. What is clear is that when frontline workers speak out about the staffing crisis, UC is quick to dismiss it—while executives will report the same concerns internally,” said Amy Fletcher, a Staff Research Associate at UC Davis and a member of UPTE’s bargaining team.
Check out press coverage of our strike from:
On April 1, twenty thousand UPTE members at every University of California healthcare center, campus, and key laboratories participated in an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) strike. The strike was in response to UC’s decision to engage in a pattern of illegal behavior, including continued attempts to unilaterally and unlawfully increase health insurance costs for some of the most vulnerable union members outside of the bargaining process. UC has also forced newly organized groups of workers into their own separate negotiation process, which has rendered the bargaining process hopelessly impractical and ineffective—a classic “divide-and-conquer” strategy that violates the law.
“Students come to us for help navigating challenges like loss, mental health crises, substance use, assault, and more, and are often met with long wait times and difficulty receiving care. It’s frustrating that instead of engaging with us in a meaningful way to address the staffing crisis, UC is refusing to seriously consider proposals from the workers who support student mental health, or sincerely discuss any of the proposals that have been brought forth to address the staffing crisis that is rampant across the UC. Forcing newly-organized workers into their own separate bargaining tables is a trick to delay negotiations and demoralize workers, and does nothing to help students," said Angie Bryan, a behavioral health clinician at UC Santa Barbara.
UC has consistently refused to make any meaningful progress at the bargaining table, including rejecting zero-cost proposals that would attempt to address the staffing crisis leading to negative patient outcomes, threatening the state’s bird flu response, delaying care for at-risk patients, and impacting research on diseases like cancer. UPTE members have been bargaining for eight months, with all contracts having expired in October 2024.
“Patients might wait three months for an optometry appointment, and if they need to see an ophthalmologist, that wait could exceed six months. When I see patients for follow-up, it’s often later than what I would consider optimal simply because our schedule is so backed up. When you need help with your vision, even a short delay can greatly disrupt your life. It’s disappointing that UC would rather ignore our suggestions on how to make things better than commit to addressing the staffing crisis we’re dealing with. How does illegally increasing healthcare costs address any of this?” said Andrew Vo, optometrist at UC San Diego Health.
While UC leadership dismisses workers' concerns about the staffing crisis, executives readily sound the alarm in other settings. In 2023, UC’s CFO, Nathan Brostrom, stated in a Board of Regents meeting that vacancy rates were three times higher than pre-pandemic levels, impacting students, patients, and the broader public. Similarly, President Drake himself told the Assembly Budget Subcommittee #3 on Education Finance earlier this year that UC is leaving thousands of positions vacant year-over-year as a money-saving measure, saying “We have thousands of vacant positions that we continue to roll vacant year after year and use that funding to be able to support the gaps that we have.”
Between October 2018 and 2023, the number of senior executive leaders grew by 42.5%, while the number of front-line professional and support staff increased by only 18.6%. Additionally, UC plans to spend over $30 billion between FY 2023-29 on capital projects, public-private partnerships, and the acquisition of hospitals and medical centers. Meanwhile, UC continues to experience a 54% turnover rate among healthcare workers and a 67% turnover rate among researchers over the past five years.
“We believe UC’s priority should be the people of California and that they have an obligation to follow the law just like any other employer in our state. When they egregiously trample on our legal rights and protections, it emboldens other wealthy and powerful bullies to do the same to the rest of us—but we’re willing to fight to hold them accountable. It isn’t clear to us why UC has such a hard time respecting the rights of workers. What is clear is that when frontline workers speak out about the staffing crisis, UC is quick to dismiss it—while executives will report the same concerns internally,” said Amy Fletcher, a Staff Research Associate at UC Davis and a member of UPTE’s bargaining team.
Do you hear us now, UC?
Last week's strike was not just the largest in UPTE's history - it was the first time UPTE members had shut UC down statewide on our own.
The sea of blue formed by thousands and thousands of UPTE members marching across the state is the strongest and clearest rebuttal of UC's claim that "there is no crisis of recruitment and retention" and their attempt to silence frontline workers.
We hope UC has heard us and is prepared to work with us rather than continuing on the current course of violating the law by committing unfair labor practices. If they do not, we know what we have to do.
We are scheduling hundreds of meetings across the state in the next 2-3 weeks to debrief the strike and discuss how we make our next strike even stronger, if that becomes necessary.
Last week's strike was not just the largest in UPTE's history - it was the first time UPTE members had shut UC down statewide on our own.
The sea of blue formed by thousands and thousands of UPTE members marching across the state is the strongest and clearest rebuttal of UC's claim that "there is no crisis of recruitment and retention" and their attempt to silence frontline workers.
Our call for UC to reset its priorities resonated across the country.
First-hand stories about the impacts of UC's unlawful behavior on patient care, research, and education earned unprecedented state and national media coverage:
We hope UC has heard us and is prepared to work with us rather than continuing on the current course of violating the law by committing unfair labor practices. If they do not, we know what we have to do.
We are scheduling hundreds of meetings across the state in the next 2-3 weeks to debrief the strike and discuss how we make our next strike even stronger, if that becomes necessary.
Please watch for an email from your Unit Representative. If you do not know your Unit Representative, click here to contact your UPTE Chapter.
In solidarity,
Dan Russell
UPTE President
UPTE Bargaining Team Chief Negotiator
UC Berkeley Business Technical Support Analyst 3
Every vote counts—let’s end this week with a strong showing
More than 9,000 of our UC colleagues across the state cast their ballots in the first week of voting. Now, we're focused on making sure that we finish the week strong so we can send a clear message to UC that we won't tolerate unfair labor practices or their misplaced priorities any longer.
Over the past two years, thousands of clinicians, researchers, and technical support professionals came together to identify the changes we need to continue providing the best research, patient care, and education. Instead of engaging in good faith with our 20,000 colleagues, UC has violated state law dozens of times.
Let's put an end to the bad-faith bargaining and unfair practices hurting patients, research, and students with a strong YES vote to authorize a statewide strike if necessary.
More than 9,000 of our UC colleagues across the state cast their ballots in the first week of voting. Now, we're focused on making sure that we finish the week strong so we can send a clear message to UC that we won't tolerate unfair labor practices or their misplaced priorities any longer. Join me and thousands of your colleagues across the state by voting YES now at upte.org/vote.
Over the past two years, thousands of clinicians, researchers, and technical support professionals came together to identify the changes we need to continue providing the best research, patient care, and education. Instead of engaging in good faith with our 20,000 colleagues, UC has violated state law dozens of times.
Let's put an end to the bad-faith bargaining and unfair practices hurting patients, research, and students with a strong YES vote to authorize a statewide strike if necessary.
I've sat across the table from UC for eight months now and have traveled the state hearing testimony from UPTE members like us:
The behavioral health clinician whose students struggle to access timely care when they're in crisis;
The clinical research coordinator who is too overworked to spend adequate time with study participants;
The IT worker who sees how the backlog for support impacts faculty and students;
The rehabilitation specialist who wonders how delays for patients could impact someone's recovery in the long-term.
The list goes on.
UC negotiators' flagrant disregard for the law and the mission of our institution breaks my heart. They've bargained in bad faith, unilaterally increased healthcare costs, restricted our right to speak out, and withheld information on short staffing. You can learn more about their unfair practices here and then cast your ballot at upte.org/vote.
Let's use our strength in numbers to stop UC's unfair practices, reset their priorities, and re-center our mission of providing the healthcare, research, and education people depend on us for.
In solidarity,
Danielle Daniels
Animal Health Technician
UPTE RX/TX Bargaining Team Member
UPTE Chapter Co-Chair, UC Davis
I’m voting YES to strike - will you join me?
My name is Ursula Quinn. I'm an Occupational Therapist at UCLA and a leader in our union, UPTE. Over 6,000 members cast their ballots on the first day of our statewide strike vote. Will you to join us in voting YES to strike today at upte.org/vote?
For the last seven months, UC has refused to meaningfully address our priorities and concerns. We tell them about our dedication to world-class patient care, innovative research, and high-quality education for our students—all of which depend on sustainable working conditions and an end to the staffing and recruitment crisis. Instead of meaningful counterproposals, they respond with bad faith bargaining and other unfair labor practices, like illegally implemented healthcare cost increases and interfering with our union rights.
Our UCSF colleagues have already led the way to hold UC accountable with their powerful strike last November—now, it's up to the rest of us to step up. Please join more than 6,000 other UPTE members and visit upte.org/vote to cast your YES vote now.
My name is Ursula Quinn. I'm an Occupational Therapist at UCLA and a leader in our union, UPTE. Over 6,000 members cast their ballots on the first day of our statewide strike vote. Will you to join us in voting YES to strike today at upte.org/vote?
Occupational Therapy is critical for children facing developmental delays or disabilities and adults recovering from an injury or illness. Early intervention and regular treatment can mean the difference between recovery or permanent disability and loss of independence. I've heard from members across so many of our professions that relate to the impacts of short-staffing and recruitment issues.
For the last seven months, however, UC has refused to meaningfully address our priorities and concerns. We tell them about our dedication to world-class patient care, innovative research, and high-quality education for our students—all of which depend on sustainable working conditions and an end to the staffing and recruitment crisis. Instead of meaningful counterproposals, they respond with bad faith bargaining and other unfair labor practices, like illegally implemented healthcare cost increases and interfering with our union rights.
For many of us, career progression and proper classification are top of mind. We've been clear that UC needs to make progress in two key areas:
Clear Criteria for Career Progression: UC must develop transparent criteria for progressing through a classification series, differentiating specific tasks, responsibilities, and requirements for each (eg. from Physical Therapist 1-3, Systems Administrator 1-3, or Staff Research Associate 1-4). Without clearer criteria, there is no way to ensure that workers are appropriately classified - and compensated - for the work we do.
An Enforceable Process: UC must agree to allow denied reclassification requests to be appealed to an independent arbitrator, who can overturn denials if they do not conform to the criteria for moving through a title series.
UC's response to these proposals? They addressed neither concern, instead, only promising to give a final answer within seven months of a reclass request being submitted. Click here to see a comparison of our other proposals and their responses.
Fortunately, we know we can move UC, just like we did in 2019. Today, UC is sitting on $27 billion in liquid capital and many of our demands would likely be cost-neutral (or even save UC money by reducing costly turnover).
Our UCSF colleagues have already led the way to hold UC accountable with their powerful strike last November—now, it's up to the rest of us to step up. Please join more than 6,000 other UPTE members and visit upte.org/vote to cast your YES vote now.
In solidarity,
Ursula Quinn
UPTE Vice President & UCLA Chapter Co-Chair
UPTE Bargaining Team member
UCLA Occupational Therapist
Our strike vote starts now!
Our strike vote is live. Please visit upte.org/vote to cast your ballot now.
I and our bargaining team encourage you to vote YES and ask you to encourage all your co-workers to do so as well.
A strong YES vote will send UC the strongest possible message that you are prepared to strike for as many days as necessary to win a strong contract, end their unfair labor practices, and ready to stand in solidarity with our AFSCME colleagues.
UC's representatives have made it increasingly clear: UC administrators will not engage with the urgent demands set out by clinicians, researchers, and frontline staff without the pressure of a strike.
Vote to strike at upte.org/vote and make sure all of your coworkers vote today.
Our strike vote is live, please visit upte.org/vote to cast your ballot now.
I and our bargaining team encourage you to vote YES and ask you to encourage all your co-workers to do so as well.
A strong YES vote will send UC the strongest possible message that you are prepared to strike for as many days as necessary to win a strong contract, end their unfair labor practices, and ready to stand in solidarity with our AFSCME colleagues.
Below, find links to a summary of how we won our previous contract, our bargaining priorities, and the unfair labor practices UC has committed.
UC's representatives have made it increasingly clear: UC administrators will not engage with the urgent demands set out by clinicians, researchers, and frontline staff without the pressure of a strike. Vote to strike at upte.org/vote and make sure all of your coworkers vote today.
In solidarity,
Dan Russell
UPTE President
UPTE Bargaining Team Chief Negotiator
UC Berkeley Business Technical Support Analyst 3
Statewide Strike Vote on February 3rd
Step increases were not processed for the first full pay period in January because, after 7 months of bargaining, UC continues to bargain in bad faith and has refused to engage over our bargaining priorities meaningfully.
A statewide strike authorization vote will begin on February 3rd. This vote will ask you to authorize UPTE leadership to call strikes in response to UC's ongoing bad-faith bargaining or other unfair labor practices UC commits, failure to agree to your bargaining priorities, and in solidarity with our AFSCME 3299 siblings who are also fighting for similar demands to protect our patients, research, and students.
The next step in negotiations - mediation - has been scheduled for January 28-29. While we hope that UC will engage in mediation in good faith, UC has shown no inclination to do so at the bargaining table. Neither mediation nor the impasse process ultimately requires UC to make movement in their bargaining proposals - that is ultimately up to our willingness to take collective action. Click here for a brief explanation of the "impasse" process.
Step increases were not processed for the first full pay period in January because, after 7 months of bargaining, UC continues to bargain in bad faith and has refused to engage over our bargaining priorities meaningfully.
A statewide strike authorization vote will begin on February 3rd. This vote will ask you to authorize UPTE leadership to call strikes in response to UC's ongoing bad-faith bargaining or other unfair labor practices UC commits, failure to agree to your bargaining priorities, and in solidarity with our AFSCME 3299 siblings who are also fighting for similar demands to protect our patients, research, and students.
Instead of bargaining in good faith to address your concerns, UC has refused to provide information and has insisted on maintaining illegal restrictions on our ability to advocate for ourselves, our patients, our research, and our students. If UC continues to commit unfair labor practices, we must be ready to hold it accountable statewide.
Right now, UC is offering only 11% in across-the-board increases through 2028 - 19% less than we are asking for and 5% less than they agreed to with CNA-represented nurses from 2022-2025 - while removing limits on increases to healthcare costs.
UC has not made meaningful movement on our demands for reclassification, work-life balance, job security, or staffing. Click here to see a side-by-side comparison of our proposals and UC's.
Accepting UC's proposals or allowing them to continue bargaining in bad faith will only deepen the crisis of recruitment and retention that is threatening all of the important work that we do, including keeping the world safe from a bird flu pandemic.
While our October strike vote was limited to UCSF, we will be voting - and need to be prepared to strike - at every campus, clinic, hospital, and laboratory moving forward.
The next step in negotiations - mediation - has been scheduled for January 28-29. While we hope that UC will engage in mediation in good faith, UC has shown no inclination to do so at the bargaining table. Neither mediation nor the impasse process ultimately requires UC to make movement in their bargaining proposals - that is ultimately up to our willingness to take collective action. Click here for a brief explanation of the "impasse" process.
Make sure that all of your colleagues are prepared to vote YES to strike and to be on the picket line for as many days as needed.
Dan Russell
UPTE President
UPTE Bargaining Team Chief Negotiator
UC Berkeley Business Technical Support Analyst 3
Bargaining Update #11: Contract bargaining with UC reaches impasse
After our 24th day of bargaining, the University showed no intention to address our priorities nor to take their legal obligations more seriously. When we asked the University to explain the claim that they are offering 19-23% raises (when in fact UC has offered just 11% across the board raises) UC's Chief Negotiator said "I didn't do the update, so no, I won't try to."
On December 11, we informed the University that we believe negotiations are no longer productive and that we should begin an 'impasse' process required by the Public Employment Relations Board before we are able to call a strike directly over our bargaining priorities. We can continue to strike in response to the University's Unfair Labor Practices during this time.
Your bargaining team is recommending that UPTE hold a statewide strike vote to authorize UPTE leadership to call a strike in response to unfair labor practices committed by UC. Among the ongoing unfair labor practices UC has committed are their unilateral increase to healthcare costs, bad faith bargaining, and unconstitutional restrictions on union speech and activities.
After our 24th day of bargaining, the University showed no intention to address our priorities nor to take their legal obligations more seriously. When we asked the University to explain the claim that they are offering 19-23% raises (when in fact UC has offered just 11% across the board raises) UC's Chief Negotiator said "I didn't do the update, so no, I won't try to."
On December 11, we informed the University that we believe negotiations are no longer productive and that we should begin an 'impasse' process required by the Public Employment Relations Board before we are able to call a strike directly over our bargaining priorities. We can continue to strike in response to the University's Unfair Labor Practices during this time.
As a reminder, you can find updates from our previous bargaining sessions at upte.org/uofcalifornia. A side-by-side comparison of our proposals and UC's proposals can be found here.
UC's refusal to bargain in good faith demonstrates a lack of respect for the important work all 20,000 of us do. By failing to address the growing staffing crisis in our hospitals, labs, and campuses, UC executives are jeopardizing patient care, research, and education. UC negotiators' behavior has made crystal clear that we need to keep building pressure to force UC decision makers to change course.
Your bargaining team is recommending that UPTE hold a statewide strike vote to authorize UPTE leadership to call a strike in response to unfair labor practices committed by UC. Among the ongoing unfair labor practices UC has committed are their unilateral increase to healthcare costs, bad faith bargaining, and unconstitutional restrictions on union speech and activities.
UPTE's Executive Board will soon be considering authorizing a statewide strike vote. Stay tuned.
In solidarity,
Dan Russell
UPTE President
UPTE Bargaining Team Chief Negotiator
UC Berkeley Business Technical Support Analyst 3
UPTE members at UC Davis blow the whistle on dangerous lab conditions in the facility testing dairy and poultry for bird flu
We knew how the world reacted to a worldwide pandemic with COVID-19. In California alone, nearly one hundred ten thousand have died from the contagious disease since first being detected in late January 2020. We have seen how our loved ones and entire communities were devastated by the pandemic. That is why we need to be on guard for the next time.
Workers at the California Animal Health & Food Safety Lab System (CAHFS) at UC Davis are raising the alarm about severe understaffing and unsafe conditions that jeopardize critical testing for diseases like Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1).
Please RSVP to join our informational picket line on December 11 at 12 pm, 2024, to support these essential workers in protecting the health and safety of our communities.
You may have seen the recent Los Angeles Times article highlighting the working conditions that workers have to endure on a daily basis just to protect all of us. The fight that CAHFS workers are going through is what we mean when talking about resetting UC's priorities to serve ALL Californians.
We knew how the world reacted to a worldwide pandemic with COVID-19. In California alone, nearly one hundred ten thousand have died from the contagious disease since first being detected in late January 2020. We have seen how our loved ones and entire communities were devastated by the pandemic. That is why we need to be on guard for the next time.
Workers at the California Animal Health & Food Safety Lab System (CAHFS) at UC Davis are raising the alarm about severe understaffing and unsafe conditions that jeopardize critical testing for diseases like Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1). On December 11, 2024, these essential workers who are protecting the health and safety of our communities held an informational picket to call attention to the burnout and turnover crisis in their lab.
You may have seen the recent Los Angeles Times article highlighting the working conditions that workers have to endure on a daily basis just to protect all of us. Please make sure to share it widely on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Twitter, and Bluesky. The fight that CAHFS workers are going through is what we mean when talking about resetting UC's priorities to serve ALL Californians. At the bargaining table and across UC, UPTE members are fighting for safe staffing as part of our platform we're bringing to contract negotiations.
After five out of seven lab workers quit since January due to inadequate compensation and a lack of support, the timely and accurate monitoring of our nation's food supply is at risk, potentially leading to catastrophic outbreaks affecting poultry and human health.
Your support is crucial in urging UC management at CAHFS to address these issues and protect the health and safety of our communities. Our goal is to have UC address the staffing and working conditions issues by filling all vacant positions, improving compensation, and creating a supportive work environment. That will ensure that essential testing is conducted accurately and promptly, safeguarding public health, protecting the food supply, and preventing the spread of zoonotic diseases.
Please click here to send an email to Dean Stetter in support of UPTE members at CAHFS.
In solidarity,
Amy Fletcher
UPTE Treasurer
UPTE UC Davis Chapter Co-Chair
UC Davis Staff Research Associate 4
Our unfair labor practice strike at UCSF is over, but our fight to reset UC’s priorities continues
If UC had any doubts that UPTE members were willing to do whatever it takes to end the University's unfair labor practices and the crisis of recruitment and retention, our strike at UCSF put those to rest.
Through wind and rain, UPTE members at UCSF came out in their biggest numbers ever. Please take a look at the incredible photos and videos on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and Bluesky to get a sense of what it looked and felt like. You can also take a look at our coverage of our unfair labor practice strike in the San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Examiner, KTVU FOX 2 San Francisco, and ABC News.
In an email to UCSF staff this morning, Chancellor Hawgood and Suresh Gunasekaran, the President and CEO of UCSF Health, acknowledged that "[t]he strike has had an impact on all of us, and its effects will linger in the weeks ahead."
UC now knows how prepared thousands of UPTE members across the state are to strike if they continue their unfair labor practices.
If UC had any doubts that UPTE members were willing to do whatever it takes to end the University's unfair labor practices and the crisis of recruitment and retention, our strike at UCSF put those to rest.
Through wind and rain, UPTE members at UCSF came out in their biggest numbers ever. Please take a look at the incredible photos and videos on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and Bluesky to get a sense of what it looked and felt like. You can also take a look at our coverage of our unfair labor practice strike in the San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Examiner, KTVU FOX 2 San Francisco, and ABC News.
Among many powerful moments, perhaps the most exciting was an impromptu picket of UCSF Chancellor Sam Hawgood's "State of the University" address. Our presence could not be ignored.
In an email to UCSF staff this morning, Chancellor Hawgood and Suresh Gunasekaran, the President and CEO of UCSF Health, acknowledged that "[t]he strike has had an impact on all of us, and its effects will linger in the weeks ahead."
UC now knows how prepared thousands of UPTE members across the state are to strike if they continue their unfair labor practices.
Our next bargaining session is Tuesday, December 10, and Wednesday, December 11—the ball is in UC's court.
UC San Francisco will hold an unfair labor practice strike on Nov 20 & 21
Today, we are announcing that a ULP strike will take place at UCSF on November 20 and 21, 2024. We are limiting this strike to UCSF in order to give UC an opportunity to begin to bargain in good faith. If UC doesn't - and if they continue their pattern of unlawful behavior—all 20,000 UPTE workers across the state need to be prepared to act to hold UC accountable.
For five months, UC has refused to meaningfully engage with any of our proposals. Instead, they have withheld key information, bargained in bad faith, and threatened to impose healthcare cost increases without bargaining, in violation of California law.
The University's refusal to bargain in good faith is not just illegal, it insults the commitment that each and every one of you has to your patients, research, and students. UC won't even tell us how many vacant positions they leave unfilled, or how many millions of dollars these vacancies save them.
Today, we are announcing that a ULP strike will take place at UCSF on November 20 and 21, 2024. We are limiting this strike to UCSF in order to give UC an opportunity to begin to bargain in good faith.
If they don't - and if they continue their pattern of unlawful behavior—all 20,000 UPTE workers across the state need to be prepared to act to hold UC accountable.
Will you click here today and pledge to strike when the time comes to let our UCSF siblings know that you have their back?
For five months, UC has refused to meaningfully engage with any of our proposals. Instead, they have withheld key information, bargained in bad faith, and threatened to impose healthcare cost increases without bargaining, in violation of California law.
The University's refusal to bargain in good faith is not just illegal, it insults the commitment that each and every one of you has to your patients, research, and students. UC won't even tell us how many vacant positions they leave unfilled, or how many millions of dollars these vacancies save them.
I have heard again and again from clinicians who report that short staffing and delayed care could mean permanent health impacts. In the emergency room, sufficient staffing is the difference between life and death. Our laboratory and clinical researchers report that turnover and loss of institutional knowledge slows the pace of the important work we help advance to tackle some of the most pressing medical and scientific issues of our time.
If and when the time comes for a strike at your campus, I hope you'll be prepared to stand with thousands of UPTE members across the state. Sign your strike commitment pledge today and let us know we can count on you.
Dan Russell
UPTE President
UPTE Bargaining Team Chief Negotiator
UC Berkeley Business Technical Support Analyst 3
Our Strike Vote Has Begun at UCSF, Vote Now!
Our bargaining team has unanimously recommended a strike vote over UC's Unfair Labor Practices. You can cast your ballot online now at upte.org/vote.
What are some ways UC has bargained in bad faith, putting patient care and research at risk by prolonging the crisis of recruitment and retention?
Sending representatives who lack the authority to address the critical issues we've raised at the bargaining table;
Making proposals that they know we would not accept;
Refusing to disclose the number of unfilled positions in our titles statewide—or how many millions of dollars they're saving by not filling budgeted staff.
UCSF members: cast your ballot now at upte.org/vote
Not at UCSF? Make sure you and your coworkers have signed your strike commitment cards so that if the time comes for a strike vote at your campus or workplace, you’ll be ready: upte.org/strike
Questions? Check out our ULP strike FAQ at upte.org/ucstrikefaq
I am proud that our clinicians, researchers, and technical staff at UCSF are prepared to be the first to stand up and strike to hold the UC system accountable for its unfair labor practices. UCSF members, you can cast your ULP strike authorization vote now by visiting upte.org/vote.
We cannot allow UC to drag out negotiations and prolong the crisis of recruitment and retention with these illegal tactics. If UC continues its pattern of unfair practices, we need everyone across the state to be ready to vote to strike, too. While UCSF votes, ensure all your coworkers have signed a commitment card and are ready to join us.
What are some ways UC has bargained in bad faith, putting patient care, and research at risk by prolonging the recruitment and retention crisis?
Sending representatives who lack the authority to address the critical issues we've raised at the bargaining table;
Making proposals that they know we would not accept;
Refusing to disclose the number of unfilled positions in our titles statewide—or how many millions of dollars they're saving by not filling budgeted staff.
UC has also announced plans to implement significant increases in healthcare costs—such as a 30% coinsurance that could cost $1,800 per year per drug for those relying on specialty medications, and monthly premium increases of up to $550 for the previously no-cost CORE PPO. Implementing these changes unilaterally is unlawful and disregards the university's legal obligations to bargain with union employees.
A YES vote to strike will send a strong message to the University that you will not allow UC to drag out negotiations and prolong the crisis of recruitment and retention with these illegal, unfair labor practices.
UCSF members: cast your ballot now at upte.org/vote
Not at UCSF? Make sure you and your coworkers have signed your strike commitment cards so that if the time comes for a strike vote at your campus or workplace, you’ll be ready: upte.org/strike
Questions? Check out our ULP strike FAQ at upte.org/ucstrikefaq
Bargaining Update #9: More bad-faith bargaining from UC with 2 weeks until our contracts expire
We are now in our 5th month of negotiations and our contracts expire in less than 2 weeks. Yet the University has not ended its unfair practices, made significant movement on our priorities, nor even provided a complete contract proposal.
UC has not provided any pay proposal at all for Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (LBNL) and has not responded to proposals that UPTE made more than 2 months ago, such as Shift Differentials and Subcontracting.
At bargaining yesterday at UC Santa Cruz, UPTE members once again packed the room to share stories of how poor compensation, misclassification, lack of career progression and more are impacting our students and our research. We were also joined by State Assemblywoman Gail Pellerin who called on the University to address the affordability crisis, and by State Senator John Laird who pledged his support if a strike becomes necessary.
Our rally was covered by KSBW Action News 8, local NPR affiliate KAZU 90.3, and Lookout Santa Cruz.
We are now in our 5th month of negotiations and our contracts expire in less than 2 weeks. Yet the University has not ended its unfair practices, made significant movement on our priorities, nor even provided a complete contract proposal.
UC has not provided any pay proposal at all for Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (LBNL) and has not responded to proposals that UPTE made more than 2 months ago, such as Shift Differentials and Subcontracting.
At bargaining yesterday at UC Santa Cruz, UPTE members once again packed the room to share stories of how poor compensation, misclassification, lack of career progression and more are impacting our students and our research. We were also joined by State Assemblywoman Gail Pellerin who called on the University to address the affordability crisis, and by State Senator John Laird who pledged his support if a strike becomes necessary.
Our rally was covered by KSBW Action News 8, local NPR affiliate KAZU 90.3, and Lookout Santa Cruz.
So what did UC do in bargaining?
UC's only "movement" was to remove the contingency on state funding for a 3% raise in 2027 and to add a step increase for RX/TX in 2025. When UC asked if UPTE would bargain for LBNL separately, we made it clear that we will not leave LBNL members behind, nor will we leave Research and Technical workers without annual step increases. This is too little, too late.
UC also rejected our proposal to decrease parking rates by pay band, instead proposing to increase the existing annual cap on parking rates at UC Davis and Merced.
Click here to see an updated side-by-side comparison of our proposals and here for an explanation of how UC's proposal to remove caps on healthcare premium increases could be used to wipe out any raises we receive in this contract.
UC has been bargaining in bad faith for months; refusing to supply data on vacancies and reclassification and failing to provide their negotiators with significant authority. On top of this, they are implementing significant healthcare increases without bargaining.
Click here to sign a strike pledge and let UC know that you won't let them keep violating their duty to bargain in good faith thus deepening the crisis of recruitment and retention across UC.
Enough is enough. Your UPTE bargaining team has called for a strike vote.
For months, we have been met with UC's bad faith at the bargaining table, and unfair labor practices by the University even longer. UC is sitting on billions in reserves due to vacancies but fails to provide us with information we need - and are legally entitled to - about staffing, vacancies, or how much they are saving while our patients, research, and students suffer the effects of short staffing.
Adding insult to the University's predictably unacceptable proposals at bargaining, UC just announced massive increases to employee healthcare costs. They plan to increase premiums by 9-11%, eliminate the one no-cost insurance plan, raise co-pays from $20 to $30 per outpatient visit, and shift 30% of specialty drug prices to employees. UC never even proposed these changes to UPTE – it is just making the changes unilaterally.
Your bargaining team has unanimously recommended a strike vote over UC's Unfair Labor Practices. The affected UC locations (all or certain campuses) will be announced at the beginning of the vote, on October 21st. Only the campuses who are called on to strike will be asked to vote at this time.
Ballots will be sent via email and in-person voting locations will be announced on the 21st. Sign your strike commitment today and pledge to stand with your coworkers if a strike is necessary.
For months, we have been met with UC's bad faith at the bargaining table, and unfair labor practices by the University even longer.
UC is sitting on billions in reserves due to vacancies but fails to provide us with information we need - and are legally entitled to - about staffing, vacancies, or how much they are saving while our patients, research, and students suffer the effects of short staffing.
Adding insult to the University's predictably unacceptable proposals at bargaining, UC just announced massive increases to employee healthcare costs. They plan to increase premiums by 9-11%, eliminate the one no-cost insurance plan, raise co-pays from $20 to $30 per outpatient visit, and shift 30% of specialty drug prices to employees. UC never even proposed these changes to UPTE – it is just making the changes unilaterally.
Pledge to strike today!
Your bargaining team has unanimously recommended a strike vote over UC's Unfair Labor Practices. The affected UC locations (all or certain campuses) will be announced at the beginning of the vote, on October 21st. Only the campuses who are called on to strike will be asked to vote at this time.
Ballots will be sent via email and in-person voting locations will be announced on the 21st. Sign your strike commitment today and pledge to stand with your coworkers if a strike is necessary.
A YES vote will authorize our leadership to call a strike. The length of the strike will be announced at least 10 calendar days in advance if the strike affects any UC Medical Center.
A YES vote will send a strong message to UC that we will not indefinitely tolerate their bad faith bargaining and refusal to engage with the demands made by a majority of UPTE members across the state.
UC has the ability to avoid a strike action by changing their behavior, which we sincerely hope that they do before a strike is called. Click here to pledge to strike and vote YES on the first day!
In solidarity,
Dan Russell
UPTE President
Bargaining Update #8: UC Proposes Unlimited Healthcare Premium Increases
At last week's bargaining session, UC proposed to remove the current $25 cap on annual healthcare premium increases on Kaiser and Blue & Gold Plans in exchange for a $100 and $75 subsidy for those in Pay Bands 1 and 2, respectively.
Days before, UC revealed that they are planning 9-11% premium increases for 2025, alongside increases in co-pays and a new 30% coinsurance fee for specialty drugs of up to $150/prescription.
This subsidy might provide a benefit to those in pay bands 1 and 2 in 2025 but would increase rates by up to $126/month for those on pay bands 3 and 4 and allow UC to shift an unlimited amount of their cost onto everyone in subsequent years.
With just a month before our contracts expire, UC is not only trying to keep our pay below inflation, they are trying to give themselves a free hand to push us even further and further behind each year by offsetting healthcare premium costs on us.
At last week’s bargaining session, UC proposed to remove the current $25 cap on annual healthcare premium increases on Kaiser and Blue & Gold Plans in exchange for a $100 and $75 subsidy for those in Pay Bands 1 and 2, respectively.
Days before, UC revealed that they are planning 9-11% premium increases for 2025, alongside increases in co-pays and a new 30% coinsurance fee for specialty drugs of up to $150/prescription.
This subsidy might provide a benefit to those in pay bands 1 and 2 in 2025 but would increase rates by up to $126/month for those on pay bands 3 and 4 and allow UC to shift an unlimited amount of their cost onto everyone in subsequent years.
How much cost could UC shift back to us per month under their proposal?*
| *Estimate based on projected 2025 Rates for Pay Band 1, after $100 subsidy | Kaiser | UC Blue & Gold |
|---|---|---|
| Self | $725.16 | $860.84 |
| Self + Adult | $1,385.38 | $1,630.71 |
| Self + Child | $1,596.11 | $1,840.05 |
| Family | $2,259.15 | $2,610.63 |
In 2024, our $25/month cap saved up to $224/month when UC shifted costs onto non-union employees. Under this proposal, UC could shift thousands of dollars of their contributions onto us in 2026 and 2027, effectively taking back any raises we win in this contract.
With just a month before our contracts expire, UC is not only trying to keep our pay below inflation, they are trying to give themselves a free hand to push us even further and further behind each year by offsetting healthcare premium costs to us.
UC continued its bad-faith bargaining by proposing to strip us of the right to bargain over remote work and to advance notice when workers are being reclassified into non-union jobs.
UPTE revised our proposal for a 36-hour workweek to a right to a reduction in time to 36 hours for all and 32 hours for those with 5 years or service or those with new children, with pay and accruals reduced accordingly.
Click here to see updates from previous bargaining sessions and a side-by-side summary of UPTE and the University’s proposals.
There is no question that UC’s healthcare proposal would deepen the recruitment and retention crisis. Sign a strike pledge now to let UC know you are ready to stand with nearly 7,000 other UPTE members who have already pledged to strike.
Our next bargaining sessions are October 16 - 17 in Santa Cruz. Contact your UPTE Organizer to learn more.
UPTE President Dan Russell: "With one month before our contracts expire, UC continues bargaining in bad faith and commits other unfair practices outside of bargaining."
After 4 months of bargaining, we are now just a month away from our the expiration of our contracts. Instead of taking our concerns, our testimony, or our demands seriously, UC continues bargaining in bad faith and commits other unfair practices outside of bargaining.
One of UC's most egregious unfair labor practices is their failure to bargain in good faith over our demands that impact staffing levels. On April 12, 2023, we requested information that would help us better understand the depths of the recruitment and retention crisis, such as the number of vacant positions in UPTE job titles across the state. 18 months later, we have yet to receive any of this information.
Why is UC withholding this data? Do they not want the public to know how many budgeted healthcare providers, researchers, and technical positions are being left empty while patient care, research, and students suffer?
Enough is enough. After 4 months of bargaining, we are now just a month away from our contracts being expired. Instead of listening to your demands, concerns, and testimony, UC continues bargaining in bad faith and commits other unfair practices outside of bargaining.
After 4 months of bargaining, we are now just a month away from our the expiration of our contracts. Instead of taking our concerns, our testimony, or our demands seriously, UC continues bargaining in bad faith and commits other unfair practices outside of bargaining.
One of UC's most egregious unfair labor practices is their failure to bargain in good faith over our demands that impact staffing levels. On April 12, 2023, we requested information that would help us better understand the depths of the recruitment and retention crisis, such as the number of vacant positions in UPTE job titles across the state. 18 months later, we have yet to receive any of this information.
Why is UC withholding this data? Do they not want the public to know how many budgeted healthcare providers, researchers, and technical positions are being left empty while patient care, research, and students suffer?
Here's some of what we do know about how UC's misplaced priorities are fueling short staffing that is affecting students, patients and research:
Counseling provider vacancy rates have skyrocketed from pre-pandemic levels of around 10-11% to a staggering 23.29%. Rather than providing competitive pay to recruit and retain counselors, UC paid $30.8 million to Lyra, a venture capital-backed company that employs a UCSF professor to make misleading claims about Lyra's efficacy.
43% of all UC career staff surveyed answered that they are seriously considering leaving the UC system. 54% of UPTE staff with career appointments have been hired in the last 5 years.
Fixing this recruitment and retention crisis is core to our contract campaign - but UC is showing no urgency in addressing it.
Last month, the UC Regents approved raises of 16-39% for UC Chancellors. Yet, they still expect us to accept a 5% raise that will leave us behind inflation?
Enough is enough. After 4 months of bargaining, we are now just a month away from our contracts being expired. Instead of listening to your demands, concerns, and testimony, UC continues bargaining in bad faith and commits other unfair practices outside of bargaining.
We have our 8th bargaining session with UC on Thursday and Friday. Watch for our next bargaining update and steps to let UC know that they need to take this more seriously.
In solidarity,
Dan Russell
UPTE President & Chief Negotiator
Bargaining Update #7: Our stories continue to fall on deaf ears, as patients, students, and research suffer
UPTE's bargaining team was back at the table with the University of California last week at UC Santa Barbara. UC continues to reject UPTE's proposals regarding pay, reclassification, work-life balance, staffing, and job security.
When questioned, management's bargaining team has offered little or no explanation for rejecting proposals - even those that would cost the University little to nothing, such as improved rights to vacant positions or additional unpaid leave.
Fortunately, we know that UC has the resources to correct all of these issues. Our strikes in 2018/2019 and those by UAW academic workers in 2022 show that UC can be convinced to make the changes that we deserve. Join thousands of your colleagues and sign a strike commitment card today at upte.org/strike.
"College counseling today isn't about choosing a career or adjusting to being away from home. It's about keeping students alive and helping them get an education for a better future. It makes me wonder what UC is prioritizing if not student wellbeing and education," said Dr. Lily Clark, a Counseling Psychologist at UCSB CAPS.
UPTE's bargaining team was back at the table with the University of California last week at UC Santa Barbara. UC continues to reject UPTE's proposals regarding pay, reclassification, work-life balance, staffing, and job security.
When questioned, management's bargaining team has offered little or no explanation for rejecting proposals - even those that would cost the University little to nothing, such as improved rights to vacant positions or additional unpaid leave.
Fortunately, we know that UC has the resources to correct all of these issues. Our strikes in 2018/2019 and those by UAW academic workers in 2022 show that UC can be convinced to make the changes that we deserve. Join thousands of your colleagues and sign a strike commitment card today at upte.org/strike.
| UPTE's Proposals | UC's Proposals |
|---|---|
| -Increased UPTE representative employer-paid release time -Remove arbitrary limits on union-paid release time |
-No additional parental leave (which UC provides to nurses) -5 days of unpaid reproductive loss leave (required by state law) |
Additional release time for UPTE representatives has been crucial to our success in addressing these issues and countless more over the past 2 years as we prepared for this contract fight. You only need to glance at upte.org/news to see some of the great work being done by UPTE unit and workplace reps as a result of this release time.
UCSB members also delivered powerful testimony to UC during these negotiations about the importance of long-term research, technical, and healthcare staff to student safety. Too many of our colleagues who are committed to our students and the incredible research we make possible at UC end up being forced to leave if we want to be able to start families and/or buy homes. This quite literally puts student and staff lives, as well as world-changing research, at risk.
Social Workers, Behavioral Health Counselors, and Psychologists, including Dr. Lily Clark, spoke about the importance of being there for students and staff in their moments of greatest need and the devastating consequences of short staffing.
"College counseling today isn't about choosing a career or adjusting to being away from home. It's about keeping students alive and helping them get an education for a better future. It makes me wonder what UC is prioritizing if not student wellbeing and education," said Dr. Lily Clark, a Counseling Psychologist at UCSB CAPS.
Watch and share Lily's comments on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter.
Ross Derer, a Principal Electronics Technician emphasized that his colleagues are responsible for maintaining increasingly complex fire alarm and suppression systems, returning to dormitories at all hours of the day to keep students safe.
"If a call comes in that affects a student's dorm room or even an entire building, the best case scenario is that it's an inconvenience. But the fact of the matter is far too often a critical piece of hardware fails leaving large areas unprotected in instances of a fire," said Ross, who has been at UCSB for eight years.
"Having an unqualified person work on life safety equipment is an unacceptable gamble with our students' safety. I constantly feel anxiety and an immense amount of pressure for this reason.
Cricket Wood, a 24-year Staff Research Associate 4 reminded UC that they are often the only career employees in labs with hazardous and valuable materials that short-term academic employees will not be as familiar with, leading to safer labs and cost savings.
"I manage huge, invaluable resources and all of the students and persons that are here short-term. And so I have to provide the consistency and organization to prevent waste. Part of the struggle is that there's so much turnover in our lab staff, and I provide the institutional memory," said Cricket, who works on aging and basic cell health and development.
"I want UC to step up and put some of the money that they take from our research grants back into our research staff, supporting us and keeping good research continuing."
Our next bargaining sessions are scheduled for October 3 - 4* in San Diego and 16 - 17 in Santa Cruz. Contact your UPTE Organizer to learn more.
*We have contacted the University regarding the omission of October 3-4 from their communications about upcoming bargaining but have yet to receive a response. We hope that they still intend to bargain on these dates, as we will be just weeks from both contracts being expired.
Bargaining Update #6: "We are not going to watch our talented and committed colleagues leave while our patients, our research, and our students suffer."
We are now less than 2 months from our contracts’ expiration and UC is showing no urgency to reach an agreement. UC isn’t just rejecting our proposals - they are refusing to even acknowledge that issues like fair pay and compensation, work-life balance, job security, or staffing deserve serious consideration or discussion.
None of us want to strike, but we are not going to watch our talented and committed colleagues leave while our patients, our research, and our students suffer. We need to be ready to strike if that is the only thing that will convince UC to take our demands and their legal obligations seriously.
Sign our strike pledge today at upte.org/strike. All of us need to be ready to vote YES to strike and walk the picket line, if UC doesn’t change course and FAST.
Your UPTE bargaining team was back at the table with management on August 28 - 29 at UC Davis. You can find a summary of UPTE and the University’s proposals made in previous sessions here. UPTE and the University made the following proposals:
| UPTE | UC |
|---|---|
| Freeze Healthcare Rates at 2024 Levels Option for Per Diems who work at least 50% time to convert to Career |
Make contract enforcement via arbitration more time consuming & expensive Make it harder for your co-workers who act as union reps to address issues at work |
We are now less than 2 months from our contracts’ expiration and UC is showing no urgency to reach an agreement.
Last week, a member at UC Davis who has given 19 years of her life to the University told UC negotiators that she relies on food pantries to make ends meet. UC’s response? The same as always: “You have our proposal, we look forward to a counterproposal.”
UC isn’t just rejecting our proposals - they are refusing to even acknowledge that issues like fair pay and compensation, work-life balance, job security, or staffing deserve serious consideration or discussion.
Fortunately, we are not alone. Last week, leading Mayoral candidates Aaron Peskin and Flojaune Cofer joined our rallies in San Francisco and Sacramento to let UPTE members know that they have our backs and are prepared to walk the picket lines with us. Over the past two weeks, thousands of UPTE members attended mass rallies and signed our pledge to strike.
None of us want to strike, but we are not going to watch our talented and committed colleagues leave while our patients, our research, and our students suffer. We need to be ready to strike if that is the only thing that will convince UC to take our demands and their legal obligations seriously.
Sign our strike pledge today at upte.org/strike. All of us need to be ready to vote YES to strike and walk the picket line, if UC doesn’t change course and FAST.
In solidarity,
Dan Russell
UPTE President & Chief Negotiator
Bargaining Update #5: UC finally makes a compensation proposal — and it leaves a lot to be desired
We were back at the bargaining table with UC last week near UC Irvine Medical Center. It was tremendous seeing hundreds of UPTE members join us for mass meetings and to pack the bargaining table.
UC finally made their compensation proposal—the first proposal that addresses any of our priorities.
UC is trying to divide us — offering only 1 step increase in 3 years for researchers or technical workers, while leaving all of us behind inflation and our CNA-represented nursing colleagues.
UC's proposed "raise" is actually a real wage cut — it doesn't even make up for the significant inflation that has eaten away at wages since the pandemic.
We were back at the bargaining table with UC last week near UC Irvine Medical Center. It was tremendous seeing hundreds of UPTE members join us for mass meetings and to pack the bargaining table.
UC finally made their compensation proposal—the first proposal that addresses any of our priorities.
UC is trying to divide us — offering only 1 step increase in 3 years for researchers or technical workers, while leaving all of us behind inflation and our CNA-represented nursing colleagues. UC's proposed "raise" is actually a real wage cut — it doesn't even make up for the significant inflation that has eaten away at wages since the pandemic.
| UPTE's Pay Proposal | UC's Pay Proposals |
|---|---|
| 5% raise and $25 minimum wage retroactive to July 2023 9% raise in 2025, 8% in 2026, 8% in 2027 Annual step increases and additional steps for every scale Minimum step placement / adjustment based on experience Equal raises plus 3% retro to May '22 for workers at LBNL 10% evening, 15% night and weekend shift differentials |
NO retroactive raise, $25 minimum in July 2025 5% in 2025, 3% in 2026, 2%* in 2027 NO step in 2025 or 2027 for RX/TX, Annual steps for HX but NO additional steps on scales NO minimum step placement / adjustment based on experience No proposal for LBNL No proposal for shift differentials *1% additional in '27 contingent on state funding |
UC also made their vacation and sick leave proposals:
No vacation increase
No guaranteed right to use vacation
No right to cash out vacation
Per Diems can only accrue 2 days of sick leave
When questioned, UC acknowledged that based on their proposal, workers may never be allowed to use any of their accrued vacation time.
According to UC's bargaining updates, their offers are "not designed to be a 'starting point' but rather reasonable offers that reflect the significance of the services UPTE-represented employees provide."
Check out this side-by-side of our proposals vs UC’s proposals and please feel free to print and distribute.
While this is far from what we deserve, it is a much better proposal than the University has made at this point in previous negotiations. They see our growing power — and that should give us confidence that we can win better wages and improvements in career progression, work-life balance, staffing, and job security—if we keep building our collective strength.
UC's own representatives do not seem to understand how many of our colleagues are struggling to survive, initially claiming that no technical workers make less that $25 an hour—when in fact, more than 25% of technical workers earn under $25 an hour.
Visit upte.org/uofcalifornia to read our other bargaining updates.
"We have kept UC running these past years even while costs of living have skyrocketed. After 10 years at UCSF, I make $22.72 an hour. UC's is proposing to keep my family in poverty, and force our colleagues to decide between a dignified life and staying at UC. It is high time for us to reclaim our sense of self-worth, self-respect, and self-love by preparing to strike if necessary.”
Lalaine Rojo
UCSF Lab Assistant
UPTE Unit Representative
UPTE Bargaining Team member
Dispatch from Negotiations: "Every minute UC wastes in negotiations is a minute we use to get more organized"
We've been bargaining for two months. Over 10 days of bargaining, we have heard from Pharmacists who don't have the necessary staff to save lives in the emergency room, counselors who don't have enough colleagues to keep students from dropping out - or worse, and researchers whose breakthroughs in cancer treatment and climate change are being put at risk because UC can't retain qualified staff.
And yet, UC isn't engaging. The administration's bargaining team has proposed no improvements to wages, career progression, proper classification, job protections, or time off, all while trying to keep you and your coworkers out of the process.
This is disappointing - but not surprising. In our last contract negotiations, UC only began to take negotiations and their legal obligations seriously after multiple strikes. As we have seen at UC, Kaiser, in Hollywood, and at the big 3 automakers, strikes are working people's most powerful tool in negotiations.
We've been bargaining for two months. Over 10 days of bargaining, we have heard from Pharmacists who don't have the necessary staff to save lives in the emergency room, counselors who don't have enough colleagues to keep students from dropping out - or worse, and researchers whose breakthroughs in cancer treatment and climate change are being put at risk because UC can't retain qualified staff.
And yet, UC isn't engaging. The administration's bargaining team has proposed no improvements to wages, career progression, proper classification, job protections, or time off, all while trying to keep you and your coworkers out of the process.
This is disappointing - but not surprising. In our last contract negotiations, UC only began to take negotiations and their legal obligations seriously after multiple strikes. As we have seen at UC, Kaiser, in Hollywood, and at the big 3 automakers, strikes are working people's most powerful tool in negotiations.
In addition to their day jobs at UC, UPTE's Unit and Workplace Representatives have been hard at work spreading the word about what's happening in negotiations and helping to organize rallies and "pack the table actions" at each UC campus we visit for bargaining. Now, it's crucial that we show UC that we can mobilize in numbers to put strength in numbers behind our demands at the table.
It's time to call all of our colleagues across departments and job titles together for mass meetings this month. Find a meeting date, time, and location near you by visiting upte.org/massmeeting and selecting your campus from the dropdown menu.
Even if you have been following along with bargaining so far, or are already committed to taking whatever steps are needed to win the contract we deserve (up to and including a strike), I still encourage you to join us at this meeting. Your presence helps others see that they aren't alone, and demonstrates that we will take whatever next steps lie ahead together.
If you are unsure about whether you would participate in a possible strike, have questions about bargaining, or worries and concerns that you'd like to discuss, this is also an excellent opportunity for you to learn more.
No matter who you are, or what level of involvement you have in our union, I hope to see you at one of these important meetings in the month of August: upte.org/massmeeting
In solidarity,
Dan Russell
UPTE President & Chief Negotiator
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