Upte-cwa

UPTE continued to make proposals and provide a forum for members to speak directly to UC with their issues and concerns. On behalf of UC Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, and San Francisco, a large group of UC San Diego animal technicians and other lab employees presented the UC bargaining team with a petition signed... by more than 250 member signatures urging increased pay for obtaining AALAS certifications. Animal techs also brought up their safety concerns due to staff shortages. UCSD Sea-going members made presentations bringing to life what they do at sea. It was a stirring and emotional presentation as it became clear just how hardworking and dedicated these workers are in the face of low wages, hazardous conditions and long hours. UPTE made proposals to improve our right to strike in sympathy with other unions and that UPTE be notified when UC wants to extend an employee's probationary period. UPTE finalized our general salary increase proposal for the RX/TX membership as part of a total pension/healthcare/compensation package. On the last day of bargaining UC presented their second proposal on two tiers, adding a retroactive repayment schedule if UPTE does not agree to increase our pension contributions from 5% of salary to 6.5% on July 1st. It's UC's attempt to collect this 1.5% difference during the upcoming 2013-2014 fiscal year. However, while UPTE is engaged in contract negotiation, UC may not require members to repay any portion of pension contributions. UPTE does not intend to agree to this take away. UC is engaging in bad faith bargaining by: Refusing to negotiate further on the pension/healthcare issues. While we made a proposal that ensures a secure retirement and ways to reduce retiree health care costs; UC states they are not prepared to negotiate or even discuss our proposal. We have stated numerous times that we would like to enter into serious negotiations on how we can keep our members on one pension and one retiree healthcare plan. Refusing to reach ...Read More