Submission: UCLA administration clarifies insourcing of valet parking operations

UCLA would like to clarify a recent story concerning the university’s efforts to insource valet parking operations at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center.

UCLA’s efforts to insource its valet services began in the fall of 2016 and are in line with the interest of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees 3299 to keep jobs within the university. They are also consistent with the parties’ collective bargaining agreement and will result in 36 career AFSCME-represented positions.

To be clear: Current ABM employees who are assigned to valet operations at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center will not be losing their jobs. ABM is an international company with numerous service contracts. Even while assigned to work at the medical center, ABM’s employees regularly worked at other client locations as well.

ABM has expressly stated it will reassign employees to other client locations. All of ABM’s valet employees are represented by Teamsters Local 911 and protected by a collective bargaining agreement that includes negotiated wages and benefits along with paid sick days, vacation and holidays.

UCLA has encouraged current ABM employees to apply for all of the career positions created by the decision to insource valet operations. As such, several ABM employees have applied and are being considered for various open positions, including management positions like parking supervisor and senior parking supervisor.

UCLA recognizes and encourages AFSCME’s free speech rights, but it is important that AFSCME be mindful of perpetuating misinformation. Misinformation causes unnecessary confusion and concern among university employees and students, and needlessly complicates an effort designed to improve efficiency, save student and taxpayer dollars and help improve quality of services at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center by insourcing these positions.

Beck is an administrative vice chancellor.

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