UC, unions reach agreements

Three tentative agreements and a ratified contract for four
different unions were settled in time for the new year, giving
University of California employees wage increases and comprehensive
health benefits.

The four unions are: University of Professional and Technical
Employees, California Nurses Association, Coalition of University
Employees, and the American Federation of Teachers.

Noel Van Nyhuis, a spokesman for the UC Office of the President,
said the contracts of the unions were all drafted close in time to
one another by coincidence, citing the California Nurses
Association union and the Coalition of University Employees union
as being “in the same path” regarding contract due
dates.

“(The UC) is in perpetual negotiations because they deal
with about 12 different unions,” Van Nyhuis said.

Rita Kern, UCLA president of University Professionals and
Technical Employees, believes the push to conclude the negotiations
was largely because of technicalities in the UC and health care
costs for its employees.

While in negotiations with employees, adjustments in health care
costs cannot be made, she said. Health care costs change with the
new year, so UC officials would be pressured to resolve
negotiations and draft a contract so as to limit further
complications, Kern said.

Limiting complications with the calendar change, however, was
not the only reason for the push.

“A big part of (the settlements) was also because of our
strikes and support from union members. I think that really got our
voice out there and recognized,” Kern said.

Union organizers seemed relieved that the negotiations have
neared their end, but said their advocacy efforts will
continue.

“The thing is that it’s a long term commitment. The
union can now work on local issues (at UCLA) … to address the
inequities that some of the job titles face, which are making far
lower than the market rate,” said Tom Walsh, office manager
for UPTE.

In their respective contracts, both the CUE and UPTE will
receive a 12 percent wage increase over the next three years, while
CNA will receive a four percent wage increase effective this
month.

Another key issue for CNA was nurse staffing ratios, which the
new contract allows to be settled with internal review committees,
in order to ease problems of understaffing.

AFT has not released details of its agreement because it has yet
to be ratified, but UCOP officials expect to release that
information in the next two weeks.

Unlike the other three-year contracts, the CNA agreement is a
two-year agreement, so more negotiations are planned as soon as one
year from now for the CNA.

Because the two-year contract with CNA will require a
“re-opener” to reassess wages and health benefits in
the contract halfway to its expiration, CNA union members will
still have to organize to pool resources and support in preparing
for their relatively close negotiations.

Similar salary and work condition concerns of the CNA and CUE
unions were at the bargaining table in 2000, during which unions
held strikes to voice their concerns.

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