Thursday, February 12, 1998
Employees want payment now
STAFF: University lacks software to calculate the negotiated
salary raises
By Brian Fishman
Daily Bruin Contributor
UCLA’s technical employees are claiming that the university has
withheld portions of their paychecks. Administrators say they need
more time to rectify the situation.
Under a contract negotiated last year, technical employees were
to receive cost-of-living increases, some lump sums and pay raises
that would be retroactive for the entire duration of contract
negotiations – which took almost three years.
Represented by the University Professional and Technical
Employees (UPTE), the techs claim UCLA is not implementing all
portions of this contract as soon as required.
Administrators counter that they are unable to calculate the pay
without certain software, and that the contract allows for a delay
in payment. An undetermined portion of the payments has already
been distributed.
UPTE represents nearly 900 UCLA technical employees such as lab
assistants and camera operators. Their contract was negotiated
statewide last July.
"They fought us like hell in settling the contract, now they’re
fighting us like hell in implementing it," said Howard Ryan, an
organizer for the union. "We are going to take any action necessary
(to ensure the contract is implemented)."
Ryan said UCLA is dragging its feet, and that other UC campuses
have already taken measures to implement the contract.
But UCLA Attorney Lynne Thompson asserted that UCLA is
implementing the new contract.
"Payments are in progress and they continue to be in progress,"
she said.
Thompson said the lump sum portion of the contract has been
distributed. The remaining parts of the contract are on an
accelerated schedule, according to Thompson.
However, retroactive pay included in the contract is not listed
on the payment schedule, Ryan insisted. UCLA administration has not
allocated the retroactive pay because they do not have the software
to calculate it. Administrators also claimed that they are not
violating the contract by not giving retroactive pay.
But Ryan said UCLA has ulterior motives.
"(Chancellor Albert) Carnesale claims it’s all a technical
problem. It’s not technical, it’s political. We think they are
deliberately delaying the payments to save money and to show their
power," Ryan said.
The contract says implementation will occur "as soon as
feasible," Thompson said.
Union members say it is feasible, but the administration does
not feel it is important to pay them immediately.
"If you give it the priority, it will happen," Ryan said.
Ruie Arnett, associate vice chancellor, countered that the claim
that UCLA is withholding funds is preposterous."We would love to
have this over and done with. We want all of our employees paid as
soon as possible," she continued.
UPTE has filed a grievance against the university which will be
examined by an internal UC committee. If it is not resolved there,
then the grievance will be reviewed by an outside arbitrator.
Technical workers directly affected by the pay holdup are
concerned that they will not get paid.
"It is kind of frustrating. We spent the better part of three
years trying to get fair work rules. We still don’t have our
money," said Jeff Richmond, an electronics technician.