Summary:
UC claims the delay in the pay-out of the 2% cost of living increase and the merits is due to technical problems, and asserts it has 150 days to complete payment, despite promises made by UC at the June bargaining table of an earlier target date.
CUE proposed a framework for accelerated bargaining, in which we would accept language from other UC contracts for most of the articles in order to increase the pace of bargaining. UC has not agreed to the framework, but will consider it. The new approach will be tried out at the September bargaining session.
CUE and UC met in Berkeley August 11-13, 1999. CUEs first order of business was the delayed pay-out of the 2% COLA and merits. UC chief negotiator, Sharon Hayden, maintained that there were unexpected technical problems with programming and UCOP computers resulting in delays, but reminded CUE that the University has 150 days to meet their obligation in the agreement. In addition, UC asserted that there were many other higher priorities than getting clericals their money.
As this discussion was taking place, there were over 70 union members from UC Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley National Lab outside the bargaining room loudly indicating their displeasure with UCs continuing excuses and delays. The message was clear -- UC needs to stop stalling on its pay commitments.
At the table CUE pressed our demands on five related articles --- sick leave, leaves of absence, vacation, holidays and hours of work. We presented counter proposals on several of these after extensive discussion. UC offered no counter proposals and continued to avoid reaching agreement.
Finally, UC bargaining representatives have not committed to a an alternative framework for accelerated bargaining proposed two weeks ago by CUE, but have agreed to consider it. The CUE proposal calls for mutual agreement in the UC-CUE contract of the best contract language on most, but not all, issues already accepted by the University in its agreements with other UC unions.
With this framework, the University and CUE would agree to bargain the remaining issues that are of special concern to clerical employees and not adequately addressed in other UC union contracts.
The CUE team will meet over Labor Day weekend to put together language from several contracts to form the framework for bargaining at our September session with UC.
If UC agrees to CUE's proposed framework, it will become possible to reach a timely contract settlement that will be good for clerical employees and good for the University.
On the other hand, if at the next bargaining session UC refuses to participate in this framework, then CUE is prepared to continue bargaining the articles it has on the table. We believe the framework that UC and CUE have agreed to consider at the next session presents an opportunity to reach agreement on a contact quickly and fairly.
Our bargaining team needs the active support of all clerical employees to achieve an acceptable contract with UC on schedule for our Oct. 1999 wage increases. We don't want to see our well-deserved wage increases delayed, again. We want a contract that is at least as good as the contracts UC has signed with other unions.
BUT WE CANNOT SUCCEED
WITHOUT YOUR HELP! Join CUE and help us all win.
CUE's Bargaining Team:
- Kris Amaral (San Francisco)
- Christine Benoit (Riverside)
- Debbie Ceder (Santa Barbara)
- Jennifer Goodheart (Santa Cruz)
- Mary Harrington (Santa Cruz)
- Lyn Kelly (Los Angeles)
- Robin Luczak (San Diego)
- Linda Moser (Davis)
- Joanne Murray (Santa Barbara)
- Cynthia Norman (Irvine)
- John Randolph (Lawrence Berkeley National Lab)
- Margy Wilkinson (Berkeley)
- Mark Blum (Chief Negotiator)
