CUE and UC met in Oakland Aug 29 - Sept 1, 2000. Some progress was made
on the background checks contract article. Lawrence Berkeley Lab
negotiators refused all our offers and made no counter proposals, but UC
did present us with a new proposal on wages for the campuses.
UC's new proposal for the campuses still does not include merits for
1999-2000 and continues to divert funds into the Incentive Award Program
(IAP). UC claims that one of the reasons it doesn't want to offer merits
for 1999-2000 (merits which UC employees have already earned) is because
it is too difficult to calculate back pay and that the process will delay
getting money into peoples' hands. CUE is really determined to finish
bargaining quickly, yet get as much money into people's pockets as
possible. To this end, we have made a major change in our offer to UC --
one which there is no reason they cannot accept.
CUE's Counter Proposal:
- effective 10/1/99 -- a 3.5% increase across-the-board for all clerical
employees
- effective 5/30/00 -- a 1.3% across-the-board for all clerical employees
ending the Incentive Award Program (which costs 1.3% of total
clerical wages) by putting that money back into every clerical's base
pay where it belongs
- effective 7/1/00 -- another 1% increase across-the-board for all
clerical employees
- effective 10/1/00 -- 1999-2000 merits awarded to each merit-eligible
employee with the retroactive money to be paid as a lump sum of $1500
to each merit-eligible employee. The back pay would be prorated by the
percentage of time worked between 10/1/99 and 9/30/00), issued in a
separate check subject to normal payroll taxes, and credited to the
retirement program. The $1500 amount is based on 5% of the average
annual clerical salary which is equivalent to a one step increase.
- effective 10/01/00 -- 3% range adjustment across-the-board to all
clerical employees
- regular merit program for 2000-2001, moving to a single merit date as
of 10/1/00
- effective 10/1/00 -- two additional steps to the top of each salary
range (available for this year to topped out employees only, but to
remain in place for all employees into the future)
- effective 4/1/01 -- 1% across-the-board to all clerical employees
- No Incentive Award Program (this money is put into base salary
instead of one-time bonuses)
In this counter, CUE has accepted UC's proposal to spread the increases
out over the next 8 months, saving UC millions of dollars. While this
proposal changes our demand for a cost of living increase to 9.8%, it
preserves our demands for merits and two additional steps. As we told UC,
this is a comprehensive proposal -- no part stands alone. We hope UC will
recognize this along with our demands for equitable wages at LBNL as the
basis for an immediate settlement.
LBNL Refusal to Bargain: An Attack on all UC Clericals
We are very concerned about wages for the employees CUE represents at LBNL
(Lawrence Berkeley National Lab). They are already in a "pay for
performance" program and the Lab's own statistics show that there is NO
correlation between pay and performance. Long term employees with good
performance records are often paid far less than newer employees who have
no performance track records and many fewer years of service. This pay
system has resulted in a clear pattern of discrimination by race, age, and
gender. CUE recently filed an EEOC claim against LBNL on this. LBNL
management originally offered equity adjustments in May -- and then
refused to meet until August 30, when they withdrew that offer.
During this bargaining session LBNL management made a weak and regressive
offer to deal with pay inequities at the Lab, which was conditional upon
continuation of the "usual method of distribution" (e.g., the arbitrary
pay system). CUE found this totally unacceptable and inadequate. CUE
made several offers, any one of which would have begun to correct the
inequities at LBNL. They were all rejected by LBNL management. On this
issue, UC is effectively refusing to bargain. The final contract between
UC and CUE must include wage programs for both LBNL and the rest of the
campuses and hospitals.
Your support has gotten us this far -- UC has continued to put more money
on the table. If we are going to successfully conclude this process, we
need your support now more than ever. Let UC know how you feel. Join
demonstrations on your local campuses and at LBNL. And please write to
UC President Atkinson and your local chancellor/administrator and tell
them you support CUE's proposals.
CUE's Bargaining Team:
- Christine Benoit (Riverside)
- Stephane Berlaud (San Francisco)
- Debbie Ceder (Santa Barbara)
- Mark Covington (Lawrence Berkeley National Lab)
- Jennifer Goodheart (Santa Cruz)
- LeAnn Herigstad (Davis)
- Alyce Herrera (Lawrence Berkeley National Lab)
- Lyn Kelly (Los Angeles)
- Robin Luczak (San Diego)
- Joanne Murray (Santa Barbara)
- Cynthia Norman (Irvine)
- Margy Wilkinson (Berkeley)
- Mark Blum (Chief Negotiator)
