Bargaining Update #7: August 15-16, 2001, UCSF
Summary:
- UC makes a "take it or leave it" demand that CUE agree to a No Strikes
article and withdraws all proposals from the bargaining table.
- UC cancels bargaining and puts some proposals back on the table.
- CUE has made our wage proposal but UC has still not yet told us what
they propose. UC admits it has money, but claims it is earmarked for
purposes other than clerical salaries.
CUE and UC met in San Francisco on Aug. 15 and 16, 2001. At the previous
bargaining session CUE had informed UC that our opening proposal on the
issue of strikes is to eliminate the No Strikes article from our contract
with UC.
UC responded in writing that they considered a No Strikes article a
requirement in any contract. CUE replied that we hoped to have a full
discussion about our concerns.
The day before bargaining was to begin, UC informed CUE that they were
withdrawing their comprehensive proposal, and that they were canceling
bargaining for Friday, August 17, in order to review further our proposal.
CUE's proposal on no strikes should not have been a surprise to UC as we
had presented our objections to the language in bargaining our first
contract. When questioned closely by CUE, UC indicated that they wish to
maintain the language on strikes that we currently have. CUE is
considering its counter proposal at this time.
CUE objects strongly to UC canceling bargaining and threatening to
withdraw all previous offers. UC agreed to continue discussing CUE's
concerns about the language in no strikes and CUE's wage proposal.
UC asked CUE to indicate costs to the University for its wage proposal,
which we did. However, UC has still not given CUE their wage proposal.
UC's Chief Negotiator, Sharon Hayden, indicated that, while UC has plenty
of money, it was earmarked for other things and not for clerical salaries.
When we met with UC on Thursday, the University seemed to pull back from
its threat to take everything off the table. They indicated that in
response to our proposal on no strikes they were withdrawing their
proposal for current contract language on arbitration and access (union
rights). We then heard their proposals for agreement, corrective action,
military leave, resignation, sick leave and subcontracting. For the most
part, UC proposes few changes to the current contract. We expect to see
written proposals at the next bargaining session.
San Francisco CUE activists held a spirited rally with lots of noisemakers
and a musical trio. Some members came from Berkeley to join the
activities. Members and others were encouraged to sign a large scroll on
which they indicated why they needed and deserved a pay raise and which
was later delivered to UC by the bargaining team. Letters exchanged
between CUE and UC will soon be available on CUE's web page.
Future Bargaining dates:
Aug 28-30, 2001 in Santa Cruz (at the Cowell College Conference room)
Sept 13-14, 2001 in Davis (at the Alumni Center)
Please join us when we are on your campus.
CUE's Bargaining Team:
- Margy Wilkinson, Chief Negotiator
- Chris Benoit, Lead Negotiator
- Mark Covington, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
- Becky Croll, Davis
- Piccola Evans, Berkeley / UCOP
- Deborah Freeman, San Francisco
- Jody Galluzzi, San Diego
- Elaine Hernandez, Irvine
- Jack Joshua, Santa Barbara
- Connie McGrath, Riverside
- Zoe Sodja, Santa Cruz
- Anita Windom-Jones, Los Angeles
