Bargaining Report No. 26

2008-09: Bargaining Report #26: August 13-14, 2009

UC Riverside - August 13-14, 2009:

We met with the UC team on August 13 and 14 on the Riverside campus. During the Friday session CUE presented a counter proposal to UC for Article 14, Leaves of Absence.

During this bargaining session the UC team responded to questions regarding the proposed implementation of the Salary Reduction/Furlough plan and or layoffs. There still are unanswered questions about the UC proposal. Both sessions, Thursday and Friday, were attended by a number of CX (Clerical and Allied Services) bargaining unit employees. Some observers asked questions and made statements about the potential impact of the UC proposal upon their families.

The CUE team also had questions about UC's loan of $200 million dollars to the State of California for construction projects on a few of the campuses throughout the state primarily for Biosciences and Medical facilities. UC responses in our opinion were inadequate to justify the University loaning money to the state at the same time it proposes to cut salaries of some of the lowest paid employees and continue executive bonuses.

UC indicated their proposal enables each campus to develop a plan for the implementation of furlough days during the annual curtailment period, in some instances six or seven days. UC's proposal allows for the remaining number of furlough days to be floating days off at the employees' discretion. The CUE team had questions regarding exceptions for CX (Clerical and Allied Services) bargaining unit employees on the START program, and those whose positions are considered "essential" personnel or who work in departments that don't normally close during the curtailment period. Of great concern to the CUE team is UC's non-commitment to guarantee that if CUE accepts the UC proposal layoffs will not occur for the CX unit.

Some observers at these sessions included: Tom Williams (UCSD alternate bargainer); Gail Moore (UCR co-bargainer); Alan Crosthwaite (CUE Riverside local president); Chris Benoit (CUE staff); Maria LaBarrie (CUE Southern VP); Paula Lemire; Norrita Wiggins; Connie McGrath; Frida Motte; Shante Morton and John Valdez, just to name a few.

The next bargaining sessions will be at UCOP August 26-28.

CUE Bargaining Team:

Dan Lewis, Davis
Dianna Sahhar, Irvine
Alexis Talpash, Riverside
Dorthea Stewart, San Diego
Susan Ervin, Los Angeles
Stephanie Dorton, Berkeley
Mary Higgins, San Francisco
Kimberly Rutherford, Santa Cruz
Helen Jefferson, LBNL
Amatullah Alaji-Sabrie, Chief Negotiator, Berkeley
Jason Rabinowitz, CUE attorney