| Coalition of University Employees (CUE) | 2855 Telegraph Ave., Suite #302, Berkeley, CA 94705 Contact CUE (510) 845-2221 (phone), (510) 845-7444 (FAX) |
On or about March 1, 2008 (as mutually agreed to by CUE and UC) the union and the university will meet to "present issues of interest" for bargaining the next contract. This means that CUE and UC will tell each other in broad terms what changes each party would like to make in the contract. CUE will certainly want to press for wage increases and stronger protections concerning layoffs. UC is likely to raise the issue of sympathy strikes which it has raised with other unions in recent negotiations.
By April 1, 2008, CUE must offer UC written proposals, which will include proposed changes to the actual language of the contract on those issues CUE has selected to change.
By May 1, 2008, UC will present UC its written proposals which will include proposed changes to the actual language of the contract on those issues UC has selected to change.
The parties will begin bargaining by June 1, 2008, unless otherwise mutually agreed.
As in the past it is expected that bargaining will take place at different campuses alternating between the north and the south. The current ground rules provide for 11 CUE representatives with paid release time to participate in bargaining. The local bargaining representatives (one from each campus and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) will be selected by the locals at each campus and the lab.
No one can predict how long bargaining will last. Our recent experience indicates that it could last a long time, but that is not necessarily the case this time.
CUE is committed to providing training to its bargaining team. CUE's Executive Board has already appointed the chief negotiator, Amatullah Alaji-Sabrie from UC Berkeley.
Finally, it is very important to bear in mind that while there is a bargaining team which meets with UC at the table, bargaining really goes on at the campuses, in the work places where CUE members figure out ways to support bargaining and to let UC know that clericals want what clericals deserve -- decent wages, respect on the job and fair treatment.