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STRIKE INFORMATION FROM CUE

June 1, 2005

INFORMATION RELEASE TO UC CLERICALS:

Today, June 1, 2005, CUE, representing UC's 16,500 clerical workers, is notifying the University of its intention to conduct a strike of up to 3 days duration during the period beginning on June 13. This follows a vote by union members throughout the UC system in which nearly 94% of the voters voted to authorize the union's executive board to decide on when and where a strike might be held. Vote results were certified by the union on Tuesday, May 31.

Each CUE local will determine how to conduct the strike and related activities at its campus/worksite, given the summer pace of each location. Please contact the local on your campus to find out what is planned.

The strike is tied to the 2003-04 bargaining, in which UC refused to give any pay raises to clericals. After bargaining went to Impasse, in early spring 2005, Gerald McKay (a state-appointed neutral fact-finder) listened to 5 days of testimony by CUE and by UC and then issued a report. On February 17, McKay reported that clericals were 22-33% behind market rates. He pointed out that UC not only enjoyed huge profits in recent years, but also diverted $20 million that had been specifically earmarked for clerical wages to other purposes. He concluded that UC could and should grant pay raises. UC's cynical response was to offer small increases to fewer than a dozen individuals -- out of the system-wide unit of 16,500.

State Senator Jackie Speiers, one of several legislators who have expressed concern about the University's labor practices, remarked at a legislative hearing on May 11 that UC's treatment of staff was appalling and unacceptable.

AFSCME and UPTE-CWA, the unions representing UC's service and technical staff, held one-day strikes earlier this spring, based on UC's unfair labor practices and citing UC's failure to bargain in good faith. The CUE strike will be an economic strike based on UC's refusal to give a wage increase in 2003-04 bargaining. At the same time, CUE and UC are continuing to bargain on what will be a new contract for 2004 forward.

The CUE Executive Board