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October pay

October 3, 2005

October pay

Dear UC clerical employees,

It has been brought to my attention, and I can totally understand, that many clerical workers are frustrated by our current contract negotiations and by the fact that, effective this month, we will not receive the same pay increase as non-represented career staff. Many UC employees represented by unions -- CUE, UPTE (professionals and, and research employees), and CNA (nurses) are the only UC employees for whom pay increases have not yet gone into effect.

CUE's bargaining team and elected representatives are all clerical employees covered by the same contract, and they are fighting every step of the way to insure that we have a good contract -- a contract that gives fair and respectful pay increases that we can live with over the next three years. The university is saying "0" increases for 2004-05, which means you get no increase. We have pushed and fought for 5% for that year and UC still says "no." We came up with a wage offer that was fair, and in response UC forces us to impasse. How much do we value our work that we would agree to a "0" increase for the first year of our contract?

The increases that UC quotes in its wage proposal are tied to the state budget -- meaning if the state doesn't provide the money, then we will not get the increases. UC's offer is tied to a budget that is uncertain and steadily declining year after year. We know UC has the money. We are also concerned that UC's proposal would allow them to increase the costs of benefits and parking over the life of the contract, increases which could easily use up the entire wage increase.

Your local Executive Board, the statewide board, and the contract bargainers are in this just as much as you. We are fighting together to get a fair and decent contract. UC Library Assistants, who are in our unit, are paid 33% below market, the clericals are in general 20 percent behind market. What we are asking is just a drop in the bucket and only fair for the work we do to keep this university operational.

UC's Regents have recently started considering a plan to fund raise to pay market rates to UC administrators who make over $350,000 per year. Where is UC's commitment to pay market rates to clericals?

We need to hear from you what you want out of this contract, and what you are willing to do to get it. In the coming days, we will be sending out a survey so that we can get a more accurate picture of the needs of the whole clerical bargaining unit. Members and non-members are all encouraged to answer the questions in the survey to help set our priorities.

We will soon be going into mediation. If we are able to get a contract proposed through mediation, only members will be able to vote to accept or reject that contract. If you are not yet a member, join CUE now to make sure you will be able to vote. Joining CUE will also send UC a message that you support our efforts to fight for better wages and working conditions for all of us.

Respectfully,
Jen Smith
Acting President, CUE Statewide

PS: A membership form is available at http://www.cueunion.org/membership_info/appform.php.