| Coalition of University Employees (CUE) | 2855 Telegraph Ave., Suite #302, Berkeley, CA 94705 Contact CUE (510) 845-2221 (phone), (510) 845-7444 (FAX) |
COALITION OF UNIVERSITY EMPLOYEES
State Headquarters: 2855 Telegraph Av., Berkeley CA (510) 845-2221 Fax (510) 845-7444
http://www.cueunion.org
Berkeley, Feb. 13 -- It's not just corporate giants like GE, WorldCom and Enron -- California's top public educational institution also suffers from a top-heavy salary structure.
A study by the University of California's own consultants shows that salaries for most clerical workers still trail market rates by as much as 13%. However, in an effort to retain top-level managers, UC Regents have authorized raises up to 46% for executives since 1997.
Watson Wyatt Worldwide, the global consulting company hired to review clerical salaries, wrote that "UC has been experiencing some recruitment and retention problems in its Clerical unit and believes it lags the market." Watson Wyatt has 87 offices in 30 countries and more than 6,200 employees.
Watson Wyatt's studies for 2001 showed that UC paid clerical workers at nine campuses and the office of the President 13.1% less than comparable employers. (Employees of the five medical centers, a smaller group, were underpaid only 8% compared to workers performing similar duties for other employers.) UC has not responded to the union's request for the 2002 report.
The average UC clerical worker earned just over $32,000 per year in 2001. The California Budget Project, a non-partisan Sacramento think tank, estimates that a three-person household in California needs $43,000 per year. (Source: www.cbp.org.)
In contrast, a detailed review of authorized increases for top executives conducted by Dr. Peter Donohue of PBI Associates, Portland, OR, indicated that UC has sought authorization for raises up to 46% for top executives since 1997. While UC will not release actual executive salary figures, it has sought and received the authority to raise salaries as part of an effort to retain key managers.
UC's turnover among first-year clerical employees has averaged up to 54% in the last five years.
"Clerical workers don't keep our money in offshore accounts. We spend it on groceries, housing, daycare and utility bills," said Claudia Horning, statewide CUE president. "By underpaying its workers, UC is undervaluing the communities which provide essential services to campuses and medical centers."
The Coalition of University Employees represents 18,000 clerical employees, including administrative and library assistants, cashiers, public safety dispatchers, and child care workers, at the nine UC campuses, associated medical centers, Office of the President and Lawrence Berkeley National Lab.
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For more information, contact:
COALITION OF UNIVERSITY EMPLOYEES
2142 Oxford, Berkeley CA 94704 (510) 841-0700
www.cueunion.org