| 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, October 23 Employees and former employees of the University of California Berkeley Temporary Assistance Pool (TAP) were awarded $300,000 in back vacation pay, marking the largest amount of money ever won in a grievance at UC Berkeley.
The University had denied these temp pool employees from earning vacation credit, even though the Coalition of University Employees (CUE)-UC contract is clear that under certain conditions these workers are eligible to accrue it.
While a sharp drop in work orders had previously forced the TAP pool to close (effective December 2003), hundreds of temps and former temps will benefit from this victory.
"This is a gratifying win for workers whose labor helped keep UC afloat even as they were denied some of their most basic benefits," stated Jon Rodney, CUE staff member and Statewide Coordinator for temporary employee grievances.
The payout was granted to approximately 230 current and former temp pool employees. Of the total amount paid out $270,000 was paid to former temp pool employees, many of whom are now UC career employees. $38,000 was credited to current temp pool employees. Another $9,000 is projected to be earned by continuing temp pool employees by the end of the year.
“If this was the first time the administration pulled this kind of nonsense maybe we could understand,” added Margy Wilkinson, CUE statewide Chief Steward. “But this is the same administration who has given their top executives nearly $300,000 in pay increases at the same time they have denied workers benefits and eliminated 200 jobs on campus.”
The Coalition of University Employees represents 18,000 clerical employees at the nine UC campuses, associated medical centers, the Office of the President, and Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. These employees include administrative and library assistants, cashiers, public safety dispatchers, and child care workers.
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For more information, contact:
COALITION OF UNIVERSITY EMPLOYEES
State Headquarters: 2855 Telegraph Av., Berkeley CA
(510) 845-2221; Fax (510) 845-7444
www.cueunion.org