Press Release (11/27/02)

State Board rejects University's calls for impasse

COALITION OF UNIVERSITY EMPLOYEES
State Headquarters: 2855 Telegraph Av., Berkeley CA (510) 845-2221 Fax (510) 845-7444
http://www.cueunion.org

NEWS RELEASE

Contact: Margy Wilkinson
Sharon Cornu (510) 594-0224, (510) 207-9556

State board sends management back to the bargaining table, agrees with union that UC is not above the law

State Board rejects University's calls for impasse

Berkeley, Nov. 27 - The state Public Employee Relations Board has sent University of California managers back to the bargaining table, saying that UC violated the law in refusing to bargain fairly. PERB rejected UC's request for a declaration of impasse.

"UC will learn that management is not above the law," said Margy Wilkinson, chief negotiator for the union of 18,000 clerical workers. "The Board actually issued a complaint against UC for 'illegal, bad faith bargaining' on the day the request was filed. Workers are determined to get a fair contract. We urge the University to return to the bargaining table and act in good faith."

Previous complaints issued against the University by PERB include failure to disclose required financial information, retaliating against union officials and unilaterally changing employment terms. Workers at the Berkeley campus struck for three days in August, followed by members at the Davis, Riverside, Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz campuses, who struck in October.

Key issues in negotiations include fair treatment for temporary workers; health and safety protections; seniority and longevity protections.

UC demands a net pay cut from clerical workers, who earn $30,000 on average, proposing:

a. No annual step ("merit") increases
b. Increases in parking & transportation fees
c. No enforceable language on safety improvements to stop the epidemic of workplace injuries
d. Across-the-board increases in health insurance costs, including cancellation of the no-cost plan
e. Wage increases of 2.5% over 2 years

These extreme cutbacks come at a time of unprecedented growth and success for the University. UC's chief financial officer issued a report stating UC enjoys:

• an 11% increase in operating income,
• increases in grants and contract revenues,
• increases in medical center and laboratory income, and
• increases in state funding.

In addition, top-level managers received raises up to 25% last year.

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For more information, contact:
COALITION OF UNIVERSITY EMPLOYEES
2142 Oxford, Berkeley CA 94704 (510) 841-0700
www.cueunion.org