UC, Union Reach Settlement

The University of California and its 26,000 unionized service and patient care workers have reached a tentative four-year contract settlement, potentially ending a three-year standoff that led to strikes and picketing on UC campuses systemwide.

The agreements “strengthen middle class career pathways at UC and create enforceable reforms to staffing practices that have been entirely incompatible with UC’s core public mission,” said AFSCME 3299 President Kathryn Lybarger, in a press release.

The union filed several Unfair Labor Practice charges demanding that UC cease its “ever-widening efforts to replace career employees with low wage outsourcing companies.”

After the union mounted a ULP Strike over the outsourcing dispute in November of 2019, the UC Board of Regents proposed a series of policy reforms on outsourcing, which have since been fashioned into enforceable contract language, according to the union.

The agreement “ensures greater transparency on UC contracting practices, sets strict and enforceable limits to curtail outsourcing of bargaining unit work, and provides UC career paths to current contractors,” states the union press release.

“These agreements provide hardworking UC employees with the benefits and protections they deserve, and it moves UC closer to being the kind of employer we need to be,” UC Board of Regents Chair John A. Pérez said in a press release.

AFSCME Local 3299’s service unit membership voted to ratify its agreement on Jan. 30, and the patient care unit will vote on ratification of its agreement on Feb. 4 and 6. In both cases, Local 3299’s bargaining team is recommending a “yes” vote.

Contract highlights

Health benefits

UC’s quality health and welfare benefits at the same graduated salary-based rates as other employees, plus a $10 cap on monthly increases for Kaiser and Health Net Blue & Gold plans. UC’s salary-based approach to health insurance means lower-paid employees pay lower premiums.

Pension benefits

New bargaining unit employees will receive the same pension benefits as current AFSCME-represented employees.

Contracting out

UC’s contract continues to prohibit layoffs as a result of subcontracting decisions and creates career employment opportunities at UC by placing additional restrictions on UC’s ability to contract out service unit work. The new contract will also make it easier for eligible contract workers to convert to UC employment.

If ratified, the patient care and service worker contracts would be effective until July 2024 and October 2024 respectively.

Compensation

For patient care employees:

• A 6 percent across-the-board increase plus one experience-based increase upon a signed contract (UCLA/UCSF will run local experience-based increase programs)
• Upon a signed contract, a one-time $500 payment to per diem and limited employees who worked at least 400 hours in calendar year 2019
• Annual 3 percent across-the-board increases in years 2021-24Annual 2 percent experience-based increases in years 2020-24 (UCLA/UCSF will run local experience-based increase programs)
• A one-time payment of $3,000 for all eligible full-time employees upon a signed contract (payments for eligible part-time employees will be pro-rated)
• A second one-time payment of $1,000 for all eligible full-time employees in 2021 (payments for eligible part-time employees will be pro-rated)
• A one-time payment of $1,000 for employees who have or will achieve 20 years of service during the life of the contract, beginning in July 2020

For service employees:

• A 3 percent increase, plus an increase based on experience, upon contract ratification
• Annual 3 percent across-the-board increases in years 2020-24
• Annual 2 percent experience-based increases in years 2020-24
• A one-time payment of $2,500 for all eligible full-time employees upon a signed contract (payments for eligible part-time employees will be pro-rated)
• A second one-time payment of $1,500 for all eligible full-time employees in 2021 (payments for eligible part-time employees will be pro-rated)
• A one-time payment of $1,000 for employees who have or will achieve 20 years of service during the life of the contract, beginning in July 2020.
• Upon a signed contract, a one-time $500 payment to per diem and limited employees who worked at least 400 hours in calendar year 2019