UC reaches collective bargaining agreement with lecturers’ union
By Daily Bruin
Dec. 12, 2013 1:35 p.m.
The University of California reached a collective bargaining agreement with a union representing UC lecturers, according to a UC statement released Thursday. The agreement includes a two-year contract with pay increases and more funding for lecturers’ professional development.
More than 3,000 UC lecturers in the American Federation of Teachers union will receive a 3.5 percent wage increase for the 2013-2014 fiscal year as a result of the new two-year contract. Union members will also receive $200 per full-time lecturer each year for professional development, up from $135.
With the new contract, the American Federation of Teachers also agreed to accept recent pension changes in the UC, which include increases in pension contribution rates to address the UC’s unfunded pension liability. These pension contribution increases already apply to non-unionized employees and several other unions, and the University also increased its own contribution rates.
“We were happy that we could come to terms over pension and salary issues,” said Bob Samuels, president of the University Council – American Federation of Teachers.
According to the contract, if academic employees outside the union also receive a wage increase in 2014, American Federation of Teachers members in the UC will also receive that increase.
The University also promised to notify the union when it implements a new systemwide online course.
“Our lecturers play a key role in our instructional mission, and we are delighted to have this agreement in place,” said Dwaine Duckett, UC vice president of systemwide human resources in the statement. “This is a great example of working through the issues together so we can focus on continuing to advance the university’s mission together.”
The contract will last through June 1, 2015.
The University recently reached collective bargaining agreements with four other unions, most recently with unions that represent nurses and librarians.
Compiled by Kristen Taketa, Bruin senior staff.
