UC pledges increased worker pay, prohibits strikes in tentative UPTE contract
The University of California reached a tentative agreement with University Professional and Technical Employees-Communications Workers of America 9119 Tuesday. Unions members are expected to vote on the agreement in the coming weeks. (Jocelyn Dao/Daily Bruin)
By Wendy Li
July 30, 2019 7:18 p.m.
University of California promised increased pay for a labor union and called for an end to strikes for the duration of the contract in a tentative five-year deal Tuesday.
University Professional and Technical Employees-Communications Workers of America 9119, a union that represents about 14,000 research and technical workers in the UC, will vote to ratify the new deal with the University in the next few weeks, according to a University press release.
UPTE members would be barred from striking for the five-year duration of the agreement.
The new deal includes separate terms for healthcare professionals and research and technical workers for pay, proposing a 20% increase in pay over five years for healthcare professionals and a 22% increase for research and technical professionals.
There will also be step pay increases for research and technical professionals in 2022 and 2024 which will be based on performance.
In addition, healthcare professionals will receive an equity pay increase. Equity pay addresses salary inequity that exists when an employee’s salary is significantly below others with similar performance and experience, according to the UC Berkeley Human Resources website.
The agreement will last until fall 2024 if passed.
