UAW Local 2865 and the University of California have reached a tentative agreement on a two-year labor contract affecting approximately 12,000 academic student employees. UAW Local 2865 represents UC academic student employees at the nine teaching campuses.

The agreement was reached just hours after the midnight expiration of the preceding agreement, following several hour-by-hour time extensions. Contract highlights include significant improvements in wages, child care, parental leave, workload protections and health care.

"A long, tough and exhausting process has come to an end," said Coral Wheeler, a bargaining team member representing UC Irvine. "We're proud that we'll be able to present our members with well-deserved improvements in their working conditions and their rights on the job."

"We are very pleased to have reached agreement for a proposed contract that we believe recognizes and rewards our student employees for the critical role they play at UC," said Howard Pripas, executive director for systemwide UC labor relations. "Even though negotiations were challenging at times, both sides were committed to reaching a mutually beneficial agreement and that commitment paid off."

The agreement caps nearly six months of contract talks between UC and the union. The agreement is the fourth between the two parties. Both sides agreed that working together to improve the competitiveness and educational excellence of the university is a shared goal.

"While we need to be open and honest about our differences, it is equally important for us to work together where our interests overlap -- we all have a stake in the ongoing success of the university," said Pripas.

UC Santa Barbara UAW team member Cassandra Engeman agreed, stating, "We are committed to moving forward toward the shared goals and values we've identified together over the past several months. We've shown, however that our members will speak loudly, and with one voice, on the issues where we disagree."

Voting on the agreement by UAW members will occur throughout the UC system in coming days. Details about the contract will be available following the union vote.