In an ongoing effort to ensure good wages and benefits for UC nurses, and uninterrupted care to patients, University of California officials today (Oct. 11) announced the details of their latest proposal to the California Nurses Association regarding a new labor contract for UC nurses. The proposal includes market-level raises for nurses and health and pension benefits equivalent to other university staff, and is intended to help facilitate a new contract for UC nurses, contingent on the union’s acceptance of the agreement by the end of scheduled negotiations next Wednesday (Oct. 17).

“We are offering what we believe to be an extremely fair proposal, one that recognizes the critical role our nurses play in providing outstanding care to our patients,” said Howard Pripas, executive director for systemwide UC labor relations. “We have been bargaining in good faith for the past six months, and the time has come to conclude these negotiations.”

UC’s latest proposal includes the following:

Wages

Market-based increases at every UC location – details at www.ucnurses.com.

Health benefits

Same excellent, affordable benefits as provided to other UC employees. * Some decreases in costs.

Paid Time Off

Change to current sick/vacation program that provides more flexibility for RNs and does not decrease the total accruals.

Currently employed RNs would have the option to remain in current sick/vacation program or to enroll in a paid time off program.

Pension benefits

17-year “contribution holiday” continues.

Guarantee of no employee contributions through September 2008.

Enhanced package to help support nurses

In addition, UC has agreed to enhance its proposals as follows if CNA agrees to an agreement by the end of scheduled negotiations, Oct. 17:

Wages

Wage increases will take effect the first pay period of October.

Supplemental Pay

Enhanced use of educational leave time, and guarantee to provide additional pay for time spent training other nurses, known as preceptor pay.

Severance

UC proposes to extend severance rights provided at UCSF to all RNs.

The enhanced proposal was originally offered with a deadline of Oct. 9; however, the University agreed to extend the offer to Oct. 17 to allow for further bargaining with the union.

As has been reported in the news recently, CNA has called strikes at several non-UC hospitals in California. UC has stated that any strikes before the completion of the entire bargaining process, including mediation and fact-finding with a state-appointed neutral third party, are presumptively illegal. In fact, CNA was legally barred by court order from conducting such a strike against UC hospitals during 2005 contract negotiations, and the Public Employment Relations Board, the state agency governing public sector labor matters, also issued a complaint against CNA. A final court ruling on this matter is expected soon.

Even though UC was successful in restraining the union from striking in 2005, the strike threat alone cost the University medical centers a total of approximately $9 million in emergency arrangements (e.g., contracting for temporary additional staffing and other emergency operational provisions).

Negotiations with CNA began in April. On June 30, the current contract between UC and the CNA was extended by mutual agreement through Sept. 30. At the parties’ last bargaining session on Sept. 27, CNA rejected UC’s proposal to extend the contract through October.

There are more than 8,800 nurses in the UC medical system.

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For more news and information about UC nurses and their contributions to the community and the University: www.ucnurses.com