On July 2, the University of California received written notice from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union notifying UC of the union's intent to hold a five-day strike among service employees at UC campuses and medical centers. No specific strike dates were specified.

While UC is disappointed that the union has taken this approach, UC remains focused on getting fair contracts for employees and has invited AFSCME to return to the bargaining table. UC will continue to bargain in good faith with the union in the hopes that agreements for both employee groups can be reached very soon.

Highlights of UC's current proposals include:

Patient care employees
• More than $18 million in wage increases of between 4-15 percent for all patient care employees in the first year of the contract alone, meant to address market disparities;
• Wage increases over the length of the contract resulting in a minimum total increase of 26 percent for eligible employees;
• Guarantee minimum rates of no less than $15 per hour for all current patient care employees by the end of the contract period.
• Details at www.ucpatientcaretechs.com.

Service employees
• Increases for a range of service employee positions, along with a proposal to increase minimum wage rates from $10.28 to $11.50 or $12 depending on location; $2.6 million in equity increases upon contract ratification; and an additional $2.2 million in wage increases, as part of the transition to a step-based salary structure as requested by the union;
• If UC's offer is accepted, increases for UC service employees will total approximately 8 percent from Oct. 1, 2007 to Sept. 30, 2008;
• Note: AFSCME-represented service employees received 4.5 percent across-the-board increases in October 2007 as well as other increases, as part of UC's effort to boost the salaries of lower-paid staff;
• Details at http://atyourservice.ucop.edu/employees/policies_employee_labor_relations/collective_bargaining_units/service_sx/bargaining_update.html.

Benefits
In addition to the abovementioned proposed wages, UC continues to offer its employees excellent health benefits, using salary-based pricing so that lower-paid employees pay lower health insurance premiums. UC also continues to offer its employees a gold-standard pension plan that has not required employee contributions for more than 17 years.

UC has been negotiating with AFSCME regarding new labor contracts for UC patient care employees since August 2007 and service employees since October 2007.