University of California professional librarians represented by the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) will begin participating in the university's furlough-salary reduction program this month, UC officials announced today (Oct. 2).

Under the agreement with the AFT, approximately 420 librarians will participate in the same manner as non-represented UC employees for 12 months, resulting in savings of $2 million that will help make up for steep reductions in state funding of the university's core educational costs.

Previously, agreements resulting in cost savings were reached with a skilled crafts union local at the University of California at Riverside and the union for campus police officers.

"We appreciate the thoughtful, rational and responsible approach the union took in considering this program for its membership," said Dwaine Duckett, UC vice president for human resources.

The systemwide furlough program, approved by the UC Board of Regents in July, was designed to save a total of $184 million as the university set out to offset a $1 billion state funding shortfall through spending cuts, salary reductions, debt restructuring and student fee increases.

The furlough plan, shaped by suggestions from faculty and staff, uses a sliding scale. Participating faculty and staff are required to take from 11 to 26 furlough days resulting in salary reductions of 4 to 10 percent. The number of furlough days is based on pay bands with those earning $40,000 or less experiencing the lowest pay reduction and those earning $240,000 or more the biggest pay reduction.

More than 100,000 of the university system's 180,000 employees began participating in the 12-month furlough program Sept. 1. For approximately 70,000 union-represented employees, implementation of furloughs or alternative approaches has been subject to individual contract agreements and collective bargaining.

On Oct. 1, UC Riverside campus announced temporary layoffs of 425 represented employees, and a reduction in time to an additional 475 represented employees, with salary savings equivalent to those that would have been realized through furloughs. In both of these cases, benefits that normally would not be affected by the furlough plan, such as vacation, sick leave and retirement service accruals, are affected.

Discussions with union representatives have been under way systemwide, Duckett said, adding that campuses have been developing cost-cutting measures for some time.

"The opportunity to negotiate still exists, but the train has left the station," Duckett said. "The farther it gets down the tracks, the more difficult it is to pull back from their cost-cutting plans without major disruptions, especially now that classes have begun. It will take a lot of convincing and heavy consultation to get the campuses to pull back at this point."

The University of California reached an agreement Aug. 27 with the Federated University Police Officers Association, and UC Riverside reached an agreement with International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 501.

As part of the terms of the new employment contract, the more than 250 police officers who are FUPOA members are not affected by the UC furlough plan. Instead, $800,000 savings resulted from the suspension of step and longevity increases.

UC Riverside and the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 501, reached an agreement in which UC Riverside employees in the skilled crafts bargaining unit will participate in the university's furlough-salary reduction program in the same manner as non-unionized employees. IUOE, Local 501, represents approximately 100 electricians, metal workers, plumbers, carpenters and other trade employees on the Riverside campus.