OFFICIALS HOPEFUL SIMILAR AGREEMENT FOR SERVICE EMPLOYEES IS NEAR

University of California officials announced that UC has reached a tentative agreement with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees on a new, three-year labor contract for UC's 10,000 patient-care employees. The officials said they soon hope to reach a similar agreement with AFSCME concerning UC's 7,000 service employees.

" Our patient-care employees play a vital role in helping UC medical and student health centers deliver top-quality patient care, and we are pleased to have reached an agreement that recognizes their many important contributions to the university and to the state," said Judith W. Boyette, UC associate vice president for human resources and benefits. "We believe the agreement was a fair compromise and one that helps preserve UC's tradition of offering employees some of the most attractive wages and benefits available."

The tentative agreement was reached May 26, 2004. Once ratified by the union, the agreement will be effective from the date of ratification through Sept. 30, 2007.

Highlights of the agreement include:

Wages: 2 percent across-the-board wage increases, effective Jan. 1, 2004, and 4 percent across-the-board increases in years two and three of the contract;

Sick leave: Expanded sick leave eligibility, and increased sick leave use for family illness or disability leave from five to 30 days;

Job security/layoffs: Improved layoff provisions by basing seniority on date of hire rather than on university service, requiring departments to look first to limited and casual/restricted appointments before career positions when considering layoffs, and using seniority as a "tie-breaker" concerning layoffs, promotions or transfers among equally qualified candidates. The agreement also establishes severance pay for laid off employees;

Development/training: Expanded employee development and training resources, including 24 hours of paid career development time per year, and the establishment of a labor-management committee to identify career paths and promotional opportunities;

Parking rates: AFSCME-represented employees will receive the same lowest parking rates as other represented staff at the same location with the same parking access.

UC is currently negotiating with AFSCME on a new contract for service employees, and the university remains hopeful that a compromise agreement will be reached. The parties are currently engaged in confidential, consensual mediation. With the exception of economic issues such as wages, UC is making service employees essentially the same offer as patient-care employees. Highlights include:

Wages: Multiple-year salary increases consistent with funding increases in UC's budget compact with the governor, and development of a step salary range program for implementation in 2005;

Health benefits: Maintains current health benefits;

Job security/layoffs: Improved layoff provisions by basing seniority on date of hire rather than on university service, requiring departments to look first to limited and casual/restricted appointments before career positions when considering layoffs, and using seniority as a "tie-breaker" concerning layoffs, promotions or transfers among equally qualified candidates. The agreement also establishes severance pay for laid off employees;

Development/training: Expanded employee development and training resources, including 24 hours of paid career development time per year, and the establishment of a labor-management committee to identify career paths and promotional opportunities;

Parking rates: AFSCME-represented employees will receive the same lowest parking rates as other represented staff at the same location with the same parking access.

UC and AFSCME began negotiations for both patient care and service employee groups in July 2003.

The University of California operates the nation's largest health sciences and medical training program, and its network of five medical centers and associated facilities represents the fifth-largest health-care system in California. UC medical centers provide patient-care services valued at over $2 billion annually, accounting for more than 3.3 million clinic visits and over 239,000 emergency room visits a year.

UC takes pride in its ongoing commitment to working effectively with its labor unions and in its ability to continually provide quality employment conditions and opportunities for the more than 160,000 employees that make UC their employer of choice. UC currently negotiates with 10 unions representing approximately 60,000 UC employees throughout the state.

For more information about some of the outstanding benefits that UC employees enjoy, please go to: http://atyourservice.ucop.edu/forms_pubs/misc/bensofbelong.pdf

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