This Wednesday, October 29th, marked the first joint bargaining session in which Student Services and Advising Professionals (SSAP-UAW) and Research and Public Service Professionals (RPSP-UAW) negotiated together, sitting across from UC management to campaign for fair contracts for us all. Through joining forces, over 12,000 staff across the UC now wield significantly more bargaining power and can leverage it to win strong first contracts and advance our shared priorities even faster.
Also at this bargaining session, SSAPs and RPSPs made a proposal on Leaves of Absence, including expanded parental, bereavement, and military leave. Additionally, we proposed a groundbreaking article on childcare subsidies to offset the additional costs borne by working parents at UC–an article which would contribute to making our careers at UC equitable and sustainable.
UC management proposed on Leaves for Union Business and countered our Union Security and Union Access Rights articles. Notably, management’s counters included significant limitations on our ability to organize in our workplace.
To see the details of all the article proposals, visit our Bargaining Tracker. The first page of the bargaining tracker has an explanation of how to use it to learn about the bargaining process thus far. If you have any questions, reach out to schedule a meeting with a contract action team member.
By forming a union, SSAPs and RPSPs have ensured that management cannot make unilateral changes to our working conditions, which includes unilateral increases to healthcare premiums. Yesterday the UC bargaining team confirmed that because of this, no one will see increases to healthcare rates next year. We are actively working with management to try to ensure that no one is negatively impacted by locking in 2025 rates for the duration of contract negotiations.
To make progress on any of these issues, it’s imperative that we take collective action. Join your UC-UAW colleagues at the November 20th contract campaign escalation rally! RSVP here:
