“UC, UC pick a side, Workers Rights Won't Be Denied!” The chant echoed across UC campuses from staff who participated in mass rallies in support of their collective bargaining demands. UC management has been stalling at the bargaining table with UC-UAW staff. In a public display of unity to demonstrate our strength in numbers, UC-UAW staff gathered at each campus, virtually and in-person.
The virtual rally was held November 19th as a systemwide gathering that included remote workers and others unable to attend a rally at a UC campus. The energy was palpable through the screen. Lee Einhorn, RPSP and a member of the bargaining team from UCSF, delivered an impassioned speech about the stalling tactics and encouraged members to talk to their colleagues about the insulting proposals management have put forth.
The next day, workers on all 10 UC campuses held simultaneous in-person rallies with impassioned speeches. Although a major rainstorm threatened to disrupt attendance, many RPSPs, SSAPs, and ASEs across UC showed up, in solidarity and rain gear. Some staff brought their families, including their pets, who were also jazzed up in their rain gear, ready
to make a resounding noise (or howl).
Prior to amping up the energy at the in-person rallies, moments of silence were held to honor the Transgender Day of Remembrance which coincided with the rally date. Then, speakers called on leadership to side with UC-UAW staff who are carrying out UC’s research and public service mission and leading the fight against attacks from the federal government.
Thousands of staff signed their name to a letter in support of California Bond Measure, Senate Bill 670 which would raise $23 million for scientific and health research. The funds would reduce California universities’ dependence on federal funds which have been revoked, reduced and threatened the job security of many RPSPs.
Rallies concluded with enthusiasm, a sense of hope, and chants of “What do we want? Fair contracts!”
Welcome to the inaugural edition of the RPSP newsletter, a space dedicated to sharing bargaining updates, events, calls to action, and other information with RPSP colleagues.
RPSP-UAW, jointly with SSAP-UAW, and UC management will exchange contract proposals in regular bargaining sessions until a full contract is formed. Legally both sides must bargain in good faith to reach agreement, but the extent to which agreement is reached depends on our show of power. As we demonstrate broad, visible support for our proposals, UC management feels pressure to reach agreement, article by article. Our power derives from our numbers and, ultimately, our labor. Public displays of support for our union (e.g. Zoom backgrounds, testimonials) and high participation in collective actions (eg. rallies, letters of support, and if circumstances justify, participating in a strike authorization vote) are how we demonstrate this power. Our level of unity and participation will determine what UC management is willing to agree to in our first contract, which all RPSPs will eventually vote on.
Contract Action Team (CAT)Communication among colleagues is a proven means of increasing participation and power in collective bargaining. CAT members are RPSPs who keep their coworkers informed and drive participation in our campaign to achieve a fair contract. The CAT drives Our Power. The bigger our CAT, the better our contract can be. Sign up today to get CAT trained!
Our Collective Power: RPSPs and SSAPs Unite for Fair Contracts
RPSPs and SSAPs are bargaining together for first contracts, bringing the full strength of 12,000 UC-UAW staff to one table. By coordinating our proposals, strategy, and voices at the table, we are asserting the power of thousands of workers whose labor keeps UC’s research, academic, and public service missions running every day.
This joint approach allows us to advance shared priorities:
- Prevent career stagnation, misclassification, and workload creep
- Retain talented staff by prioritizing excellence over inflexible in-office requirements
- Ensure enforceable protections against discrimination, harassment, and retaliation
- Guarantee wage growth so that staff can afford to live in the communities they serve
Throughout bargaining with UC management RPSPs and SSAPs made the most of each bargaining session, securing 13 Tentative Agreements (out of 45 proposed articles) and discussing 21 articles in total.
In the beginning of December, SSAPs and RPSPs presented proposals on Wages, Retirement, and Health Benefits — issues that speak to years of stagnant pay, blocked career pathways, unaffordable healthcare, and a declining retirement system. These proposals reflect our core principles: fairness, safety, sustainability, and recognition of the essential work we perform to keep UC’s research enterprise and public-service mission running. And if UC leadership is giving themselves six-
figure raises again this year and spending tens of millions on chancellor mansions, they can afford to prioritize retaining the workers who make this institution successful. (See here for the full bargaining update.)
Unfortunately, management has not fulfilled our requests for information which are necessary to progress in these negotiations. After several months of reminding management of their legal obligation to fulfil these Requests for Information, our SSAP and RPSP bargaining teams are taking steps to hold them accountable.
Filing Charges against UC Management’s Unfair Labor Practices (ULPs)
In order to fulfill their duty to bargain in good faith, management is required to provide UC-UAW Staff with information about our wages and working conditions. UC management is failing to fulfill their legal obligation to provide the bargaining teams with crucial information we requested several months ago. On December 10th, SSAP-UAW filed an unfair labor practice charge with the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB). A similar unfair labor practice will be filed imminently by RPSP-UAW.
Issue Highlights
“Modality” (Greater control over Flexible/Remote Arrangements)
UC management continues to voice strong opposition to giving up any control over our remote and hybrid work arrangements. At the bargaining table, they have been digging in on their resistance to codifying a fair process for changing these arrangements.
As RPSP Bargaining Team member Kimberly Schweigman explains:
“Management redlined nearly every provision in our proposal to give RPSPs a stronger say over our remote and hybrid work arrangements, leaving only four words untouched. They are doubling down on their demand for complete control over when and where we work. In negotiations with other labor unions , UC has been resistant to making any concessions beyond 30 days’ written notice before making unilateral changes to remote or hybrid arrangements. For many of us, a unilateral decision to return to full in-person work would be entirely untenable and could force us out of jobs we care deeply about.”
This is not a hypothetical concern. With recent return to office mandates at UCSF and UC Berkeley we know this is their plan. For thousands of RPSPs, remote work is not a perk or preference; it allows UC to retain our talented workforce carrying out UC’s mission every day. Without a fair process that protects RPSPs from unilateral changes to our work modality, UC could impose a return-to-office mandate at any time—pushing skilled, dedicated employees out of roles and departments they are committed to serving. UC must prioritize excellence over inflexible in-office requirements.
Career advancement and workload protections
A central goal of our first contract negotiations is to address barriers to career advancement. Our proposals aim to prevent misclassification and stagnation by ensuring career progression aligns with increased job scope and workload.
See the video from Leila Espinosa a RPSP from UCLA who worked at UC for over 17 years without a promotion, despite growing workload and responsibility. Her experiences with increasing job duties without increasing pay or career steps resonates with thousands of staff.
- Can you stay informed & keep your coworkers informed? Sign up for a Contract Action Team training!
- Show up to a bargaining session! RSVP
- Add your name to this letter in support of the Bond Bill, SB 607.
Got questions? Comments? Send them to rpsp-info@uc-uaw.org using the subject line “RPSP Newsletter”!