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Muffled Progress: A Step in the Right Direction for UC Service Workers By Olive Oil,

The University of California and the union representing 8,500 service workers, AFSCME local 3299, finally agreed on a five-year contract after 18 months of negotiation. The tentative agreement, reached Wednesday January 28th, provides more than 68 million in wage increases, including 3 percent across-the-board pay hikes each year - plus an additional 1 percent effective in July. The automatic step system honors experience and dedication at the university and doesn’t allow managers to discriminate or pick favorites. The across-the-board wage increases bring people closer to market rate wages. By no means does the settlement ensure market rate wages but it is certainly a step in the right direction.
For the first time, service workers - including gardeners, custodians, food service employees, shuttle bus drivers and security officers – will have a statewide UC minimum wage that reaches $14 an hour by the end of the pact in 2013. At the UC’s in Southern California, there are workers getting $9 or $10 an hour. Now, by the end of the contract, workers will be getting at the very least $14, constituting almost a 50% gain in pay for some workers.
The pact also features stronger benefit protections for health care, a pay scale that credits workers for years of service, and a more secure pension plan. The contract also secured workers’ right to negotiate for pension contributions and retirement and guaranteed that the healthcare premium wouldn’t be raised more than 12% in two years.
Considering that we face economic ruin, most members believe that the contract settlement is a historic achievement. Others argue that the contract settlement is remarkably meager. Upon reading the tentative agreement with UC one shuttle bus driver turned to me and said “you fuckers sold us out to those executive pigs.” Indeed, the union forfeited some of its original bargaining points to facilitate the contract settlement. In order to settle in good faith, both UC and AFSCME local 3299 had to find some middle ground and thus compromises on both ends were indispensable. Still, in view of the economic circumstances, the settlement looks good. Nicolas Gutierrez, a UCSC day-time custodian and bargaining negotiator, said:
My wife and I (both UC employees) will make an additional $550 per month as a result of this new contract. The additional money will help pay the bills and reduce the stress involved in making ends meet…It’s not the best contract, and by no means does it bring most workers out of poverty, but considering the condition of our economy, it’s good. It’s really good…and it makes a difference.
The new contract settlement won’t bring worker’s families out of poverty but it’s certainly an improvement. It shouldn’t be like pulling teeth to bring people out of poverty. The union’s tactics have included a five-day strike in July, regular pickets, TV commercials during Cal and UCLA football games, noisy demonstrations at meetings of the UC Board of Regents, and most recently a sit-in at Chairman Blum’s office. Escalating union militancy undoubtedly contributed to the timing of the settlement.
The UC is still very resistant to changing their priorities and conceding executive pay bonuses. Medial Center Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) salaries were increased up to 34% since the Fall of the 2007. In addition to salary increases, CEOs and CNOs were also given one-time bonuses up to $89,000. UC makes a 5% contribution to each CEO and CNOs Defined Contribution Plan each year. This money does not come out of their paycheck, but is rather supplemental retirement income for UC’s top executives. For the last fiscal year, ending in June 30, 2008, UC Medical Center’s incurred huge profits for a total of $227 million. Clearly, UC finds the funds for excessive executive pay-with total compensation of $924,642 for the new UC President Mark Yudof. It is shameful that while service workers are working two jobs, using public assistance and losing their homes because of low wages, executives are getting huge raises and bonuses on top of already high salaries. In this economic climate, UC has a responsibility to prioritize good jobs in our community by ending poverty wages for service workers and their families.

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WHO DID THESE? I DONT KNOW BUT THEY'RE REAL.

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