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UPTE Researchers Win First Contract
Research professionals at the University of California have won a first contract that not only provides an across-the-board pay increase for all employees, but establishes a pay system that ensures the university will be accountable to researchers, the projects they work on and the public, which depends on their efforts.
Some 3,800 scientists and research professionals, represented by the University Professional and Technical Employees/CWA Local 9119, are voting on the settlement which, if ratified, runs through June 2002.
Researchers achieved their key goals, including reforms that will ensure continuity and quality of research at the UC system, said UPTE President Jelger Kalmijn. "We were determined to address the issue of the university's accountability, not only to our work, but the public. That meant reducing researcher turnover through better pay and secure jobs," he said.
About a third of the unit is covered by a pay progression plan that the university wanted to take away in this round of bargaining. Instead, employees kept their step pay system and won adjustments in base pay and wage increases that will boost salaries from 7 to 9 percent a year, retroactive to November 1997, for the first three years of the contract.
For the 2,700 employees covered by a merit pay plan, UPTE won the first real pay restructuring at the university system, with annual across-the-board pay increases of 3.5 or 4 percent, depending on location, and additional payments built into the base wages of career employees, as well as retroactive pay awards. The agreement also calls for UPTE to review the university's total distribution of pay increases, and if the amount is less than the 3.5-4 percent range, the additional funds will be distributed to workers in across-the-board raises. Wages will be reopened for bargaining in the final two years of the settlement.
"This provision eliminates the university's incentive to keep research dollars instead of distributing them to researchers as grants called for," said CWA Representative Libby Sayre, who worked with the UPTE research bargaining committee.
A CWA white paper on UC financial practices, "Preserving Quality Research at the University of California," revealed that the university had been jeopardizing quality research by diverting millions of dollars that had been earmarked for salaries and support of the 3,800 research professionals. This practice had resulted in an average turnover rate among researchers of 33 percent, meaning that every three years, important medical and scientific studies would be staffed by a completely new team. At UCLA, the study found, turnover was an astounding 49 percent.
Mobilization, lobbying and a public campaign were key to winning the agreement and gaining new protections for the university's quality research, said Brooks Sunkett, CWA vice president for public and health care workers.
Throughout bargaining, researchers held regular demonstrations across UC campuses. At UC-San Diego, UPTE members were outside the chancellor's office every Friday, pointing out that the university's funding policies were causing excessive turnover among staff and jeopardizing quality research. At UCLA, demonstrators outside the Jules Stein Eye Institute were joined by California Assemblyman Scott Wildman in making the case for an overhaul of UC research spending policies.
In practice, grants from such agencies as the National Institutes of Health or the National Science Foundation include a standard escalation factor, intended for salary increases for researchers. UC administrators were not passing on the increases to UPTE members, or would allow a minimal portion of funds to go toward salary increases.
UPTE and CWA brought this to the attention of congressional committees, the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, the California legislature, UC donors and the public, said CWA District 9 Vice President Tony Bixler, who met with the governor, top state officials and others on the issue.
A publication mailed to donors and union members across California, "We Can't Wait," reported on the stake citizens have in ensuring quality and continuity of research.
Other contract provisions include additional time for training and development, significant improvements in the grievance and arbitration system and an increase in the layoff notice to 60 days. The contract provides the first-ever wage raises for some "casual," or temporary, employees and gives UPTE the ability to better enforce the rules for casual status. UPTE also won a review of job positions for some staff research assistants to determine whether workers are eligible for overtime. That decision can be taken to arbitration.
Some 3,800 scientists and research professionals, represented by the University Professional and Technical Employees/CWA Local 9119, are voting on the settlement which, if ratified, runs through June 2002.
Researchers achieved their key goals, including reforms that will ensure continuity and quality of research at the UC system, said UPTE President Jelger Kalmijn. "We were determined to address the issue of the university's accountability, not only to our work, but the public. That meant reducing researcher turnover through better pay and secure jobs," he said.
About a third of the unit is covered by a pay progression plan that the university wanted to take away in this round of bargaining. Instead, employees kept their step pay system and won adjustments in base pay and wage increases that will boost salaries from 7 to 9 percent a year, retroactive to November 1997, for the first three years of the contract.
For the 2,700 employees covered by a merit pay plan, UPTE won the first real pay restructuring at the university system, with annual across-the-board pay increases of 3.5 or 4 percent, depending on location, and additional payments built into the base wages of career employees, as well as retroactive pay awards. The agreement also calls for UPTE to review the university's total distribution of pay increases, and if the amount is less than the 3.5-4 percent range, the additional funds will be distributed to workers in across-the-board raises. Wages will be reopened for bargaining in the final two years of the settlement.
"This provision eliminates the university's incentive to keep research dollars instead of distributing them to researchers as grants called for," said CWA Representative Libby Sayre, who worked with the UPTE research bargaining committee.
A CWA white paper on UC financial practices, "Preserving Quality Research at the University of California," revealed that the university had been jeopardizing quality research by diverting millions of dollars that had been earmarked for salaries and support of the 3,800 research professionals. This practice had resulted in an average turnover rate among researchers of 33 percent, meaning that every three years, important medical and scientific studies would be staffed by a completely new team. At UCLA, the study found, turnover was an astounding 49 percent.
Mobilization, lobbying and a public campaign were key to winning the agreement and gaining new protections for the university's quality research, said Brooks Sunkett, CWA vice president for public and health care workers.
Throughout bargaining, researchers held regular demonstrations across UC campuses. At UC-San Diego, UPTE members were outside the chancellor's office every Friday, pointing out that the university's funding policies were causing excessive turnover among staff and jeopardizing quality research. At UCLA, demonstrators outside the Jules Stein Eye Institute were joined by California Assemblyman Scott Wildman in making the case for an overhaul of UC research spending policies.
In practice, grants from such agencies as the National Institutes of Health or the National Science Foundation include a standard escalation factor, intended for salary increases for researchers. UC administrators were not passing on the increases to UPTE members, or would allow a minimal portion of funds to go toward salary increases.
UPTE and CWA brought this to the attention of congressional committees, the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, the California legislature, UC donors and the public, said CWA District 9 Vice President Tony Bixler, who met with the governor, top state officials and others on the issue.
A publication mailed to donors and union members across California, "We Can't Wait," reported on the stake citizens have in ensuring quality and continuity of research.
Other contract provisions include additional time for training and development, significant improvements in the grievance and arbitration system and an increase in the layoff notice to 60 days. The contract provides the first-ever wage raises for some "casual," or temporary, employees and gives UPTE the ability to better enforce the rules for casual status. UPTE also won a review of job positions for some staff research assistants to determine whether workers are eligible for overtime. That decision can be taken to arbitration.