On July 24, the University of California announced that it would implement its final wage and benefit offer after more than a year of negotiations with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME).
AFSCME held a two-day strike in May, calling for the capping of UC executive pensions as well as safe-staffing committees and job limits for temporary workers and volunteers.
UC is going forward with a package that includes a step increase of 2 percent as well as a 1.5 percent wage increase on Oct. 1, affecting more than 12,000 union workers, with about 2,655 at UC Davis.
According to the press release, Dwaine Duckett, the UC’s vice president for systemwide human resources and programs, “fair contract proposals with wage increases, excellent benefits and responsible pension reform” were offered, and “AFSCME repeatedly objected.”
“Having completed all stages of the bargaining process, including state-assisted mediation and fact finding, the university is legally entitled to implement its last proposal. We would have preferred to reach a settlement, but this implementation provides our patient care staff with fair wage increases and good benefits now, rather than forcing them to continue waiting through stalled negotiations,” Duckett said, according to the press release.
— Elizabeth Orpina
