UC is currently in contract negotiations with the United Auto Workers (UAW) regarding four separate academic bargaining units: Postdoctoral Scholars, Academic Researchers, Academic Student Employees (teaching assistants/readers/tutors), and Graduate Student Researchers.

UC’s primary goal in these negotiations is multiyear agreements that recognize these employees’ important and highly valued contributions to UC’s teaching and research mission with fair pay, quality health and family-friendly benefits, and a supportive and respectful work environment.

Throughout negotiations, UC has listened carefully to UAW priorities with an open mind and a genuine willingness to compromise. Negotiations are progressing, and many tentative agreements have been reached on key issues such as a respectful work environment and health and safety matters. UC is committed to continuing to negotiate in good faith and reaching full agreements as soon as possible.

UC’s responses to priority union issues

The following summarizes UC’s positions on priority union issues common to all four bargaining units.

Fair pay: Providing fair and competitive pay to all employees is a UC priority and essential to ensuring the excellence of our workforce and the quality of our service to students and the public. Due to the different roles and duties of each of the UAW-represented groups, compensation for each bargaining unit necessarily varies. UC’s specific pay proposals for each group are outlined below.

Respectful work environment: UC has listened closely to the UAW and bargaining unit members’ concerns about workplace environment issues and is pleased to have reached a tentative agreement with the union on the issue.

Housing: The UAW is asking that UC increase wages such that no bargaining unit member pays more than 30% of their salary toward their housing costs, with wage increases tied to housing costs. Affordable housing remains an issue for individuals and families throughout California, including for many UC students, faculty, and staff, and increasing access to affordable student housing is a top UC priority. On average, UC rents systemwide are 20-25% below market rates, with some campuses providing even deeper discounts. UC has offered wage increases for all UAW members which would further help them meet their housing needs.

Transportation subsidies: The UAW is asking that UC cover 100% of the cost of regional public transit passes for all bargaining unit members; provide cash incentives to take public transit or bike to work; and subsidize the purchase of bicycles, including e-bikes. At UC campuses, not only are UAW members who are students able to participate in transit and parking-related services on the same basis as other employees, eight of UC’s 10 campuses offer some form of student transit subsidy. In addition, UC has offered to pay 100% of campus fees for eligible appointments which, if accepted by the UAW, means all existing student-funded transit discounts would be fully funded by UC.

Workplace accessibility: UC has an existing process to accommodate employees with specific needs. On occasion, such employees need interim assistance while awaiting a permanent solution. UC and the UAW have agreed to temporary workplace adjustments (e.g., a sit-stand desk has not yet arrived so an adjustment is made to work in a different location) to address individual needs and circumstances, as well as joint labor-management meetings to further discuss workplace accessibility issues.

International student fees: The UAW is requesting that international students in bargaining units be exempt from paying non-resident tuition fees, which is a financial benefit not afforded to other students.

What UC is offering each bargaining unit

UC believes its offers are generous, responsive to union priorities, and recognize the many valuable contributions of these employees. UC’s proposals include pay increases, expanded paid leaves, increased family support and child care benefits for postdoctoral scholars, ASEs, and GSRs, and full coverage of all campus fees for eligible ASEs and GSRs. This is in addition to full UC coverage for tuition, healthcare, and student services for eligible ASEs and GSRs.

Below are highlights of UC's proposals for each bargaining unit.

Postdoctoral Scholars (Postdocs)

• UC is proposing a new UC salary scale for postdocs which offers an average minimum 7.5% increase above the current scale.
• UC’s proposed pay increases include annual range adjustments of 3% and experience-based step movement annually, resulting in approximately a 6.8% pay increase for every postdoc on scale in each year of the contract.
• UC is proposing a new child care reimbursement program for eligible postdocs which would provide up to $2500 for child care costs annually for qualified dependents.
• UC has offered a parental benefit of four weeks of paid family medical leave for postdocs who are in their first year, and eight weeks of paid family medical leave for Family Medical Leave-eligible employees for family care and bonding, with a maximum combination of eight weeks of pay for family care and bonding per year.
• UC postdocs are eligible to participate in the Postdoctoral Scholar Benefit Plans which include medical, dental, vision, life, AD&D, short-term disability, and voluntary long-term disability. Postdocs shall also continue to be eligible to participate in UC’s retirement plan(s) consistent with prior participation terms.

Academic Student Employees (ASEs)

• UC has offered a salary scale increase of 7% for all salaried ASEs in year one of the contract followed by a 3% increase in each subsequent year.
• UC’s offer includes an hourly wage increase of $1.50 per hour for all hourly ASEs (approximately 5-8% increases) in year one of the contract, and a $1.00 hourly rate increase (approximately 3-5% increase) in each subsequent contract year.
• UC is offering to increase the child care reimbursement by $750 per academic year, from $3,300 to $4,050, with an additional increase for eligible ASEs working during a summer session (from $1,100 to $1,350 for the summer).
• UC’s offer includes increasing paid pregnancy leave from six to eight weeks and paid personal medical leave/baby bonding/care for family members from four to five weeks.
• UC has proposed to cover 100% of campus fees for qualified ASEs, up from $100 per quarter and $150 per semester. This represents an increase of over $1,000 per year on certain campuses, in addition to the 100% coverage of tuition, student services fees, and health care already provided to qualified ASEs. This amounts to UC covering a total of $13,707 up to $22,248 for all tuition and fees for eligible ASEs, depending on the amount of tuition and fees assessed by the campus.
• UC offers eligible ASEs participation in UC-sponsored student health insurance plans to the same degree as other eligible students. UC-sponsored student health insurance plans include the multicampus UC Student Health Insurance Plan (UC SHIP).
• ASEs shall also continue to be eligible to participate in UC’s retirement plan(s) consistent with prior participation terms.

Graduate Student Researchers (GSRs)

• UC has proposed dropping the bottom two salary points of the salary scale, which results in 17-26% increases for GSRs currently on the two bottom salary points.
• The UC proposal increases the current minimum GSR salary scale by 6% and the increments between salary points to 7%. The majority of the bargaining unit would see 9-10% increases in year one of the contract, with a 3% increase in each subsequent year.
• UC’s offer increases the child care reimbursement by $750 per year, from $3,300 to $4,050, with an additional increase in child care reimbursement for eligible GSRs working during the summer (from $1,100 to $1,350 for the summer).
• UC’s offer includes eight weeks for paid pregnancy leave and five weeks for paid personal medical leave/baby bonding/care for family members.
• UC’s proposal covers 100% of campus fees for qualified GSRs. This represents an increase of more than $1,000 per year on certain campuses. This is in addition to a previous UC proposal that covers 100% of tuition, student services fees, and health care coverage for qualified GSRs. This amounts to UC covering a total of $13,707 up to $22,248 for all tuition and fees for eligible GSRs, depending on the amount of tuition and fees assessed by the campus.
• Eligible GSRs may participate in UC-sponsored student health insurance plans including the multicampus UC Graduate Student Health Insurance Plan (GSHIP), and UC also has proposed that eligible GSRs be able to participate in UC’s retirement plan(s) similar to ASEs’ participation.

Academic Researchers (ARs)

• In year one of the contract, UC has proposed a 4% increase, with annual 3% increases in each subsequent contract year, resulting in a total increase of 16% over the life of the contract. The general range adjustments are in addition to the regular merit program for which ARs are eligible.
• Pay for Family Care and Bonding (PFCB): UC is offering eight weeks of 100% paid leave time for Family Medical Leave-eligible employees for parental bonding, caring for a family member with a serious health condition, for military caregiver leave, or qualifying exigency leave.
• UC is offering eligible ARs access to the retirement, medical, dental, housing programs, and other benefit programs generally available to other non-represented non-faculty academic employees.

UC’s position on and preparations for a possible UAW strike

The UAW is asking bargaining unit members to go on strike later this month beginning November 14^th, which could adversely impact students and other UC community members. All campuses will be prepared to ensure continuity of instruction and research in the event of a UAW strike. Ultimately, differences must be resolved at the bargaining table, with both sides being flexible and willing to compromise. UC believes its proposals have been fair, reasonable, and responsive to the union’s priorities, and looks forward to continuing negotiations with the UAW and settling these contracts as quickly as possible.

UC’s response to UAW’s allegations about unlawful behavior

The UAW alleges that UC has engaged in unlawful behavior, which is not true. Throughout the negotiations, UC has listened carefully to the union’s concerns and bargained in good faith, as illustrated by the many tentative agreements reached thus far including on topics underlying the UAW’s allegations. Despite these unfounded claims, UC remains committed to continuing its good faith efforts to reach agreements with UAW as quickly as possible.