Occupy Education California

Education-related organizing in California in solidarity with Occupy everywhere

Commuters Can’t Miss The Millionaires Tax of 2012!

Freeway blogging! This morning at 8 freeway overpass locations all over California volunteers held giant signs touting the Millionaires Tax of 2012. This included Davis, through which thousands of  commuters pass on their way into Sacramento.

Media from all over the state, including ABC News, have covered the banners and the powerful message behind them: Our tax code needs to reflect the interests of middle-class Californians, not the special interests of corporate CEOs and their lobbyists. Now is the time to revamp our tax code here in California so it’s fair to the 99% of us who play by the rules, not just the 1% who lobby hard and re-write the rules.  For more information go to http://www.millionairestaxca.com/

The seventh contract meeting between the University Professionals and  Technical Employees Healthcare Professionals Unit (UPTE HX) and University of  California (UC) took place in San Diego from January 11, 2012 to January 13,  2011. In the end, UC and UPTE HX could not come to an agreement on the length  of the contract, with UC wanting a multi-year deal and UPTE HX wanting a deal  that will end the contract around July 1, 2013 or earlier.

UC has reiterated their position that they are looking for a  long term contract with the University Professionals and Technical Employees  Healthcare Professionals Unit (UPTE HX). They wanted UPTE HX to agree to a  multi-year contract that included:

1. UC’s new pension proposal, they are now  calling the “2013 Tier” but is the 2-tier plan;
2. increased employee pension  contributions in 2012 (an additional 1.5%) and 2013 (up to 6.5% total);
3.   a new retiree healthcare plan which will increase costs significantly upon retirement and affect about 50% of  our current members;
4. the Paid Time Off (PTO)  system in lieu of our current vacation/sick benefits to all locations where PTO  is offered.

They have restated that they are willing to offer a better wage and  compensation proposal than their first proposal in December if we agree to both  the 2-Tier pension plan and the PTO. Their proposal did not include experience  based steps, little additional market equity, increased evening or night  differentials, or stipends for exempts. Their proposals have included  eliminating Reduced Severance if laid off; no seniority in layoffs;  restrictions on leave to work for the union and even more take-aways.

UPTE HX is not going to accept a long term deal that will  include the 2013 2-Tier and PTO. The UPTE System wide Executive Board of Directors  (E-Board) has unanimously voted that the HX unit should not accept the 2-tier  pension plan and PTO at this round of contract negotiation.

UPTE feels this HX unit will be in a much  stronger negotiating position on the 2-tier pension proposal in late 2012 and  2013 when UPTE’s TX/RX units, California Nurses Association (CNA) and AFSME  will also be bargaining the 2-tier pension and reduced retiree healthcare plan. The Union Coalition feels that the 2-tier  pension will hurt current UC employees as well as future employees hired after  July 1, 2013.

Further, the Coalition can’t make a valid counter-proposal on  UC’s proposed 2-tier pension/retiree healthcare without having more fiduciary  facts on the current pension as well as the proposed second tier pension. This  will take time to develop and we do not want to hold up a new HX contract with  wage increases for our members until that process is complete.

As a result, the two sides have suspended previously  scheduled negotiations on January 23-25. As it stands now, our contract, which  was extended for a month, is due to expire on January 31, 2012. Needless to  say, the UPTE bargaining team is very disappointed with this outcome.

NOTE: New bargaining sessions have just been set up for  February 14-17th at the UC’s offices in Oakland. Your HX bargaining  team and activists have come up with several plans to help “encourage” UC to  accept a contract that expires by June 30th, 2013 and to also get  our members market wages. To help with this last, large push for a fair  contract, contact one of the bargaining team members below or your local UPTE  representative.

Your bargaining team:
Wendi Felson, Clinical Laboratory Scientist (retired), Chief Negotiator
Jamie McDole, Case Manager, Davis
Sonia Palacio, Clinical Social Worker, Irvine
Tom Brewer, Clinical Laboratory Scientist, Los Angeles
TK Lee, Pharmacist, San Diego
Jason Rosenbury, Clinical Social Worker, San Francisco
Susan Rode, Student Health Centers

The RX/TX benefits bargaining team met at UCOP offices in Oakland on June 22nd to discuss the 0.5% additional pension contributions UC proposed for 2011 and 2012 as well as 2011 healthcare premiums. The California Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) had required UC to meet with UPTE to bargain further, rejecting UC’ claim that it had bargained to impasse in good faith.

UPTE presented a conceptual healthcare proposal that would enable us to participate in UC’s 2012 health plan negotiations with vendors in addition to implementing a Retiree Health Benefits Trust Fund. UC rejected both items and continued to withhold information UPTE rightfully requested as part of the bargaining process. At the end of the day UC’s chief negotiator again requested that we go to impasse on healthcare negotiations.

On June 23rd,, PERB issued a complaint against UC alleging numerous Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) charges against the University for bad faith bargaining. Charges include UC’s plan to go to impasse before negotiations even started, failing to provide responses to our Requests For Information (RFIs), and failure to negotiate in good faith. An informal hearing on the ULP charges will be held at the PERB offices in Oakland on July 29th, and if no settlement is reached the case will go to trial.

In pension negotiations UPTE made a verbal, informal proposal.  We agreed to continue pension bargaining on July 6th.

On July 1st, UC again asked PERB to declare that an impasse exists over healthcare negotiations. We responded and are awaiting PERB’s determination.

At the July 6th negotiations, UC again refused to provide the actuarial data needed to independently verify the status of our pension fund, even though PERB has twice issued complaints against UC on this topic–the trial on the first complaint is in 2 months. Until UC provides the necessary pension data, UPTE cannot evaluate UC’s proposal or counter it. UPTE did make clear that, if there was financial compensation to offset increased pension contributions, then further bargaining could be averted. UC rejected this idea and again refused to offer any alternative proposals.

UC also refused to agree to further bargaining sessions and apparently plans to try and declare an impasse in pension negotiations as well, so at the moment we are all waiting for determinations from PERB. PERB will either direct that the parties go back to bargaining or will find an impasse and direct that the parties go to mediation.

Your RX/TX Bargaining Team:
Wendi Felson, Chief Negotiator
Mike Fehr, Computer Resource Specialist, UCLA
Anthony Fernandez, Radiation Safety Technician, LBNL
Karen Galbreath, Animal Health Technician, UCD
Bryan Pettengill, Computer Resource Specialist, UCSD

A couple of weeks ago we had the opportunity to vote for a delegate to the UC Retirement System Advisory Board. Well, we did something right, because UPTE’s own Paul Brooks was elected! He got far more votes than any other candidate in the election.

While this board does not have actual decision making power, we will be able to obtain more timely information and input through Paul’s participation. At last we can start to try to figure out what UC does with our retirement money. This is a foot in the door; eventually we hope to have some real decision making power.

Thanks,
Kevin Scott
President, UPTE Local 6 Davis
kescott@upte-cwa.org

Early in May UC filed with PERB (Public Employment Relations Board) to go to impasse over our heath care benefits bargaining. PERB, however, ruled that we are not at impasse and still have unresolved issues. We return to benefits bargaining on June 22nd.

At the June 7th bargaining session in Oakland, UPTE’s bargaining team continued to negotiate with UC over the increased employee contributions to the UCRP. UC wants to increase RX/TX contributions from 2% to 3.5% of pay effective July 1 and up to 5% on July 1, 2012. Our RX/TX contract specifies increases of only 3% on July 1 and up to 4% on July 1, 2012. UC has not budged in, refusing to turn over necessary demographic and other information needed for UPTE to determine if the increased contributions are warranted.

At this bargaining session, UPTE presented UC with a conceptual, alternate proposal that would resolve the outstanding bargaining issues for health care benefits. UC has promised a counter-proposal at our next bargaining session. We are hopeful that we are near a successful conclusion to these negotiations.

Your RX/TX Bargaining Team:
Wendi Felson, Chief Negotiator
Mike Fehr, Computer Resource Specialist, UCLA
Anthony Fernandez, Radiation Safety Technician, LBNL
Karen Galbreath, Animal Health Technician, UCD
Bryan Pettengill, Computer Resource Specialist, UCSD

RX/TX Bargaining Report #7
May 26, 2011

UC has filed with the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) for impasse on the health care premium issue we have been bargaining over since the beginning of the year. UC wants us to accept an over 200% HealthNet HMO premium increase for some of our lowest paid members. The recently agreed upon contract has language that allows TX/RX to return to negotiations if the premiums for 2011 (or 2012) increase above 18%.

UC has not been bargaining with us in good faith and has rejected every one of our proposals. We can expect a decision from PERB by Friday, June 3rd. If PERB agrees with UC, we are at impasse (negotiations are at a stalemate) and we will go to mediation with an outside arbitrator.

UPTE TX/RX pension bargaining took place last week at the Office of President in Oakland.
There are still many outstanding “Requests for Information” as UC is refusing to provide the information needed for our team to make any sort of counter proposal. UC is stating that our requests are irrelevant and overbroad.

We, on the other hand, have not been shown that UC needs an additional 0.5% in pension contributions from our members. Much of the information that UC has provided is insufficient or does not answer our questions. We are awaiting further information that the University previously agreed to provide.

Our next bargaining date for pensions is on June 7th in Oakland.

Your RX/TX Bargaining Team:
Wendi Felson, Chief Negotiator
Mike Fehr, Computer Resource Specialist, UCLA
Anthony Fernandez, Radiation Safety Technician, LBNL
Karen Galbreath, Animal Health Technician, UCD
Bryan Pettengill, Computer Resource Specialist, UCSD

The UC Board of Regents actually controls the $50 Billion or so retirement fund.  The Advisory Board is just that: advisory.  However, this is a foot in the door.  Eventually we want to have a real say in what happens to our retirement money, but for now this is the best we can do.  So, show UC that you are watching!  Vote in this election. Read More: Please vote in the UCRS Advisory Board Election!

By the way, I urge you to vote for Paul Brooks and Monica Martinez.  Paul is an UPTE activist in Berkeley (UPTE Local 1).  Monica is an AFSCME activist in Los Angeles (AFSCME Local 3299).  They are very knowledgeable in matters of pension and benefits.

Thanks much,

Kevin Scott
President, UPTE Local 6 Davis
kescott@upte-cwa.org

the best interests of Students,

Workers, and our state as the newest

member of the UC Board of Regents?

Regent David Crane was appointed to the UC Board of Regents in the final days of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s term in office as a political favor after serving in his administration.

He advised Governor Schwarzenegger to reduce the state’s Vehicle License Fee and replace it with NOTHING, leading to a 5 to 6 BILLION Dollar annual state budget shortfall for Arnold’s entire term as Governor.

He is an Investment Banker (one of seven on UC’s Board) with little or no Education experience that we know of.

He has called for the elimination of COLLECTIVE BARGAINING RIGHTS for Public Sector workers (UC workers), taking a page right out of Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker and the Koch Brothers’ play book.

In Crane’s view, it is ok for the Koch Brothers or any corporation to spend millions of dollars to buy elections, while stating that any political spending (voluntary contributions) by unions is inappropriate.

Email members of the Senate Rules Committee NOW and ask them to REJECT David Crane’s appointment to the UC Board of Regents.

Please visit http://www.upte.org/e-action/index.html and enter your name, email and campus.

There is a very urgent legislative matter: you need to make only one phone call TODAY to your state senator.  Read this and find out why and how.

UC hires a notorious law firm called Littler Mendelson to advise them on anti-union and anti-worker tactics.  Littler Mendelson is well know as the “union busting law firm“.  UC has paid them more than $3.5 million to fight our unions.  What’s wrong with that?  Well, look at it this way:  we all pay state taxes and some of that goes to UC.  Many of you, like me, have students in the UC system and we pay ever rising tuition.  So, UC is using OUR taxes and OUR tuition to fight US.  Is that legal?  Apparently it is.  Whether UC likes it or not, collective bargaining for public employees is legal in California.  So we have to do something about this.

UPTE is co-sponsoring a law called SB 931 by Senator Vargas from San Diego.  This bill will prohibit public agencies (UC) from spending public money to hire consultants and legal firms to consult on ways to union bust, or coerce, intimidate, and harass public employees when we exercise our guaranteed rights as employees.

Sorry for the late notice, but this bill has moved very fast.  It was before the Senate Public Employment and Retirement Committee this past Monday and it will be up for vote before the full Senate this coming  Monday, May 16.

Please call your State Senator today and say that you support SB 931    Remember, call today because the vote is on Monday.  Here’s how:

Go to the UPTE Systemwide website, Legislative and Political Action.  At the top of the page is “STOP publicly funded agencies from contracting to bust public employees”  You can read more about this and you can look up your State Senator and his/her phone number.  (e.g. if you live in Davis, your Senator is Lois Wolk at  (916) 651-4005; if you live in Sacramento, your Senator is Darrell Steinberg at  (916) 651-4006.

This is very easy to do.  I just called Senator Wolk’s office.  You won’t talk to your Senator.  You will talk to a staff member who is paid to take these calls.  Calls from constituents are vey influential; it let’s them know that someone is watching.  If you like, you can tell them that you work for UC and that you are a union member.  But, call today!!!

Thanks very much,

Kevin Scott
President, UPTE Local 6, Davis