University Professional and Technical Employees Communications Workers of America Local 9119, or UPTE, and the California Nurses Association, or CNA, both recently voted to ratify their new contracts with the UC system. UPTE ratified its contract Nov. 21 after 17 months of negotiations and CNA approved its contract Nov. 22 after five months of negotiations.
UPTE represents 22,000 research, medical and technical workers across the entire UC system, while and CNA represents 25,000 registered nurses across 19 UC medical facilities. UPTE and CNA planned to strike Nov. 17 and 18, but both actions were averted after the unions were able to come to tentative agreements with the university.
UPTE’s contract went into effect immediately upon ratification and includes several new benefits for workers, such as a $25 minimum wage or an 8% raise — whichever is more — with further planned raises until the end of the contract in 2028, caps on medical premium increases, stronger layoff protections, defined remote work policies and an additional floating holiday.
“I would say that we definitely weren’t able to win everything that we proposed, but we were able to move the ball a lot and highlight a lot of our issues as indicated to us by our members,” said UPTE Treasurer Amy Fletcher. “We’re thinking of this contract as a floor that has improved to help us win future fights.”
Fletcher said UPTE will now focus on addressing more specific member issues at the department and campus levels while continuing to fight to bring non-union workers into UPTE.
Additional UPTE benefits include the right for employees to be considered for open positions if they are laid off, according to Fletcher, and 12 months of unpaid parental leave.
CNA’s new contract includes improved meal and rest breaks, an 18.5% overall wage increase to take place over time until the end of the contract in 2030 and greater protections against workplace violence.
“Our work continues to fight for the highest levels of patient care–that includes holding UC accountable to the standards agreed to in our new contract,” said Marlene Tucay, UC Irvine registered nurse and CNA member, in a press release. “It is our union power that will help ensure the UC stays a public good, rather than yet another for-profit health care corporation.”
The contract also states that the UC system must maintain and provide written plans for disaster response and must provide training for all nurses.
UCOP spokesperson Heather Hansen said the university is committed to working with “all (the UC systems’s) unions in ways that support employees and strengthen (the UC system).”
“The University of California views collective bargaining as a collaborative process founded on listening, problem-solving, and achieving sustainable outcomes for both employees and the University,” Hansen said. “The new CNA and UPTE contracts reflect the culmination of many months of constructive dialogue, and we are grateful for the partnership demonstrated throughout.”