A UC systemwide strike will likely be averted after UAW and the University of California reached a tentative agreement Friday after seven months of negotiations.<\/p>\n
UAW 4811, the union that represents 48,000 student employees, postdocs and academic researchers across the UC system, announced the tentative agreement in an email Friday night.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Workers will vote on the proposed contract between Tuesday, March 17 and Friday, March 20.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Union officials representing UAW\u2019s Student Services and Advising Professionals and Research and Public Service Professionals sector also reached a tentative agreement with the UC system. These contracts \u2014 separate from UAW 4811 \u2014 provide minimum raises of 27.8% raises over the next four years through the creation of a new \u201cstep wage system.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Additionally, SSAPs and RPSPs may gain protections on health insurance premium increases, job security, hybrid and remote work and \u201cmeasures to prevent unreasonable workloads.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWith this Tentative Agreement, Academic Student Employees have compelled management to side with workers and not with Trump,\u201d said the UAW 4811 ASE Bargaining Committee in an email. \u201cThis TA delivers on the priorities ASEs have fought for including job security, immigration protections, and fair and stable pay.\u201d<\/p>\n
The tentative agreement includes raises ranging from 12% to 45% for teaching assistants and graduate student researchers, while hourly workers could receive raises averaging 21% and reaching up to 62% over the duration of the contract.<\/p>\n
Additionally, the contract would create a $400,000 legal consulting fund for international workers, guarantee the right for workers to be rehired after losing and regaining their visa statuses and ensure \u201cnon-collaboration with ICE.\u201d<\/p>\n
The UC Office of the President did not immediately respond to a request for comment as of press time.<\/p>\n