FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, July 12, 1999
Brad Hayward (510) 987-9195
brad.hayward@ucop.edu

UC, UPTE-CWA REACH TENTATIVE CONTRACT AGREEMENT FOR RESEARCH SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS

The University of California and University Professional and Technical Employees-Communications Workers of America (UPTE-CWA) have reached tentative agreement on a new contract for approximately 3,800 research support professionals employed at UC.

Under the agreement, reached late Friday (July 9), employees will receive a combination of lump sums and base pay increases for 1997-98 and 1998-99, in addition to regular merit and step increases for 1999-2000 totaling 3.5 percent of the employee base salary pool. The agreement also provides time off for job-related training and development, includes a regular grievance and arbitration mechanism, and contains improved layoff procedures.

The ratification process is expected to take approximately 30 days. The contract will then be in effect through June 2002.

"The university welcomes this agreement," said Judith W. Boyette, UC associate vice president for human resources and benefits. "These employees are an important part of the academic research enterprise that is at the core of the university."

Research support professionals work closely with UC faculty researchers. Those represented in the unit include staff research associates, museum scientists, marine technicians, spectroscopists, and research associates at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Further details of the agreement will be available soon on the university's Web site at: www.ucop.edu/humres/labor/rx.html

In addition to reaching the agreement for research support professionals, UC and its employee organizations in recent months have settled a new contract for UC registered nurses, reached tentative agreement on a contract for UC police officers, and also reached agreement on 1998-99 wage increases for 18,000 clerical employees while contract negotiations continue.