UC offers historic wage increases to UPTE-represented employees

The University of California offered historic wage increases totaling $260 million to employees represented by University Professional and Technical Employees (UPTE) during bargaining Friday. If accepted, the wage increases would boost the pay for more than 18,000 UC employees represented by UPTE by as much as 21 percent over the three-year contract.

UPTE represents health care, research support and technical professionals across the UC system. The University began negotiating a new contract with UPTE in June. UC knows collective bargaining is key to building strong, fair partnerships with labor unions based on trust and respect.

The wage proposals for all three units specify the following:

• 5 percent annual increase effective July 1, 2025
• 3 percent annual increase effective July 1, 2026
• 3 percent annual increase effective July 1, 2027, contingent on state budget allocation

These increases are in addition to the recent wage increases the units received: a 3 percent increase on July 1 this year and a 2 percent step increase in January this year.

The systemwide average annual compensation for a UPTE-represented health care worker is around $154,000, with 70 percent making an average of $173,000. Systemwide annual compensation for technical professionals averages $73,000, and research professionals average $71,000. If approved by the union, the wage increases would boost the pay for average health care compensation to $182,000. However, 70 percent of UPTE-represented health care workers would make $204,000 at the end of the UC contract in 2027. If approved by the union, technical professionals' salaries would increase to an average of $90,000 and research professionals would be up to $86,000 over the same period.

"We are excited to offer this to employees to recognize their hard work and impact on the University of California system," said Missy Matella, associate vice president for Systemwide Employee and Labor Relations. "These employees offer essential services to ensure the University delivers impactful patient experiences and enhances lives through education, research and health care. In a budget year with constraints across our system, we have prioritized our union members' compensation to reflect our appreciation and the value they provide."

In addition, UC has offered expanded sick leave provisions, expanded review processes for reclassification requests, additional holidays and an expanded definition of holiday time pay.

"We've heard from our UPTE-represented employees that work-life balance is a priority for them, and we want to recognize their priorities with proposals to address them while balancing our duty to provide critical patient care across the system," Matella added.

In addition to the proposals and existing benefits UPTE employees receive, all UC employees are also offered the following benefits:

• Rare choice of pension or 401(k)-style retirement plans with generous UC contributions
• Choice of quality HMO or PPO medical plans with premium rates scaled to match an employee's salary, ensuring that all employees have access to health care
• Benefits for domestic partners
• Health and home benefits fully paid by UC, including:
  • Dental
  • Vision
  • Basic life
  • Basic disability
  • Financial and retirement planning consultations and resources
  • ID theft protection
  • Adoption assistance
  • Tuition discounts
  • Family care resources

Tax savings and extra protection at UC group rates, including:

• Health and dependent care flexible spending accounts (FSA)
• Supplemental life and disability
• Pets, legal, auto and home
• Accident, critical illness, hospital indemnity and AD&D

For more information about UC's bargaining units and employment at the University of California, visit ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu.

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