AFSCME to Hold Rally on Parnassus Campus Today

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) has announced that it will hold a rally on Parnassus Avenue today from 3:30 to 5 p.m. The union has indicated that as many as 1,000 people will participate in the rally, which coincides with AFSCME's International Convention being held in San Francisco from July 28 to August 1. The University has taken steps to ensure that the rally does not interfere with access to facilities or patient care services, disrupt operations or pose a safety threat; however, the size of the rally may create some noise and traffic issues along the typically busy street. Due to the anticipated traffic congestion, individuals who do not have an immediate need to come to the UCSF Parnassus campus should avoid the area during the time of the rally. Employees scheduled to work during the rally are expected to fulfill their job obligations. AFSCME service employees include custodians, food service workers, shuttle bus drivers, parking attendants, security guards, linen workers and truck drivers. AFSCME members in the patient care technical unit include hospital assistants, anesthesia technicians, respiratory therapists, vocational nurses, hospital lab technicians, radiologic technologists, dental assistants, phlebotomists, patient dialysis technicians and pharmacy technicians. The UC Office of the President (UCOP) today updated its fact sheet on the status of negotiations with AFSCME service employees and patient care employees. Below is the information from UCOP. UC’s Negotiations for a New Contract for Service Employees On Monday, July 28, UC presented AFSCME with an improved package proposal that would provide a minimum of $16.6 million in increases for service unit employees over the next 28 months. Included in this offer is a proposal to raise the minimum hourly salary for service employees from $10.28 an hour to $13 an hour over the course of 28 months. AFSCME has not provided a counter proposal to the University’s offer, but UC officials remain hopeful that UC and the union will be able to reach agreement on a new contract for UC service employees through compromise from both sides. Proposals made over the course of bargaining include: • Salary: Approximately $16.6 million in wage increases through an increase in the minimum hourly rate from $10.28 to $13 per hour over the course of 28 months, transition to step structure and increases for various titles at various locations to be implemented in the current fiscal year; • Health Care and Retirement Benefits: The same high-quality health care and retirement benefits as other UC employees, with pay banding for medical premiums, which means that lower-paid employees pay lower monthly health premiums than other staff. The contract will reopen if health insurance premiums increase by more than a certain amount over the life of the contract or if the university proposes to require employee contributions to the pension plan. UC’s Negotiations for a New Contract for Patient Care Employees The union has not met with the University regarding a new contract for patient care technical employees since June 27. At the last meeting, the union rejected a UC proposal that would have provided approximately $127 million to UC patient care employees in annualized wages and related costs over the life of the contract. Proposals made in the course of bargaining include: • Salary: Approximately $18 million in wage increases in the first year alone through 4 percent to 15 percent raises depending on location and title, designed to ensure employees at each location earn competitive wages as compared to other California hospitals, and movement to an experience based step structure. Increases over the length of the contract equal a minimum total of 26 percent for eligible employees; • Health Care and Retirement Benefits: The same high-quality health care and retirement benefits as other UC employees at the same affordable cost, with pay banding for medical premiums which means that lower paid employees pay lower monthly health premiums than other staff. The contract will reopen if health insurance premiums increase by more than a certain amount over the life of the contract or if the university proposes to require employee contributions to the pension plan.