The University of California and Coalition of University Employees (CUE) have reached a tentative agreement on a first contract for the clerical and allied-services bargaining unit. CUE, the union with the largest number of employees in the UC system, represents approximately 18,000 clerical workers, 4,000 of whom are at UCLA.

In addition, UC recently wrapped up negotiations with three other unions. “We are very pleased to have reached tentative contract agreements in these four negotiations,” said Judith W. Boyette, UC associate vice president for human resources and benefits. “We are particularly proud to have reached our first tentative agreement with CUE on the clerical-unit contract. Many of these contracts contain the first steps in a multi-year plan to bring our employees’ salaries up to market averages.”

The tentative agreement with CUE members, the result of two years of negotiations, provides wage increases for 1999-2000, 2000-2001 and 2001-2002 budget years. The contract would expire Sept. 30, 2001.

Results of a ratification vote by CUE members should be known by the beginning of December, UC officials said.

The university’s 2001-’02 proposed budget, which was presented to the UC Board of Regents last week, includes an additional augmentation for staff salaries that lag behind the market averages.

The UC-CUE tentative wage agreement for clerical staff includes the following:

• A 2.8% salary-range adjustment, retroactive to Oct. 1, 1999;
• Merit increase for eligible employees, retroactive to Oct. 1, 1999;
• A 2% salary-range adjustment, retroactive to July 1, 2000;
• A 2% salary-range adjustment, retroactive to Oct. 1, 2000;
• Merit increase for eligible employees, retroactive to Oct. 1, 2000;
• An additional step to the maximum of the salary range, retroactive to Oct. 1, 2000;
• A 1% salary-range adjustment, effective Sept. 1, 2001;

Plus $100 to each career employee on the date both parties sign the agreement.

UC also recently reached tentative contract agreements with three other unions. On Oct. 30, UC and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) reached a tentative agreement for 2000-’01 wages and a new Veterans Day holiday for the service- employees unit.

In addition, UC reached a similar agreement Nov. 6 with the AFSCME patient-care technical unit.

UC and the Federated University Police Officer Association reached a tentative agreement for UC police officers on Oct. 27 on 2000-’01 wages and increasing family sick leave for officers.