The latest breaking news regarding UC jobs and UPTE payments to represented employees is at Newsletter 34. For previous newsletters, see Previous Newsletters.
Just Vote uc is an Organization dedicated to educating, informing, fighting and remedying of any unfair and illegal practices by the University Professional and Technical Employees Union (UPTE). This organization was created by, is run by and supported by employees of the University of California represented by UPTE who disagree with the actions of the present union leadership.
We educate you on why you have to pay"Fair Share Fees" also known as Agency Fees if you choose not to be a union member. We instruct you on how to write an objection letter that forces UPTE to pay you some of your money back. We tell you how to Quit the union if you made the mistake of joining and get back part of the money you pay to UPTE. About 100 people have quit this union so far. We inform you of current developments with our newsletters . We fight back by filing charges with PERB. We fight the amount of the fee in arbitration hearings held by the AAA (American Arbitration Association). Contact us at werner@justvoteuc.org for details and we will be happy to answer your questions.
Those of you who sent me your objection letter in 2008 for the 2008/2009 period have been receiving payments from UPTE. Most people have recieved two payments and are due one more. UPTE delayed payments for months in 2004 and I represented people who filed Unfair Practice Charges with the California Public Employment Relations Board (PERB). UPTE then started sending out checks, I don't think that's a coincidence.
We have gotten a small measure of justice for some by our actions, we seek justice for all. We are not alone in this fight. A professional accountant from a nationally known accounting firm is providing his services to us pro bono. The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation NRTW has and will represent people at no cost in their legal fight and they were instrumental in achieving the settlement for the 2004/2005 period.
We won two significant victories in 2006. UPTE paid back the full amount of fees (about $160,000) that it collected from over 400 agency fee payers (non members who have to pay the union) as a result of a settlement agreement for the 2004/2005 period. See the settlement details for specifics and the list of those receiving about $300 to $400 each. Later in 2006, UPTE gave up on defending the collection of the 2005/2006 fees from those who challenged them. UPTE paid out about $300,000 to the 2005/2006 objectors/challengers. Well, not this amount to each challenger but about $400 to each one of the approximately 700 or so. Not a bad Christmas present for those of you who have listened to me.
I've looked through hundreds of Board Decisions and I don't believe that any union in this state has been the subject of such a large number of individual complaints. UPTE complains that the University commits Unfair Practices but they are silent when it comes to posting complaints issued against them by the very people that they represent.
This web site has evolved, but we are not yet at the end game.
UC Systemwide Union Members as of January 2006 - 42%, Agency Fee Payers 58%. Those who will not join UPTE or have quit are in the majority.
Union membership by campus as of January 2006:
Berkeley - 50%, Davis - 35%, Irvine - 40%, Los Angeles - 37%, Merced - 15%, Riverside - 51%, Santa Barbara - 33%, Santa Cruz - 55%, San Diego - 47%, San Francisco - 48%
Union membership by unit as of January 2006:
RX - 36%, TX - 41%, HX - 55%
How can you help yourself?
Send us your objection letter and if you believe in this cause, a small monetary gift so that I can continue on and expand upon my previous work. When you get money back from UPTE, think of what I've done. Can you part with some of the money that you've gotten as a result of my efforts? I appreciate all of you who sign the UPTE checks with the notation under your signature "pay to JustVoteuc" and send them to me. If you want to keep the money for yourself, I can understand this. Unlike UPTE, I don't reach into your paycheck to deduct money every month. Have you gotten money from UPTE in prior years after I helped you?
How is this money be used? This web site is an example. I'm not a web designer, I hired one to teach me how to set up this simple site. I had to pay the University of California for the names and campus address of all UPTE represented employees and each year I have to pay more to update the list. I've traveled to every campus (except UCSB, a bit out of the way) to spread the word about UPTE Unfair Practices. It does cost me money to send you mailings, make copies, travel to Sacramento to represent your interests as agency fee payers, travel to Berkeley to attend arbitration hearings and represent people in Unfair Practice cases before the state labor board. I mailed out about 4000 petitions in self addressed stamped envelopes at the cost of about $1 each. Have you gotten money from UPTE in prior years after I helped you? Most of this money comes out of my pocket, I only ask for a little help, $5, $10 or one of your UPTE checks from each of you would go a long way.
If you think it's time for a change and want to support my efforts, sign over your UPTE checks or mail a personal check to:
JustVoteuc
P.O. Box 26847
San Diego CA 92126
I get numerous e-mails asking me how we can get rid of UPTE. The legal mechanism for this is called a decertification petition. It would take petitions from 30% of each represented unit (about 1,200 people from the RX unit for example) to hold a decertification vote. Why do I believe that UPTE should no longer represent us? This is a union ineffective in bargaining for raises, one that denies a voluntary wellness program to those it represents, one that is the subject of at least 250 complaints by the state. This union even abused it's own employees. You heard me right, UPTE paid about $1,000,000 to settle charges that it failed to pay overtime to it's own employees. My understanding is that UPTE tried to retaliate against the employees who filed suit by threatening to lay them off. A union so desperate to avoid justice, it has filed legal motions to exclude me from participating in arbitration, the lowest form of justice.
We have hundreds of people who are members of this organization. You can join by filling out a membership form. I seek justice for all and you can help yourself. You can help with a donation but if you cannot afford this it is very important that you inform your coworkers about this cause, especially the new hires in your department. Send me an objection letter to get back money from UPTE.