The one day UPTE strike started with a fizzle and ended with a whimper at UCSD. Only about 15 to 20 strikers showed up at two of the three locations. At about 9 AM, the 15 to 20 picketers at the main entrance were moved to the central location by the credit union. A rather unimpressive showing, considering that the union has about 800 members at UCSD. The 1000 agency fee payers represented by UPTE refused to support the strike. A large number of union members also refused to support this action and went to work. The noontime rally drew about 80 people and the picketers who were scheduled to picket until 2 PM were sent home at 1 PM. Reports from other campuses tell a similar story.
I would not be surprised if UPTE caved in to the last University proposal and declared victory. The last University proposal prior to the strike was for a cash payment of about $200 for 2004 with no raise, 3% for October 2005, 3.5% for the following year, 2.2% for 2007 and about 2% for the last year. There was an additional sweetner of 0.5% equity raises. See (http://atyourservice.ucop.edu/employees/policies/labor_relations/bargaining_updates/rx/uc_proposal.html) for the exact details. This is what the service workers (AFSCME) did, they bought the deal, accepted what was in essence the last University proposal and declared victory.
Do not be fooled by any UPTE claim of victory. UPTE will make outlandish claims and tell you that the strike brought the University to it's knees. If you did not see the pitifully low number of people who went on strike at your campus, ask your friends how many really did go on strike. Hopefully this year, the University will not cave in to give special larger raises to special people. In the previous contract, a special provision for a 5% raise was given to Principal Electronic Technicians at Santa Cruz . UPTE has once again asked for another raise of 5% in the new contract for Principal Electronic Technicians. While you get 1%, 2% or at best 3%, there are special people who the union gets special raises for.Every year since 2000 the union receives about $4.5 million dollars, mostly from dues and "Unfair Share" fees. Have your raises over this period been worth the $22,500,000 that the union has taken in? Look at your paychecks from year to year and see if it's worth paying $4.5 million dollars a year to UPTE.
None of the Unfair Practice Charges against UPTE have been finally settled. UPTE continues to make only partial payments to try and get out from under these charges. The Board is considering about 100 charges filed in October and November. We await their decision as we await the findings on the next 200 charges. These concern the late "notice" that we allege was not a proper and legal notice. We have started to file charges that UPTE failed to request arbitration within the proscribed legal deadline. About 40 people have filed so far with my help and we expect to get more. Please contact me if you are an objector for the 2004-2005 period.
I will be in Northern California from June 8 until June 11. I will be at Davis Medical Center hospital cafeteria from 8 till 9 AM and at Davis in front of the main library from 11 till 1 PM on June 9. I will be at UCSF in Saunders Court (between the School of Nursing and the Medical Sciences Building) from 11 till 1 PM on June 10. Stop by and say hello even if you don't have any questions.
P.S. That is not me pictured at the top. Werner