Bargaining Update #8: UC Proposes Unlimited Healthcare Premium Increases
At last week’s bargaining session, UC proposed to remove the current $25 cap on annual healthcare premium increases on Kaiser and Blue & Gold Plans in exchange for a $100 and $75 subsidy for those in Pay Bands 1 and 2, respectively.
Days before, UC revealed that they are planning 9-11% premium increases for 2025, alongside increases in co-pays and a new 30% coinsurance fee for specialty drugs of up to $150/prescription.
This subsidy might provide a benefit to those in pay bands 1 and 2 in 2025 but would increase rates by up to $126/month for those on pay bands 3 and 4 and allow UC to shift an unlimited amount of their cost onto everyone in subsequent years.
How much cost could UC shift back to us per month under their proposal?*
| *Estimate based on projected 2025 Rates for Pay Band 1, after $100 subsidy | Kaiser | UC Blue & Gold |
|---|---|---|
| Self | $725.16 | $860.84 |
| Self + Adult | $1,385.38 | $1,630.71 |
| Self + Child | $1,596.11 | $1,840.05 |
| Family | $2,259.15 | $2,610.63 |
In 2024, our $25/month cap saved up to $224/month when UC shifted costs onto non-union employees. Under this proposal, UC could shift thousands of dollars of their contributions onto us in 2026 and 2027, effectively taking back any raises we win in this contract.
With just a month before our contracts expire, UC is not only trying to keep our pay below inflation, they are trying to give themselves a free hand to push us even further and further behind each year by offsetting healthcare premium costs to us.
UC continued its bad-faith bargaining by proposing to strip us of the right to bargain over remote work and to advance notice when workers are being reclassified into non-union jobs.
UPTE revised our proposal for a 36-hour workweek to a right to a reduction in time to 36 hours for all and 32 hours for those with 5 years or service or those with new children, with pay and accruals reduced accordingly.
Click here to see updates from previous bargaining sessions and a side-by-side summary of UPTE and the University’s proposals.
There is no question that UC’s healthcare proposal would deepen the recruitment and retention crisis. Sign a strike pledge now to let UC know you are ready to stand with nearly 7,000 other UPTE members who have already pledged to strike.