Bargaining Update #12: Progress—but a long way to go
UPTE met with UC again on Thursday, May 8, and Friday, May 9, in Los Angeles. Hundreds of workers packed into UPTE's offices after the University refused to allow members to attend bargaining at the UCLA Faculty Club. Clinical research coordinators, clinical lab scientists, social workers, and case managers delivered powerful testimony about the impact of insufficient work-life balance, reclassification, and pay on their patients, research, and students.
UC provided a new proposal on layoffs in which it agreed to release non-career employees (including contractors) prior to any layoffs, but it still did not commit to providing vacant positions to employees facing layoff, as it has for our 60,000 colleagues in AFSCME and CNA.
UC also confirmed that it is proposing no steps or raises in 2028. We are already 5% behind our nurse colleagues—what will falling even further behind mean for our families, patients, research, and students?
UPTE responded to UC's proposal on layoffs and an earlier UC proposal on reclassification, in which UC agreed to a 90-day response time for reclassification requests.
Go here to see an updated side-by-side comparison of UPTE and UC's bargaining proposals.
While UC is slowly moving in the right direction on some issues, UC leadership is failing to acknowledge the urgency of the recruitment and retention crisis. It will be up to you and your colleagues to continue our campaign to make that urgency felt.
UPTE met with UC again on Thursday, May 8, and Friday, May 9, in Los Angeles. Hundreds of workers packed into UPTE's offices after the University refused to allow members to attend bargaining at the UCLA Faculty Club.
Clinical research coordinators, clinical lab scientists, social workers, and case managers delivered powerful testimony about the impact of insufficient work-life balance, reclassification, and pay on their patients, research, and students.
“I work with children who have some of the most severe forms of epilepsy in the region. I help families cope emotionally, access resources, and navigate systems that are often confusing and overwhelming.
Many of these families are in crisis—facing housing instability, food insecurity, and round-the-clock caregiving demands. But because of how UC staffs our clinics, not every patient is assigned a social worker. We're stretched so thin that we can only consistently see patients who meet narrow insurance criteria—not because it's best for patient care, but because that's all the staffing allows.”
Jessica Appell
UPTE Workplace Representative
Clinical social worker 2, UC Los Angeles
UC provided a new proposal on layoffs in which it agreed to release non-career employees (including contractors) prior to any layoffs, but it still did not commit to providing vacant positions to employees facing layoff, as it has for our 60,000 colleagues in AFSCME and CNA.
UC also confirmed that it is proposing no steps or raises in 2028. We are already 5% behind our nurse colleagues—what will falling even further behind mean for our families, patients, research, and students?
UPTE responded to UC's proposal on layoffs and an earlier UC proposal on reclassification, in which UC agreed to a 90-day response time for reclassification requests.
Go here to see an updated side-by-side comparison of UPTE and UC’s bargaining proposals.
While UC is slowly moving in the right direction on some issues, UC leadership is failing to acknowledge the urgency of the recruitment and retention crisis. It will be up to you and your colleagues to continue our campaign to make that urgency felt.
You should soon hear from your UPTE organizer, unit, or workplace representative about a departmental meeting in June where we will discuss our strategy to step up our pressure on UC.
In solidarity,
Dan Russell
UPTE President
UPTE Chief Negotiator
BTSA, UC Berkeley
UPTE is going on an unfair labor practice strike across the UC system on May 1
UPTE will be striking at all UC locations on Thursday, May 1, 2025 in response to UC's unfair labor practices. Learn more at upte.org/ucstrike.
On March 19, UC publicly announced a hiring freeze and has since implemented it at campuses without providing UPTE notice, let alone an opportunity to bargain over the freeze or its effects on our members—as it is legally required to do now that our contracts have expired.
Some campuses even apply the freeze to decisions about existing employees, such as reclassifications, promotions, equity increases, and conversion of term-limited employees to career employees.
After UPTE submitted a cease and desist and demand to bargain, the University explicitly refused to undo the hiring freeze so we could bargain. UC has also committed additional unfair practices like denying pension credit to workers at the hospitals it has acquired without bargaining, leaving these new workers behind, even as UC expands its market share.
This is all despite UC's holding more than $26 billion in liquid capital and a judge issuing a permanent stay on threatened across-the-board cuts to indirect cost reimbursements for research grants.
UPTE will be striking at all UC locations on Thursday, May 1, 2025 in response to UC's unfair labor practices. Learn more at upte.org/ucstrike.
On March 19, UC publicly announced a hiring freeze and has since implemented it at campuses without providing UPTE notice, let alone an opportunity to bargain over the freeze or its effects on our members—as it is legally required to do now that our contracts have expired.
Some campuses even apply the freeze to decisions about existing employees, such as reclassifications, promotions, equity increases, and conversion of term-limited employees to career employees.
After UPTE submitted a cease and desist and demand to bargain, the University explicitly refused to undo the hiring freeze so we could bargain. UC has also committed additional unfair practices like denying pension credit to workers at the hospitals it has acquired without bargaining, leaving these new workers behind, even as UC expands its market share.
This is all despite UC's holding more than $26 billion in liquid capital and a judge issuing a permanent stay on threatened across-the-board cuts to indirect cost reimbursements for research grants.
UC continues to act with impunity, and we can't let them get away with it—especially when a hiring freeze and leaving workers at new hospitals behind will only worsen already dire conditions for patients, students, and research. UC executives' refusal to protect frontline staff and essential services makes our campaign even more important.
UPTE members from UC Los Angeles, UC Irvine, and UC Riverside showed up and out to the “Fighting Oligarchy: Where We Go From Here” rally with U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders at Gloria Molina Grand Park in Los Angeles.
Fortunately, we are not alone in blowing the whistle on UC's actions. Just last week, Senator Bernie Sanders heard stories from UPTE leaders across the state and then met with us following his "Fighting Oligarchy" rally in Los Angeles. Dozens of California lawmakers have signed letters to UC President Drake, demanding that UC bargain in good faith.
It is sad to see UC executives using threats to public health, research, and education from the federal government as an excuse to undermine—rather than commit to using its vast resources to defend—the work that we do.
We have built the power to force them to do the right thing. Let's continue to use it until we win.
In solidarity,
Dan Russell
UPTE President
UPTE Chief Negotiator
Business Technical Support Analyst, UC Berkeley
Statewide ULP Strike on April 1!
UPTE will be striking all UC locations on April 1 in response to UC’s unfair labor practices.
During our contract negotiations, UC has refused to bargain over pay scales and other issues unique to the thousands of workers in non-union titles who joined UPTE in the past few years, most recently Research and Development Engineers. Many of these workers have been attempting to bargain separately for more than three years now.
UC wants every new title to keep being stuck in a separate bargaining process forever—in short, an illegal “divide-and-conquer” tactic that ultimately UC could extend to all of us simply by moving us to non-union titles.
UC also imposed higher healthcare premiums during bargaining for many workers—unilaterally, with no prior notice, even though UC promised that it would not increase premiums while it was bargaining with us.
Be sure to RSVP now at upte.org/ucstrike and plan to join us on the picket lines on April 1.
UPTE will be striking all UC locations on April 1 in response to UC’s unfair labor practices.
During our contract negotiations, UC has refused to bargain over pay scales and other issues unique to the thousands of workers in non-union titles who joined UPTE in the past few years, most recently Research and Development Engineers. Many of these workers have been attempting to bargain separately for more than three years now.
UC wants every new title to keep being stuck in a separate bargaining process forever—in short, an illegal “divide-and-conquer” tactic that ultimately UC could extend to all of us simply by moving us to non-union titles.
UC also imposed higher healthcare premiums during bargaining for many workers—unilaterally, with no prior notice, even though UC promised that it would not increase premiums while it was bargaining with us.
Be sure to RSVP now at upte.org/ucstrike and plan to join us on the picket lines on April 1.
UC's unfair labor practices are designed to undermine bargaining and make your coworkers think that it is somehow futile for us to try to bargain for better staffing, career progression, wages, benefits and job protections. Our strike, with your participation, will show UC that their unfair practices are having the opposite effect—strengthening our unity and resolve.
UPTE has a hardship fund available to those facing hardship due to loss of pay during the strike and who attend a complete shift at the picket line. You must fill out a hardship form application on the picket line on April 1 and sign in and sign out at the picket line to be eligible.
We will be hosting a Pre-Strike Town Hall to provide updates and answer your questions on Tuesday, March 25, at 6 pm. Register for our pre-strike town hall here.
If you are already working when the strike begins on April 1, finish your shift. Additionally, do not go to work mid-shift on April 2nd for shifts that start on the 1st.
Please invite friends and family to join you on the picket line. Our numbers, our stories, and our solidarity are essential for UC to change course on its unlawful behavior.
In solidarity,
Dan Russell
UPTE President
UPTE Bargaining Team Chief Negotiator
UC Berkeley Business Technical Support Analyst 3
How far behind would UC’s proposals put us?
Next week, UPTE and UC will begin fact-finding, the final step of the impasse process, before we can call a strike over our bargaining demands. As part of this, we are reminded of where UC’s contract proposals would leave us in three years: far behind other UC workers and our top competitors.
UC’s recruitment and retention crisis is due in large part to its failure to meet industry standards in key areas. If we continue to fall even further behind—and lose more committed colleagues each year—what will that mean for our patients, research, and students?
How far behind would UC’s proposals put us?
UC continues to claim that there is no staffing crisis—and that it is offering proposals that address our concerns. Make sure your co-workers understand the truth—and what is at stake.
UC is hoping that uncertainty around state and federal funding - along with a newly-announced statewide hiring freeze - will weaken our resolve to address the staffing crisis and convince us to accept cuts that will leave us permanently behind other workers.
Many of our departments have still not recovered from UC's COVID hiring freeze, when our working conditions and wages fell further behind those of other workers.
Yet, UC’s assets have more than recovered. In fact, UC’s assets have doubled since 2014 and its investments grew by $16 billion to a total of $180 billion at the end of the last fiscal year.
Why is a public institution like UC hoarding tens of billions in savings if they are not prepared to invest them in public healthcare, research, and education?
What would accepting UC’s proposed cuts - and letting this crisis worsen for another 3 years - mean for our families? What would a deepening of the recruitment and retention crisis mean for our patients, our research, and our students?
| Vacation & Sick Leave | • 3-6 days/year fewer than UC managers and senior professionals • Up to 10 days/year fewer than Kaiser workers |
|---|---|
| Wages | • 5% behind UC nurses • 7% behind Kaiser workers by 2026 |
| Healthcare | • $48-299 monthly premium increase for Kaiser, Blue & Gold family plans in 2025 for Pay Band 2-4 • CORE plan, increases from $0 to $131-$550/month for family plans • Other plans increase 9% for Payband 1-2, 11% for Paybands 3-4 • $150/month copay per specialty prescription • Unlimited increases in 2026, 2027, 2028 |
How far would our wages have fallen since 2023?
| Raises | UC Nurses | Kaiser | UC to UPTE | How far behind? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 6 | 6 | 3-3.5 | 2.5-3% |
| 2024 | 5 | 5-5.25 | 3 | 4.5-5% |
| 2025 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4.5-5% |
| 2026 | TBD | 5 | 3 | 6.5-7% |
How much less time off do we have? How much would UC’s healthcare cuts cost us? See the two charts below.
| Days/Year | UPTE | UC Academic Researchers + Librarians | UC Managers & Senior Professionals | Kaiser UHW NorCal | Kaiser NUHW NorCal | Kaiser NUHW SoCal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paid Holidays | 14 | 14 | 14 | 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Vacation at hire | 15 | 24 | 18 | 10 | 19 | 21 |
| Vacation tier 2 | 18 at 10 years | 24 | 21 at 5 years | 15 at 2 years | 24 at 2 years | 26 at 5 years |
| Vacation tier 3 | 21 at 15 years | 24 | 24 at 10 years | 20 at 5 years | 29 at 5 years | 31 at 9 years |
| Vacation tier 4 | 24 at 20 years | 24 | 24 | 25 at 10 years | 34 at 10 years | 36 at 11 years |
| Sick at hire | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 9 |
| Sick Tier 2 | - | - | - | 15 at 4 years | - | - |
| Total at 2 years | 37 | 46 | 40 | 33 | 38 | 37 |
| at 5 years | 37 | 46 | 43 | 45 | 43 | 42 |
| 11 years | 40 | 46 | 46 | 50 | 48 | 52 |
| Pay Band 1 - Family | UPTE's 2024 Rates | UC Proposed 2025 Rates* | Monthly Increase for 2025 | Projected 2028 Rates** | Projected Monthly Increase by 2028** |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue & Gold | $294.08 | $290.91 | $0.00 | $406.24 | $112.16 |
| Kaiser | $111.30 | $49.16 | $0.00 | $93.17 | $0.00 |
| Pay Band 2 - Family | |||||
| Blue & Gold | $411.79 | $463.24 | $51.45 | $622.04 | $210.25 |
| Kaiser | $229.01 | $277.33 | $48.32 | $381.28 | $152.27 |
| Pay Band 3 - Family | |||||
| Blue & Gold | $518.90 | $687.87 | $168.97 | $940.75 | $421.85 |
| Kaiser | $338.46 | $551.37 | $212.91 | $754.07 | $415.61 |
| Pay Band 4 - Family | |||||
| Blue & Gold | $625.97 | $832.44 | $206.47 | $1,138.47 | $512.50 |
| Kaiser | $451.84 | $750.73 | $298.89 | $1,026.72 | $574.88 |
| CORE | |||||
| Pay Band 1 - Family | $0.00 | $131.22 | Specialty Pharmaceutical Co-Pays | $150/month per perscription | |
| Pay Band 2 - Family | $0.00 | $276.46 | |||
| Pay Band 3 - Family | $0.00 | $411.11 | |||
| Pay Band 4 - Family | $0.00 | $549.96 |
*Including $100 subsidy for PB1 and $75 subsidy for PB2
**Assumes 9% annual increases for PB1/2 and 11% annual increases for PB3/4
Sources:
Dan Russell
UPTE President
UPTE Bargaining Team Chief Negotiator
UC Berkeley Business Technical Support Analyst 3
Statewide Strike Feb 26-28, Authorized by 98%!
Our statewide strike vote has closed, and today, UPTE is announcing a statewide strike from February 26 to 28, 2025, in response to UC's ongoing unfair labor practices. You can check out our announcement in the Los Angeles Times.
You should not report to work for any shifts between 12 am (midnight) on February 26 and 11:59 pm on February 28. You should complete any shifts that start on February 25 and continue into February 26—do not stop work mid-shift. Check out our FAQs about the strike here.
Four times as many UPTE members participated this time compared to our last statewide strike vote in 2018, voting to authorize the strike by 98%. Instead of working together to address the recruitment and retention crisis, UC is attempting to silence workers for speaking out for our patients, research, and students.
RSVP for our UPTE Statewide Strike Town Hall on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, from noon to 1 pm. We'll discuss the strike vote results, our next steps, and how we can stand together to protect our rights.
Our statewide strike vote has closed, and today, UPTE is announcing a statewide strike from February 26 to 28, 2025, in response to UC's ongoing unfair labor practices. You can check out our announcement in the Los Angeles Times.
You should not report to work for any shifts between 12 am (midnight) on February 26 and 11:59 pm on February 28. You should complete any shifts that start on February 25 and continue into February 26—do not stop work mid-shift. Check out our FAQs about the strike here.
Four times as many UPTE members participated this time compared to our last statewide strike vote in 2018, voting to authorize the strike by 98%. Instead of working together to address the recruitment and retention crisis, UC is attempting to silence workers for speaking out for our patients, research, and students.
RSVP for our UPTE Statewide Strike Town Hall on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, from noon to 1 pm.We'll discuss the strike vote results, our next steps, and how we can stand together to protect our rights.
UC has enacted new rules to limit our ability to advocate for ourselves and interfered with our rights by unilaterally forcing individuals to come to work during our November unfair practice strike at UCSF. With public healthcare, research, and education under attack from the federal government, it is more important than ever that we defend our rights to advocate for our professions.
Whether UC attempts to stop us from speaking up for patient care, students, or the public—or continues bargaining in bad faith—it is up to us to take action to hold them accountable. Don't just stay home from work; our patients, research, and students are counting on us.
Sign up for a shift now and join us in person on the picket line.
Thousands of workers on the picket line will counter UC's narrative that the strike has no impact, encourage colleagues on the fence not to cross, and show our determination to the press, elected officials, and other supporters joining us for noon-time rallies.
I'll see you on the picket line!
In solidarity,
Dan Russell
UPTE President
UPTE Bargaining Team Chief Negotiator
UC Berkeley Business Technical Support Analyst 3
Increased Premiums and Co-Pays are Illegal and Cruel
Workers across the state report that UC has illegally implemented increased co-pays—which was one of the bases for our November unfair labor practice strike at UCSF—and has now made new changes to premiums.
Increased monthly co-insurance of $150 for specialty drugs hit the lowest paid workers hardest and are especially cruel to those of us who need these drugs for ourselves or family members battling life-threatening illnesses or just to live happy and productive lives. UC made these changes even though unilateral changes are unlawful during bargaining, despite our active unfair labor practice charges over this illegal action.
"The increase in specialty drug co-insurance, from $40 to $150, has a significant financial impact on my family and countless other patients who are facing similar increases. Such increases can mean difficult decisions between paying for essential treatments or other basic needs, further exacerbating the financial burdens that already come with managing chronic health conditions."
Judd Laraway
UPTE Bargaining Team Member
UC San Diego Senior Physician Assistant
Workers across the state report that UC has illegally implemented increased co-pays—which was one of the bases for our November unfair labor practice strike at UCSF—and has now made new changes to premiums.
Increased monthly co-insurance of $150 for specialty drugs hit the lowest paid workers hardest and are especially cruel to those of us who need these drugs for ourselves or family members battling life-threatening illnesses or just to live happy and productive lives. UC made these changes even though unilateral changes are unlawful during bargaining, despite our active unfair labor practice charges over this illegal action.
“The increase in specialty drug co-insurance, from $40 to $150, has a significant financial impact on my family and countless other patients who are facing similar increases. Such increases can mean difficult decisions between paying for essential treatments or other basic needs, further exacerbating the financial burdens that already come with managing chronic health conditions.”
Judd Laraway
UPTE Bargaining Team Member
UC San Diego Senior Physician Assistant
UC has also increased premiums for those whose January 1, 2025 salary would have put them in a new pay band. For those who were moved from Pay Band 1 to 2, this may have more than doubled your monthly premium—again, hitting the lowest-paid workers hardest.
UC's refusal to respect its legal obligations in the face of our November strike at UCSF shows the urgency of our escalation to a statewide strike vote on February 3rd. Please take the time now to make a plan with all your coworkers to vote on the first day of voting to send UC a loud and clear message.
UC wants us to believe we can't beat their healthcare cuts, short-staffing, and more—but we know we can, just as we beat their attempts to increase our healthcare costs and cut our retirement benefits in 2013 and 2019.
In solidarity,
Dan Russell
UPTE President
UPTE Bargaining Team Chief Negotiator
UC Berkeley Business Technical Support Analyst 3
Bargaining Update #10
On Friday, UPTE and the University concluded our twenty-third day of bargaining. Even with all of our contracts now expired, UC has yet to provide a pay proposal for Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and is explicitly refusing—unlawfully—to bargain over our inclusion in the mortgage loan program it provides to Executives and Faculty.
While UC finally acknowledged the importance of guaranteeing the use of vacation accruals, they have not offered improved accruals or the right to cash out vacation despite already providing higher accruals to executives and managers. Overall, the movement made by the University after five months and ten bargaining sessions remains insignificant.
UC's raise offer would leave us behind in inflation, setting us up to fall even further behind by 2027. Worse, their healthcare cuts would allow them to raise costs as much as they want, allowing them to take back hundreds if not thousands of dollars per month. Go here to see a comparison of our offer and UC's.
UC continues to bargain in bad faith and plans to unilaterally increase healthcare costs in 2025, all violating California law. Go here to sign a strike pledge today!
Go here to RSVP for our November 20 and 21 unfair labor practice strike today—and make sure all of your colleagues have as well!
Share our video overviewing our campaign to reset UC's priorities.
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On Friday, UPTE and the University concluded our twenty-third day of bargaining. Even with all of our contracts now expired, UC has yet to provide a pay proposal for Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and is explicitly refusing—unlawfully—to bargain over our inclusion in the mortgage loan program it provides to Executives and Faculty.
While UC finally acknowledged the importance of guaranteeing the use of vacation accruals, they have not offered improved accruals or the right to cash out vacation despite already providing higher accruals to executives and managers. Overall, the movement made by the University after five months and ten bargaining sessions remains insignificant.
UC's raise offer would leave us behind in inflation, setting us up to fall even further behind by 2027. Worse, their healthcare cuts would allow them to raise costs as much as they want, allowing them to take back hundreds if not thousands of dollars per month. Go here to see a comparison of our offer and UC's.
| UPTE Proposal | UC Proposal | Nurses Contract | UC Executives | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raises | 9% - 8% - 8% plus 5% retroactive raise 2025-27 |
5% - 3% - 3% 2025-27 |
6% - 5% - 5% 2023-25 |
16-40% just in 2024 alone |
UC continues to bargain in bad faith and plans to unilaterally increase healthcare costs in 2025, all violating California law. Go here to sign a strike pledge today!
Go here to RSVP for our November 20 and 21 unfair labor practice strike today—and make sure all of your colleagues have as well!
Dan Russell
UPTE President
UPTE Bargaining Team Chief Negotiator
UC Berkeley Business Technical Support Analyst 3
UPTE STRIKE VOTE RESULTS: UCSF members authorize strike by 98%
Thousands of members participated in our strike vote at UCSF, voting yes to strike by 98% and dwarfing turnout from all past UPTE strike votes.
Over 75% of healthcare workers voted to strike, meaning that our power to hold UC accountable will be on full display at UCSF's Medical Centers, labs, and clinics.
A strike at UCSF may be announced at any time. UPTE will provide at least 10 days notice to the University and has already reminded them of their responsibility to plan for this.
Click here to find a strike FAQ.
We are limiting this strike to UCSF in order to give UC an opportunity to begin to bargain in good faith. If UC continues to commit illegal, unfair labor practices, all of us must be prepared for a statewide strike vote.
Have all of your colleagues pledged to strike already? Please ask to make sure they have today!
Thousands of members participated in our strike vote at UCSF, voting yes to strike by 98% and dwarfing turnout from all past UPTE strike votes.
Over 75% of healthcare workers voted to strike, meaning that our power to hold UC accountable will be on full display at UCSF's Medical Centers, labs, and clinics.
A strike at UCSF may be announced at any time. UPTE will provide at least 10 days notice to the University and has already reminded them of their responsibility to plan for this.
Click here to find a strike FAQ.
We are limiting this strike to UCSF in order to give UC an opportunity to begin to bargain in good faith. If UC continues to commit illegal, unfair labor practices, all of us must be prepared for a statewide strike vote.
Have all of your colleagues pledged to strike already? Please ask to make sure they have today!
How much could UC’s cost-shifting cost you?
On Friday, October 11, UPTE filed an unfair labor practice charge in response to UC’s bad faith bargaining and illegal plan to implement unlimited healthcare cost increases while we are bargaining.
UC currently pays 76-95% of monthly healthcare premiums on Kaiser & UC Blue & Gold plans, thanks to the $25 annual limit we won in our last contract.
After significant increases in 2024, this saved up to $224/month compared to non-union employees.
By proposing to remove the cap, UC wants the ability to shift up to $2,451.37 per month in costs to us - numbers that are likely to increase dramatically in 2025 and beyond.
What UC is proposing in bargaining:
No limit on healthcare premium increases
$100 subsidy for Pay Band 1, $75 subsidy for Pay Band 2 (after their increases)
Some of what UC is planning to implement outside of bargaining in 2025:
9% increase in cost on pay bands 1 and 2 (those making less than $140,000)
11% increase in cost on pay bands 3 and 4 (those making more than $140,000)
CORE PPO no longer no-cost (premium cost not announced)
On Friday, October 11, UPTE filed an unfair labor practice charge in response to UC’s bad faith bargaining and illegal plan to implement unlimited healthcare cost increases while we are bargaining.
UC currently pays 76-95% of monthly healthcare premiums on Kaiser and UC Blue & Gold plans, thanks to the $25 annual cap we won in our last contract. In 2024, our cap saved up to $224/month compared to non-union employees. By proposing to remove the cap, UC wants the ability to shift up to $2,451.37 per month in costs to us—numbers that are likely to increase dramatically in 2025 and beyond.
What UC is proposing in bargaining
No limit on healthcare premium increases
$100 “credit” for Pay Band 1, $75 “credit” for Pay Band 2 (after their increases)
How much of what UC currently contributes could they shift to you and your family (per month) in 2026 under their proposal?*
| Family Plan Rate | Kaiser | UC Blue & Gold |
|---|---|---|
| Pay Band 1 ($71,000 and under)** | $2,089.90 ($2189 - $100 credit) | $2,451 ($2,551 - $100 credit) |
| Pay Band 2 ($71,001-$140,000)** | $1,997 ($2072 - $75 credit) | $2,358 ($2433 - $75 credit) |
| Pay Band 3 ($140,001-$210,000)** | $1,962 | $2,326 |
| Pay Band 4 ($210,001 and above)** | $1,849 | $2,219 |
*Estimate based on 2024 rates*
*2025 Pay Bands
To see the amount UC could make you pay, look for the name of your plan (eg. “Kaiser Perm NoCal”) on your paystub under “EMPLOYER PAID BENEFITS.”
What UC is planning to implement outside of bargaining in 2025:
9% increase in cost on pay bands 1 and 2 (those making less than $140,000)
11% increase in cost on pay bands 3 and 4 (those making $140,000 or more)
CORE PPO premiums of up to $550 per month (previously no-cost)
Outpatient visit copays increase to $30 Specialty drugs will have 30% coinsurance, up to $150 per prescription per month
UC’s unilateral implementation of cost increases without bargaining is an illegal, unfair labor practice.
UC’s unilateral implementation of cost increases without bargaining is an illegal, unfair labor practice.
Sign a strike pledge today to let UC know that you’ve had enough!