I was very pleased to learn that UC and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) reached an agreement last week to increase the wages of service and patient care employees earning less than $40,000 per year. The pact affects approximately 14,300 employees systemwide, which includes about 500 employees at UCSC. The agreement also releases the campus funds I set aside last September to improve the wages of UCSC staff who earn less than $35,000 annually.
In summary, the UC/AFSCME agreement provides the following wage increases for service and patient care staff on the Santa Cruz campus:
October 1, 2006
* Raise the minimum full-time annual salary rate on the campus to $25,000.
* Provide equity increases from 1 to 4 percent, depending on salary level, to individuals earning between $25,000 and $35,000 a year.
April 1, 2007
* For Custodians, $1.25 per hour increase
* For other service and patient care employees earning less than $30,000,
2% salary increase
* For other service and patient care employees earning $30,000-$34,999, 1%
salary increase
* For other service and patient care employees earning $35,000-$39,999,
0.5% salary increase
October 1, 2007
* For Custodians, $0.50 per hour increase
In addition, service employees are scheduled to receive a 4% increase on October 1, 2007, provided the funding is allocated to the University as a general range adjustment pursuant to the State Budget Act as finally adopted.
Similar increases are already being implemented for clerical employees represented by CUE, and for non-represented staff and academic employees. I am encouraged that these actions continue to help employees who earn less than $40,000 annually. Information regarding implementation of these wage increases can be found at:
http://shr.ucsc.edu/topics/comp-class/salary/implementations/2007/low-wage_2007/low-wage_2007.htm
