The University of California announced today (June 4) that it has reached tentative agreement with the United Auto Workers for a four-year contract covering more than 11,000 academic student employees.
The United Auto Workers, which includes teaching assistants, readers and tutors, agreed not to strike during final exams week starting June 7 at UC’s quarter-schedule campuses.
“Both sides worked hard, and we’re pleased to have reached this tentative agreement,” said Dwaine B. Duckett, UC vice president of human resources. “We’re even more pleased that our students will finish the school year without any more unnecessary disruptions, and will have the valued assistance of our academic student employees.”
Highlights of the tentative agreement, which ends June 30, 2018, include:
- 16 percent in wage increases over four years
- Increased childcare assistance at $900 per quarter or $1,350 per semester for children through age 12
- Enhanced pregnancy and other types of leaves
- Increased access to lactation facilities and support
- UC and the union also discussed a number of issues that were not mandatory subjects of bargaining, and agreed to continue discussions on all-gender bathrooms and undocumented students.
This is the latest in a series of agreements UC has reached with its unions. The university finalized multi-year agreements with 10 other bargaining units within the past eight months.