The University is offering over $7.8 million in total raises to approximately 36,000 of its lower-paid, non-student employees, the UC Office of the President announced last week. The proposed increases affect employees with annual salaries of less than $40,000 and were to take effect on April 1, 2007.

UC officials said the increases are in recognition of the impact of California’s high cost of living on employees, especially lower-paid staff, and are part of UC’s ongoing efforts to provide competitive total compensation for all University employees. The proposed increases are in addition to those already given (or expected under collective bargaining agreements).

Of the 36,000 employees covered by the proposal, approximately 32,000 are represented by unions. Wage increases for these employees will require the consent of their respective unions.

The roughly 4,000 non-represented, non-student employees immediately covered by this proposal will automatically receive their increases as follows:

– Employees earning less than $30,000 per year would receive a 2 percent salary increase;

– Employees earning more than $30,000 but less than $35,000 per year would receive a 1 percent salary increase;

– Employees earning more than $35,000 but less than $40,000 per year would receive a 0.5 percent salary increase.

Increases apply to non-represented, non-student academic employees at each UC campus and medical center. They do not apply to student academic employees, interns and residents, non-students in student academic titles, and postdoctoral scholars. Increases for employees at the UC-managed laboratories are subject to agreement by the U.S. Department of Energy.

Regarding the 32,000 employees represented by unions, UC recently reached an agreement with the Coalition of University Employees union resulting in wage increases totaling $2.7 million for approximately 11,800 clerical staff <www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/2007/mar23.html>.

UC is trying to negotiate similar agreements for lower-paid service and patient care technical employees represented by the American Federation of Federal, State, and County Employees, and technical and research support professional employees represented by the University Professional and Technical Employees union.