On or around October 31, 2019, the University and the United Auto Workers have reached a tentative agreement on a new three-year contract for UC’s academic researchers. This contract was ratified by the UAW membership on November 8, 2019.

This is a multi-year agreement, effective from November 8, 2019 through September 30, 2022. Highlights of the agreement include:

  • Compensation: 4 percent increase in January 2020 for Project Scientist/Specialist series and 4.5 percent for Professional Researcher series; 3 percent annual increase in July 2020-22 for all covered titles. More details about the salary implementation will be forthcoming in a separate communication.
  • Appointments: After the first merit cycle, appointment lengths will be for a minimum of two or three years, depending on the normal time for review.
  • Layoff:  University retains the rights to decide on reduction in time (RIT) and layoff due to programmatic change, lack of work or funds, with the required notice of at least 45 calendar days prior to RIT/layoff.
  • Joint Labor-Management Committees: UC and the UAW will create committees to jointly explore potential solutions to specific issues, including bridge funding for principal investigators and paid parental leave.

Contract information and training session for those who will be administering this labor contract (staff administrators and faculty supervisors) is planned for December 4, 2019. More information will be forthcoming related to the time, location, and log-in instructions for those who wish to participate online via zoom.

In the meantime, please direct any questions to Academic Employee/Labor Relations Manager, Tanisha Willoughby at tanisha.willoughby@uci.edu.

Thank you,

Marianne Liu Beckett
Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic Personnel