When Teamsters Local 2010 members at University of California campuses statewide got wind that the UC Board of Regents were planning to discuss a 1.5 percent hike in employee retirement contributions, we took immediate action.
A petition demanding that the UC pay for their own retirement investment mistakes of the past 20 years began circulating last week, and a rally outside the Regents’ Sept. 18 meeting was planned. That petition has now accumulated more than 400 signatures, and the UC Board of Regents pulled the item from the agenda for the Sept. 18-19 meeting at UCLA.
While this is a victory for UC employees for now, it’s not a dead issue as the Regents have made clear they will discuss increasing our retirement contributions at a later meeting. A retirement contribution increase would effectively cut worker pay. For employees not represented by a Union, the Regents have said they would impose the increase immediately. For those workers who are a part of a Union, like Teamsters Local 2010 members, any contribution change would have to be bargained with our Union.
“Working people are tired of paying for the greed and incompetence of the UC Regents and their Wall Street buddies,” said Jason Rabinowitz, Teamsters Local 2010 Secretary-Treasurer. “Teamster members will continue to take action against this unfair proposal until it is permanently withdrawn.”
Let’s keep the pressure on the University and show them we’re serious about not accepting retirement contribution increases of any kind, now or in the future! We’re already struggling with skyrocketing parking fees at many campuses, high rents and/or long commutes, and bully bosses.
UCLA workers are urged to participate in the rally before work or during your break or lunch Wednesday, Sept. 18 from 7 to 9 am outside of the Luskin Conference Center.
Sign and continue to share our petition demanding that the UC pay for their own mistakes without taking it out of workers’ paychecks.
http://bit.ly/NoUCMoneyGrab
For UC workers who are not a part of a Union, including Administrative Professionals, the Regents say they will immediately impose the change that will ultimately result in an additional 1.5 percent contribution being taken out of your paycheck. The UC will have to negotiate retirement contribution increases during contract bargaining for Union-represented employees. Now’s the time to stand with your fellow workers and fight this latest attack on UC workers by your own employer!
Questions? Contact your Union Representative or Steward. You can find your Union Rep at www.teamsters2010.org or by clicking here.