UC's 11,000 teaching assistants, tutors and other academic student employees represented by the United Auto Workers have approved a new three-year contract, UC officials said Dec. 6. A tentative agreement had been announced four days earlier.

"Our instructional assistants play a very important role in helping UC faculty meet the university's teaching needs, and we are pleased to have reached an agreement with the union that acknowledges their many contributions," said Judith Boyette, UC associate vice president, human resources and benefits.

The new agreement will be effective from the date of union ratification through Sept. 30, 2006.

Highlights of the agreement include:

• Wages: Effective Jan. 1, 2004, academic student employees will receive a 1.5 percent wage increase, including lump sum payments for those employed on the date of ratification. During the life of the contract, academic student employees will also receive a 1.5 percent general wage increase in the fall of 2004 and fall of 2005 if Academic Senate faculty receive merit increases;
• Sympathy strikes: The UAW shall not call, promote or engage in a sympathy strike in support of another UC union or bargaining unit. However, individuals may exercise their rights of free expression and engage in activities in sympathy, though they cannot expect to be paid during their absence from work;
• Health benefits: Maintains UC's current practice of paying 100 percent of the health insurance premiums ($685-$1,600 per year) for any graduate student teaching assistant working at least 25 percent time;
• Fees: Maintains UC's current practice of paying 100 percent of the education and registration fees for any graduate student teaching assistant working a minimum of 25 percent time (about $5,200 each academic year);
• Unfair labor practice charges: All bargaining-related unfair labor practice charges filed by both sides are withdrawn;
• Workload dispute resolution: Carries forward previous contract language allowing workload dispute appeals to be submitted to a panel of UC Academic Senate members; and
• Systemwide bargaining unit: UC and the United Auto Workers agree to jointly petition the Public Employment Relations Board to consolidate the current eight campus bargaining units into one systemwide unit.

UC and the union began contract talks in May. The previous contract expired Sept. 30, 2003. A simple majority of voting union members was required for ratification.

According to UC, 51 percent of UAW-represented employees are dues-paying members. UC currently negotiates with 10 unions representing approximately 60,000 of UC's about 160,000 employees throughout the state.