The UC Office of the President announced the university and two unions had come to tentative contract deals.

One is with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, or AFSCME, on behalf of 11,000 patient-care employees, and the other is with the Federated University Police Officers Association, on behalf of the UC system's more than 200 police officers.

The university announced the AFSCME settlement on Oct. 21 and the police union settlement on Oct. 22.

-- AFSCME patient-care employees -- UC officials said the tentative pact calls for a total of $127 million in wage increases over five years, equal to a minimum total of 26 percent for eligible employees, including more then $18 million in wage increases ranging from 4 percent to 15 percent in the first year.

Under the contract, AFSCME-represented patient-care workers would receive the same health and retirement benefits that other UC employees receive.

UC and AFSCME began negotiations for patient-care employees in August 2007. The new contract, if ratified by union members, would be in effect from the date of ratification through Sept. 30, 2012.

UC officials said they hope to reach a deal soon with AFSCME regarding UC's more than 8,000 service employees. Negotiations on that contract began in October 2007.

-- Federated University Police Officers Association -- The new, three-year contract provides for general salary increases ranging from 2 percent to 8 percent, depending on campus and local market conditions. The contract provides the same health and retirement benefits that other UC employees receive.

The contract, if ratified by union members, would be retroactive to Oct. 1, 2008, and remain in effect until Sept. 30, 2011. As is customary, the contract would be closed on all issues except wages and a few other select items, which the parties would revisit once each year until the full contract comes up for renegotiation in 2011.

The Office of the President plans to post contract details online.