UC officials this week announced that University Professional and Technical Employees, or UPTE, had voted to approve a new five-year labor contract for UC's roughly 2,200 health care professional employees.

The university and the union reached a tentative agreement on Feb. 15, and the membership vote followed. The new contract is dated July 1, 2006, through June 30, 2011, but took effect March 30, 2007. The UC Office of the President provided this summary of highlights:

Wages -- Effective March 30, 2007, increases ranging between approximately 4 percent and 15 percent depending upon classification and location. In the first three years alone, some employees may receive increases of as much as 32 percent. Additionally, to complement these increases, employees will transition from an "open-range" wage structure to a step-based structure.

Lump sum -- One-time payment of $1,000 to all health care professional employees.

Health benefits -- For calendar years 2007-09, the university's maximum monthly rates of contribution for health and welfare benefits for health care professional employees will be the same as those for other staff.

Pension benefits -- At UPTE's discretion, health care professional employees, with an UPTE representative, can participate fully in the negotiation process with UPTE's two other UC employee groups regarding potential contributions to the UC Retirement Plan. Health care professional employees' UCRP contributions will be the same as those paid by other UPTE-represented workers through June 30, 2009.