HR Update; March 27, 2008
RSSIn this Edition
- UC Nurses Ratify New Multi-Year Contract
- Your Health Matters
- Finance Day is Coming April 23, 2008. Are Your Ducks in a Row?
- Medicare Workshops 2008
UC Nurses Ratify New Multi-Year Contract
After 10 months of negotiations, including state-assisted mediation and fact-finding, the University has reached an agreement with CNA for a new contract for our nurses. Following the fact-finding process, we offered CNA a package proposal designed to address key outstanding union demands.
On Saturday, March 15, UC and CNA agreed on contract language based on the University’s most recent offer for compromise. Nurses voted on the proposed contract over the week of March 17, and the contract was approved on March 22. The agreement will take effect upon the signature of CNA’s executive director and will run September 30, 2010 with wages and benefits automatically open in each autumn of 2008 and 2009 respectively.
We believe this is a positive agreement that rewards our nurses for their dedication and hard work. Highlights of the agreement include:
- Competitive Wage Increases: This agreement will increase salary ranges an average of 6% in the first year for nurses at medical center locations, with July 2008 step increases for eligible nurses at all locations and other increases to pay rates such as on-call and shift differential.
- Continued Comprehensive Healthcare Benefits at Affordable Cost: This agreement ensures that our nurses will continue to receive the same comprehensive healthcare benefits provided to all University employees in 2008. These benefits provide a number of healthcare plans at affordable cost, including some plans which offered reductions in costs from 2007 to 2008. The agreement requires UC and CNA to negotiate changes for 2009 and 2010.
- Continued High-Quality Retirement Program: This agreement guarantees that our nurses will not have to make contributions to the University’s retirement system through September 2008 and that the University will not make substantive changes to the plan for the same time period.
- Educational/Professional Development: This agreement allows our nurses to participate in qualified education leave on their nurse’s day off and also ensures that they receive educational leave hours equal to the number of scheduled shift hours when they are released from work to participate in classes of at least 8 hours, even if their scheduled shift was for greater than 8 hours.
- New Concept for Shift Rotation: This agreement provides our nurses with a new structure for shift rotation that would not require nurses with 10+ years as a UC RN to rotate unless provided a written statement about the reasonable basis for the rotation. This new concept would also ensure that a nurse required to rotate shifts has at least 48 hours rest between shifts unless they request less time off.
Initially, the UC had hoped to provide our nurses with additional flexibility around their vacation and sick time through a Paid Time Off (PTO) program-a program supported by the neutral fact-finder in the fact-finding report. University officials ultimately agreed to remove this proposal from the settlement offer in order to reach an agreement with the union, however the UC continues to believe that PTO would benefit nurses by providing greater control over their own time.
More information is available at www.UCNurses.com.
Your Health Matters
Please share this important information with faculty and staff in your department.
Eligible* UC faculty, staff and their eligible family members covered by all of the UC-sponsored medical plans with the exception of Kaiser are encouraged to participate in the StayWell Health Management Program, part of UC’s Living Well Program. (Kaiser has its own fully integrated wellness resources.)
Did you know:
- In 2005, 133 million people, almost one half of all Americans lived with at least one chronic disease.
- Medical care costs of people with chronic diseases account for more than 75% of the nation’s $2 trillion medical care costs.
- The estimated direct/indirect costs associated with smoking exceed $193 billion annually.
- In 2008, the cost of heart disease and stroke in the US is projected to be $445 billion.
- In 2000, the estimated total cost of obesity was nearly $117 billion.
- Chronic diseases account for 70% of all deaths in the US.
Reducing risk for chronic diseases and better managing those conditions can improve your health status and decrease both your and societal health care costs. Participation in StayWell can be a step in that direction.
StayWell benefits and resources include a health assessment (with $75 incentive), information on a variety of health topics, drug and nutrition guides, and tools to help those who wish to engage in personalized health improvement programs. Personal wellness coaching will be offered to those who have health risks and are ready to change. Participation in StayWell is completely voluntary.
Take the first step today and log onto the StayWell website.
* The leadership of several unions at UC - AFSCME 3299, CNA, CUE, UAW 2863, and UPTE-CWA have notified the University that they are choosing not to participate in the StayWell Health Management benefits program on behalf of their UC bargaining unit members.
Finance Day is Coming April 23, 2008. Are Your Ducks in a Row
Finance Day is scheduled for Wednesday, April 23, 2008 from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. in our Millberry Union Conference Center (Millberry Union is located at 500 Parnassus Avenue--Main Campus).
This event provides both faculty and staff employees an opportunity to learn more about University-sponsored programs which can help them to provide for their future economic security; a leisurely retirement; their children’s education; the purchase of a primary residence; etc. The format will be informal--providing visitors time to meet with Plan Participants on a one-on-one basis, have individual questions answered, and acquire any glossy material that might be available. Featured Presentations are also scheduled—check out the flyer.
Download/print/post the Finance Day Flyer (click here). Free rubber duckies while supplies last.
Medicare Workshops 2008
The UCSF Health Care Facilitator Program will be sponsoring workshops for employees who are retiring this year and will be eligible for retiree health benefits and either they or their dependents will be 65 or older in 2008.
The workshop will provide information on UC Medicare enrollment policies and how retiree health benefits coordinate with Medicare. Assistance with completing UC-required forms will be provided.
- Wednesday May 7, 2008, Laurel Heights, Room 376, 12noon - 1:30 pm
- Wednesday June 4, 2008, Laurel Heights, Room 376, 12noon - 1:30pm
- Wednesday July 9, 2008, Laurel Heights, Room 376, 12noon - 1:30 pm
Please RSVP by calling 514-3324.
############################################
HR Update is distributed weekly to individuals on the following listservs: Campus Administrators, Managers and Supervisors, HR Policy, Payroll Administrators and Benefits Representatives.
You can also sign up for the HR Update Mailing List
For more information, including on how to be removed from this list, please read more about UCSF Distribution Lists