One of the first things UPTE will likely ask for when negotiating a contract is benefits parity with other UC locations. That should be the cost of doing business in New Mexico. We are not second class citizens. Third, management pointed out that the dollar amount the Lab pays is set by the cost of basic medical insurance in California. Since it costs more dollars to provide the same benefits in New Mexico, they take the extra dollars out of our paychecks instead of paying the additional as the cost of doing business in New Mexico.
Management believes that is fair.
UPTE believes that it is unfair to penalize New Mexico employees for living in New Mexico. Several people pointed out that a reduction in medical insurance deductions would not automatically come from voting for a union. Of course that is right. But having a union would force the Lab to negotiate salaries and benefits with employees here in New Mexico. They could no longer just unilaterally decide to deduct the extra cost of basic medical coverage from our paychecks.