Many of our terms of employment are set or controlled by the UC Office of the President in Oakland, things like our increasing costs for declining health care. We share common interests with the many thousands of UC employees at a dozen other locations who are now members of the University Professional and Technical Employees, and who collectively negotiate with UCOP over the same issues we face here. A management-selected committee is a step in the right direction, and it's good that the legislatures of two states are working to guarantee us rights to collective bargaining with management, but we will need to form together with each other and with other UC employees to participate in these guaranteed rights. We are all a team, and every member of the team needs to be heard, needs an effective voice. That is what employee organizations are about.
Information is needed by employees who have never been part of any bargaining organization.
The subcommittee is planning an open forum for employees in January, which will have representatives of management and employee organizations answering questions.