University of California chief warns unions not to fight furloughs

Sacramento Bee ^ | 8/21/9 | Laurel Rosenhall

[SmithL]

When University of California President Mark Yudof announced a massive furlough plan last month, the idea was that almost all UC employees would have their salaries reduced this year by taking some days off without pay.

But a third of UC's 180,000 employees haven't faced the furloughs yet. They're represented by about a dozen labor unions that are fighting Yudof's plan.

Speaking Thursday to the Sacramento Press Club, Yudof said UC's unionized workers received 4 percent raises this year, while non-union employees are taking pay cuts ranging from 4 to 10 percent.

He said the university would lay off some workers if the labor unions don't agree to the furlough.

"A lot more people will be losing their houses if they're laid off, and that's what I'm trying to avoid," Yudof told a maintenance worker at the Press Club gathering who said his colleagues will lose their homes if they're furloughed.

The union representing janitors, hospital technicians and lab workers says UC should solve its budget problem by borrowing, restructuring debt and cutting executive pay – rather than furloughing employees.

"We're trying to keep what little we got," said Arnold Meza, a UC Berkeley custodian, adding that the pay raise this year makes up for a pay cut in the past.

[RC2]

What the unions want is to keep their jobs, their current pay, current benefits..............and have someone else pay for it. You don’t see them getting upset when anyone else has to take a hit.

[freedumb2003]

In California, the right to lay off workers is absolute (I was there in the 90s when we had to do so).

It is completely by seniority and retreat rights kick in.

But the unions (actually Bargaining Units) don’t care about their junior members — expect layoffs to commence almost immediately.

[3niner]

"We're trying to keep what little we got," said Arnold Meza, a UC Berkeley custodian, adding that the pay raise this year makes up for a pay cut in the past.

He probably gets paid more than most engineers.

[STONEWALLS]

...I don’t know about the Cali system but here(NC)a job in the university system is good:stability+bebefits+retirement in the state pension system+medical when you retire....the state comptoller has already warned that the tsunami of boomers retiring out of the university system threatens to capsize it...and BTW our local university has been told to return 6% of their budget and they’re the biggest employer in this area.