[Faculty] Provost’s Bargaining Update (December 2025)

[UCR Provost]

*This letter is sent on behalf of UC System Provost and Executive Vice
President Katherine S. Newman. For your convenience, the text of the letter
is below.  The signed letter is attached as a pdf.*

*------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*

ACADEMIC COUNCIL CHAIR AHMET PALAZOGLU

EXECUTIVE VICE CHANCELLORS AND PROVOSTS



Dear Colleagues:



I am writing to you with my monthly update regarding ongoing negotiations
between the University and the United Auto Workers (UAW) for the unified
Academic Student Employees (ASE – TAs, AIs, Fellows, Readers, Tutors) and
Graduate Student Researchers (GSR) bargaining units. Please share this
message with all faculty. As we near the end of the academic term and
approach the holiday season, I want to offer my appreciation once again for
your continued engagement during this particularly busy time.



Bargaining with UAW has continued at a steady pace since my last update:
the union presented nine proposals and counterproposals during November’s
two bargaining sessions. The union addressed topics such as appointment
security, defined contribution and retirement plans, past practice, wages,
and waivers. They have requested that their Defined Contribution Plan
contributions be invested in a “Social Equity Fund” or a similar option,
and that the quarter/semester limit cap for employing graduate student
employees be removed.



The UAW’s initial wages proposal includes a unified pay scale for both
salaried and hourly ASE and GSR employees with an additional consumer price
index based cost of living adjustment, guaranteed income for hourly
employees (regardless of the number of hours worked), and provisions to
recognize experience across all titles, which would expediate the rate at
which graduate student employees receive experience level increases. The
union seeks to have ASEs and GSRs on the same unified salary scale by 2028.



Under such a unified salary scale model, GSRs would average 10% increases
annually and ASEs would average 6% increases annually. To achieve a
4-salary point unified salary scale in 3 years, the distribution of
increases would vary widely, such that GSRs would receive increases ranging
from 8-21% in 2026, and 4-14% in 2027 and 2028. Teaching Assistants would
receive increases of 4-8% annually and Associate Instructors would receive
increases of 3-8% annually. Readers would receive increases ranging from
12-14% in 2026 and then 12-13% in 2027 and 2028. Tutors would receive
increases ranging from 1-6% in 2026 and then 4-18% in 2027 and 2028.



Given the significant budgetary constraints we face, and the uncertainties
surrounding the federal funding landscape, the University is prioritizing
the review of these proposals, including costing and impact, in
consultation with University stakeholders, including the faculty advisory
committee and the faculty bargaining team members, as it determines next
steps. We also recognize that this topic is central to a final agreement
for all parties, hence our concentration on its resolution.



Concurrently, the University presented 11 proposals and counterproposals
related to ASE recognition, ASE workload, required training and
orientation, union access, and union security. The University is seeking
clearer expectations for ASEs for reporting any anticipated workload
increases, retiring the Teaching Fellow, Remedial Tutor, and Special Reader
titles in favor of existing titles with the same scope of work such as
Associate Instructor, Tutor, and Reader, and aligned training and
orientation language for ASEs and GSRs to continue to provide clarity that
academic training activities for credit, or are required of all students in
a program, are excluded from the scope of employment.



Lastly, both parties continue to exchange counterproposals on key articles,
including employment files, discipline and dismissal, grievance and
arbitration, immigration, non-discrimination, and a respectful work
environment. The ongoing movement on these important topics reflects
meaningful progress in negotiations, and the University remains hopeful
that several of these articles will reach a tentative agreement very soon.



The University and the Union plan to engage in an expedited bargaining
sprint across four consecutive days in December, with the shared goal of
making as much progress as possible before the ASE/GSR contracts expire on
January 1st. Both parties remain committed to reaching a fair agreement
that supports UC’s education and research mission while remaining realistic
about operational and financial constraints.



For up-to-date information on ASE and GSR bargaining, please see UCnet
<https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/labor-news/> and UC Press Room
<https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/press-room/labor-negotiations> websites
for additional information on these negotiations and updates on other
bargaining units.



Thank you for your continued patience and dedication throughout this
process, and for the many ways you strengthen our academic community each
day.    I am grateful for the steadfast commitment you bring to our
students and to the University’s mission. I look forward to finding common
ground with our union colleagues to reach a successful agreement that
benefits the graduate student academic employees, the faculty, and the
overall mission of the University.




Best wishes,







Katherine S. Newman

UC System Provost and

Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs



UC Berkeley Chancellor’s Distinguished Professor of Sociology & Public
Policy







cc:              President Milliken

            Chancellors

            Academic Council Vice Chair Scott

            Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Nava

            Executive Vice President Rubin

    Senior Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer Bustamante

    Senior Vice President Turner

    Laboratory Director Witherell

    Vice President Brown

    Vice President/Vice Provost Gullatt

    Vice President Humiston

    Vice President and Chief of Staff Kao

    Vice President Lloyd

    Vice President Maldonado

    Vice Provost Varsanyi

    Vice Provosts/Vice Chancellors for Academic Personnel

     Vice Chancellors for Research

    Deputy Provost Lee

    Associate Vice Provost Jennings

    Associate Vice President Matella

    Associate Vice President McRae

    Assistant Vice Provosts/Vice Chancellors for Academic Personnel

    Chief Human Resource Officers

    Graduate Deans

    Executive Director Anders

    Executive Director Lin

    Executive Director Menezes

    Deputy General Counsel Woodall

    Chief of Staff Beechem

    Labor Relations Directors

    Director Weston-Dawkes
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