[Faculty] January ASE/GSR Bargaining Update

[UCR Provost]

*On behalf of the UC System Provost and Executive Vice President Katherine
S. Newman I am transmitting the attached letter and email below.*

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


Dear Colleagues,


Please find attached my bargaining update letter, which addresses the
ongoing negotiations between the University and the United Auto Workers
(UAW) for the unified Academic Student Employees (ASE – TAs, AIs, Fellows,
Readers, and Tutors) and Graduate Student Researchers (GSR) bargaining
units.


For quick reference, the key highlights below summarize the major outcomes
from last week’s bargaining sessions and outline what to expect as
negotiations continue:



   - *The University’s* *Wage proposal:*



   - Advances progress toward a unified monthly pay scale for ASEs and
      GSRs, consistent with the UAW’s stated priority bargaining goal.
      - Eliminates campus-specific salary scale distinctions for Associate
      Instructors effective 10/1/26 and for TAs effective 10/1/29, in alignment
      with the UAW’s stated bargaining goal.
      - Reflects the financial complexities of funding wage increases
      through a combination of campus resources and external grants.
      - Incorporates consideration of the challenges faculty face in
      supporting GSRs within a constrained and increasingly uncertain grant
      funding environment.
      - Simplifies pay structures across TA and GSR positions and narrows
      existing gaps between the two salary scales.
      - Includes a multi-year wage plan with scheduled increases to provide
      greater consistency and predictability for graduate student employees,
      faculty, and the University.
      - Balances improvements to GSR compensation with the need to preserve
      faculty grant viability and long-term research sustainability.
      - Maintains current levels of other financial benefits for ASEs and
      GSRs, such as Childcare, Tuition and Fee Remissions, and Healthcare
      Remissions, which also have direct impact to grants and
department budgets.
      - For more information on the University’s proposal and a Graduate
      Student’s total compensation package, see the Fact Sheet here
      <https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/sites/default/files/2026-01/ASE_Compensation_Fact_Sheet.pdf>
       and here
      <https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/press-room/university-california-proposes-comprehensive-economic-package-academic-graduate-student>
      .



   - *UAW Leadership Authorized a Strike Vote:*



   - The University is disappointed by this news as the University has been
      bargaining in good faith and have sustained efficient and professional
      bargaining with the UAW since July.
      - The University has advanced several proposal addressing the UAW’s
      priorities, including Immigration and Wages.
      - As stated in my earlier letter, I encourage faculty to continue
      preparing for academic and instructional continuity planning in the event
      the parties are unable to reach an agreement by working closely
with deans
      and department chairs to develop a plan for your courses and for the
      continuity of research.
      - The University’s statement on the UAW’s strike authorization vote
      announcement can be found here
      <https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/press-room/statement-uaw-strike-authorization-vote-announcement>
      .



I will continue to provide more frequent updates as this process unfolds
and will issue strike preparation guidance if it becomes apparent it is
needed. I am hopeful the parties will be able to reach an agreement this
month before the contract expires.

The University remains fully engaged in the bargaining process and is doing
everything possible to reach an agreement and avoid delays.

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
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://scotmail.ucr.edu/pipermail/faculty/attachments/20260123/ff44e628/attachment-0001.htm>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: 2026-1-21 Provost Ltr to Faculty re January ASE-GSR Bargaining.pdf
Type: application/pdf
Size: 146639 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <https://scotmail.ucr.edu/pipermail/faculty/attachments/20260123/ff44e628/attachment-0002.pdf>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: ASE_Compensation_Fact_Sheet .pdf
Type: application/pdf
Size: 415629 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <https://scotmail.ucr.edu/pipermail/faculty/attachments/20260123/ff44e628/attachment-0003.pdf>