What is CUE?

The Coalition of University Employees (CUE) is the independent, member-run union which was elected in November, 1997 by clerical employees throughout the UC system to represent them. CUE, which was founded in 1995, is made up entirely of UC clerical employees. We do the work that keeps this University going and makes it effective. We urge each and every UC clerical worker to join us, because a large and active membership is what we need to be successful.

CUE puts a high priority on informing and involving UC clericals. Issues we consider important include: fairly distributed wages that compensate for what we have lost to inflation; benefits, both preservation of existing ones and expansion to include better childcare provisions, for example; job security, including meaningful seniority rights and the conversion of casual employees to career status; improving the quality of our work lives, making sure that UC's work rules are reasonable and necessary; and equity, including affirmative action and equal pay for comparable worth.

Which jobs are in the clerical unit?

The most common clerical job titles are administrative or (blank) assistants, clerks, and library assistants. Also included are cashiers, public safety dispatchers, child care teachers, and many more titles. If a position has been officially designated as a confidential position (of which there are very few) or a supervisory position, then it is not part of the clerical unit for representation purposes

How many unions are at UC?

Most of the staff working at UC are exclusively represented by unions. Some of these are the nurses (California Nurses Association), librarians and lecturers (American Federation of Teachers), technical staff and some professionals (University Professional and Technical Employees/Communication Workers of America), academic student employees (United Auto Workers), custodians, groundskeepers, and patient care technical employees (American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees) and Operating Engineers (501).

Why should I join? Aren't I already a member?

Take a look at your paycheck stub, which will tell you whether or not you're paying union dues or fair share fees. If the deduction is listed as CUE union dues, you are already a member. However, if it is described as an "agency fee" deduction, you are not yet a member of the union. The union collects fair share fees because of legislation signed into law by the Governor in 1999. These fees cover the union's actual costs of representing UC's over 18,000 clerical employees in bargaining, grievances, arbitrations and more.

Union dues are only very slightly higher than fair share fees (union dues are 0.5% of your salary, and fair share fees are 0.475%). Calculate your membership dues here! Once you fill out a union membership form, you will be entitled to all of the benefits and rights of union membership -- including voting in local and statewide elections or referenda; helping to set the union's priorities for bargaining; ratifying contracts; etc. Just as important, UC pays attention to the size of our membership. The more clericals join CUE, the more likely UC is to take us seriously at the bargaining table. Our union is much stronger if it has your support and involvement. We hope you join, and help us shape our union.

But what has our union done for me?

In December of 2000, CUE members overwhelmingly ratified a first contract that is one of the strongest union contracts at the University of California. The wage package includes significant across-the-board increases, and it preserves and expands the merit/step system. For represented employees at LBNL, CUE made significant progress in reforming the arbitrary "pay for performance" system; for the first time ever, LBNL employees performing at a satisfactory level are guaranteed a wage increase. CUE also negotiated groundbreaking new language governing work rules, which for the first time must be necessitated by business or health and safety reasons. Work rules are the single most important factor determining the quality of our work lives. This language will help ensure that we work under work rules that are necessary and reasonable, not arbitrary.

CUE hopes to continue negotiating improvements in our wages and working conditions. We will need your support in order to make further gains in our wages and working conditions. Join CUE, and help us both set and achieve our goals!

Who can I call if I have a question or need advice?

Our local phone number is 619-296-4937. Our mailing address is: 814 Morena Blvd. #206 San Diego CA 92110, and you can email us at info@cuesd.net

You don't need to have a formal problem to call us -- we'd like to hear from you. But if you do have a problem about which you need advice, we urge you to get in touch with us right away.