Congratulations to the Lead Childcare Teachers of UCLA and UCSB on finishing their recent negotiations and becoming Teamsters Local 2010 members. The bargaining teams successfully negotiated raises between 1.66% – 3.66%. The new agreement also allows the Leads to be eligible for the raises guaranteed in our CX-Unit contract, including our July 2019 increase.
“Congratulations to our dedicated childcare workers and welcome to the Teamsters,” said Jason Rabinowitz, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 2010. “This great win caps a years-long fight by these courageous workers for Union representation and fair treatment, in the face of terrible opposition from UC. When we stand together as Teamsters, we accomplish great things together!”
In an attempt to strip workers of Union protections and guaranteed rights, University Child Development Centers at UCLA, UCSB, and UCI misclassified dozens of Lead Child Care teachers out of the Teamster represented CX bargaining unit. The Lead Teachers fought back and Teamsters successfully brought them back into the CX bargaining unit.
“Teamsters proved that there is power in unity and demonstrated the importance of standing firm against unfair treatment and wage inequalities, and has allowed us to have an active voice in the workplace,” Alisa Daniels, UCLA Lead Teacher.
When pressed about these workers, the University claimed the positions were supervisory but did not give the workers the pay or authority of supervisors. The Lead Childcare workers were being misclassified by the University.
Misclassification is the practice of wrongfully labeling employees to pay them significantly less and withhold certain benefits. This is a common practice at UC where the University routinely “promotes” members out of our unit or hires new employees and labels them as supervisors or unrepresented. Misclassified workers lose out on critical union benefits such as protections against unfair discipline, having a voice at work, guaranteed raises, overtime pay provisions, and the many other protections of our Union contract.
Thank you to our Lead Early Childcare Teachers for leading the fight. We will continue to protect the work of all our members. Bargaining is ongoing for Child Development Center Teachers, including Leads at UC Irvine, and is expected to conclude this month.
If you feel you are being misclassified or have issues in the workplace, please contact your Union Representative today.