In the face of the state’s budget crisis, the Department of Academic Affairs and the Department of Business Affairs have implemented the University of California Staff and Academic Reduction in Time program, which will start June 1 and end in 2005.
The program will allow non-probationary career staff members and academic personnel, excluding faculty and students with academic titles, to voluntarily cut their working hours and the corresponding pay. The reduced hours will allow departments to generate salary savings in times of budget cuts.
“”It’s one strategy to help campuses to address budget deficit,”” said Assistant Vice Chancellor for Resource Administration Debbie McGraw. “”The idea came last fall and there were lots of discussions about different strategies in coping with cuts. It’s meant to be temporary and gives departments some breathing room to implement budget cuts.””
In exchange for the reduced hours, participants will be able to accumulate vacation and sick-pay-leave credits and service credit for the UC Retirement Plan at the same rate prior to the implementation of S.T.A.R.T. Participants will also be eligible for UCRP pension, death benefits and disability income, according to the unreduced salary deriving from the Highest Average Plan Compensation and the final salary.
“”I think it would be a good opportunity for those who want to take advantage of it,”” said Luis Silvas, a cashier for the Central Cashier’s Office. “”You would have the option for more flexibility and it’s basically used to not lay off people.””
Others are not certain whether or not they would want to participate in the program.
“”I’m not sure,”” said one maintenance mechanic from Housing and Dining Services. “”As long as they keep it voluntary [it’s fine], but for me, this is my only income and I’d be in a bad way if I take a big hit in my salary with a new home, new car and two kids.””
University clerical employees are within one group that would be eligible for the program. The Coalition of University Employees, a union organization of UC clerical employees, has made several suggestions for the program, including a request that employees be allowed to change their minds and return to their previous schedules.
“”This seems ironclad and the UC would have to allow a return to previous working conditions,”” said Sally Hampton, president of C.U.E. Local 5 San Diego.
According to Hampton, the program would not protect workers from having to take extra workloads for those who participate in S.T.A.R.T.
Hampton also said that many people represented by C.U.E. would not be able to afford the reduced hours and salaries.
“”I believe it is primarily a cost-saving measure for the University of California. It can provide time off for some clericals, those who can afford it, but because it involves salary reductions, most clericals simply can’t afford it,”” Hampton said. “”We simply don’t make enough money.””
Implementation of the program within a specific department will depend on the department head. Employees wishing to participate will also need the approval of their individual supervisor and the department head. A S.T.A.R.T. contract must be signed by the participant and the department before initiating the agreement. Additionally, length of participation for each individual is under their own discretion.
“”The program is built in a way that an employee goes on it for a defined period of time, and they would then automatically go to where they were before after that period,”” McGraw said.
According to Director of Policy Development and Quality of Work/Life Jonnie Craig-Winston, there have been a number of responses to the program, generally in support of it. However, it is not yet certain which departments will approve the implementation of the program.
For UCSD Libraries, implementation of the program will be on an individual basis. According to Head of Library Human Resources Maria Din, UCSD Libraries have yet to set up the parameters for applying the program within the various department.
“”Every department is different with different needs and staff accommodations,”” Din said. “”It’s going to be on a case-by-case basis. The program is meant to be saving costs, and we want to make sure that it will really be saving money and that it doesn’t cost unnecessary workload.””
Others are also concerned with making sure that services provided remain the same before and after the implementation of S.T.A.R.T.
“”It provides opportunities for employees who have other obligations such as family and schooling,”” said Tammy Dearie, head of the Social Science and Humanities Library. “”It’s a balance in our services because there would be some positions that we can’t hire behind. We can’t reduce our services; we just have to get by with fewer hours in the staff.””
