UC Nurses Offered Higher Wages, Improved Benefits
University recently announced their proposal to the
California Nurses Association regarding a new labor contract for UC nurses,
which includes market-based increases in salary as well as health and pension
benefits equivalent to other university staff.
The proposal is part of an ongoing effort to ensure good
wages and benefits for UC nurses and uninterrupted care to patients. The instatement of the new contract is
contingent on the union’s acceptance of the agreement by the end of scheduled
negotiations on Oct. 17.
“We are offering what we believe to be an extremely fair
proposal, one that recognizes the critical role our nurses play in providing
outstanding care to our patients,” said Howard Pripas, executive director for
UC labor relations, in a press release. “We have been bargaining in good faith
for the past six months, and the time has come to conclude these negotiations.”
The CNA was legally barred by court order from conducting
strikes against UC hospitals during contract negotiations in 2005. However, the threat of striking cost UC
medical centers approximately $9 million in emergency operational provisions
such as additional staffing.
Recently, CNA has called strikes at several non-UC hospitals
in California. Negotiations with the union began in April 2007.
There are more than 8,800 nurses in the UC medical
system.
Regents Receive $30.4M
Although Microsoft and Eolas Technologies Inc. refused to
reveal the terms of their high-profile patent dispute, the University of
California’s status as a public entity obligated the recent disclosure of what
it received from the deal.
The UC Board of Regents was awarded $30.4 million, UC Office
of the President spokesman Trey Davis said on the Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Web site.
Microsoft and Eolas reached a settlement in August. The
University of California was named a plaintiff in the litigation because it
licensed the technology to Eolas.
Eolas had alleged that Internet Explorer violated its patent
for accessing interactive content on Web pages. The agreement resolves a case
in which Microsoft was previously hit with a judgment of more than $500
million.
“The litigation with Microsoft has taken a great deal of
management time and effort and significant financial resources,” Mark C.
Swords, Eolas’ chief operating officer, said in a letter posted on the Seattle
P-I Web site. “We are very pleased that
we now can focus our resources on commercializing our existing intellectual
property portfolio and developing new fundamental technologies.”
