Data collected in June 2008 clearly shows the salary disparity between librarian working in comparable positions in the UC and CSU systems.

In an ongoing effort to study undergraduate student writing, the College Writing Programs is undertaking a research project to collect written assignments from faculty teaching undergraduate courses throughout the campus. The purposes of this research are to gain an accurate sense of the range and types of writing demands that students face in their undergraduate careers at Berkeley and to develop a collection of assignments that can be used to guide faculty in their work with students.

In a report released this past Sunday, an independent fact finder recommends raises of almost 25% to bring salaries in line with those at comparable institutions. The CSU faculty, which includes librarians, are in the midst of bargaining and have already voted to strike if a settlement is not reached in the next ten days. The fact finder's report may be read at http://www.calstate.edu/bargaining-status.

The University and the Unit 17 bargaining team have arrived at the tentative agreement described below. This deal is being brought to the members for their evaluation because the team and the unit faces a significant choice: to take the terms offered, which the team leadership believes is the best we can do at this time -- or to reject these terms and return to the bargaining process. If the tentative agreement is ratified, the University will provide a 2% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) retroactive to October 1, 2005. If the members choose to reject this settlement and go forward with the bargaining process, the University will continue to hold back this cost-of-living adjustment.

Below please find a description of the tentative agreement concluded in the current reopener bargaining between the Unit 17 and the University.

• Salary -- 2% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) in 2005 (retroactive to October 1, 2005); 2% cost-of-living adjustment in 2006; 3% cost-of-living adjustment in 2007. Payment of the cost-of-living adjustments in 2006 and 2007 is contingent upon the University's receipt of the funding levels specified in the current state budget compact. Funding for merit increases does not change.
• Duration -- The entire contract is extended through March 31, 2008. (The current MOU expires on August 30, 2006.) The Union has the right to reopen Salary in the event that the state compact that guarantees these cost-of-living increases is not fully funded in 2006 or 2007, and the University does not otherwise provide cost-of-living adjustments of 2% by October 1, 2006 and 3% by October 1, 2007.