Updates
Earlier this year, our Union had its first win! The Institute and CU-UAW (CalArts United) have reached an agreement on the Voluntary Separation Plan (VSP) and the Bridge to Retirement (BTR) plan. One of the most important outcomes of this process is that we were able to improve the terms for those eligible for these programs. The original proposal from the administration offered 6 months of pay for VSP and 12 months for BTR. After sustained pressure and negotiations, we won:
CalArts’s initial proposal What we won 6 months base salary for employees eligible to participate in the VSP 1 year base salary for employees eligible to participate in the BTR 1 year base salary for employees eligible to participate in the VSP 18 months base salary for employees eligible to participate in the BTR
In addition, CalArts agreed to cover the COBRA premiums for a duration equivalent to the base salary. BRP participants eligible for Medicare will also receive $500 per month, funded by CalArts, through a Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) to assist with eligible medical expenses, and an additional $500 per month if the eligible employee has a spouse who was covered under the CalArts group health plan at the time of the employee’s retirement but is not yet eligible for Medicare.
This was a clear and meaningful improvement, making it a better deal for those considering participating, and a direct result of collective negotiation and worker involvement.
We further fought back against the Institute’s proposals to involuntarily lay off staff over this summer. In response to the recent layoffs, we delivered a “No Layoffs” petition signed by 350+ employees to the administration, making clear that our community does not support these actions. In bargaining, we successfully advocated for the 5 employees who were laid off and increased severance pay from two weeks per year of service (capped at two months) to three months of base pay regardless of years of service.