The University Professional & Technical Employees Union has OK’d a four-year contract with the University of California that exempts members from a two-tier pension plan.

Members in the technical and research bargaining units gave the deal a 95 percent “yes” vote last week, according to a news release. Ninety-three percent of members in the health care professional bargaining unit backed the deal.

It includes wage increases totaling 11.5 percent to 13 percent over four years, plus regular step pay increases.

Members will pay an additional 1 percent to keep all major features of the pension plan, on top of the 8 percent paid by other employees.

UC had proposed the two-tier system it put into place for non-union employees. It pushes back the minimum retirement age from 50 to 55 and the age for reaching maximum benefits from 60 to 65.

UPTE/Communication Workers of America Local 9119 represents more than 12,000 workers. They include clinical lab scientists, pharmacists, computer resource specialists, social workers and writers. About 2,200 members work on UCD’s main and Sacramento campuses.

In about two months’ time, UC has reached agreements with unions representing some 27,500 workers, including lecturers, nurses, librarians and police officers.

UPTE’s success with preserving a one-tier pension plan could open a path for the 22,000-member American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299, which represents food service, custodial and hospital care workers.

The union remains at loggerheads with the university after strikes in May and November.

The 13,000 student workers represented by the United Auto Workers Local 2865 held a sympathy strike on Nov. 20. They also remains without a deal.

— Reach Cory Golden at [email protected] or 530-747-8046. Follow him on Twitter at @cory_golden

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