# UC / UCI registered-nurse union and contract history > Evidence-review update (October 30, 2026): the live dashboard and hospital summaries use the reviewed source records. Full agreement texts, signed clauses, official summaries, and secondary reporting are distinguished. Historical working descriptions below do not independently prove current retention; see the source-specific qualifications in the live summaries. Research current through October 30, 2026. Scope: the CNA/NNU systemwide NX registered-nurse unit at UCI Medical Center and its application after the 2024 UCI acquisition of Fountain Valley, Placentia Linda, Los Alamitos, and Lakewood. This memo separates full signed agreements from secondary summaries and explicitly records the public-record gaps. ## Representation start and facility transitions - **UC systemwide NX unit:** UC medical-center RNs elected CNA in **June 1983**; CNA's own history describes an election covering 4,420 RNs. See `UC_CNA_History_1983_NNU.pdf`, PDF p. 4. A contemporaneous UC collective-bargaining report also identifies the June 1983 election. The earliest full agreement located online is the 2002–2005 CBA, so the archive is not complete back to certification. - **UCI Medical Center:** UCI was already within the statewide CNA unit by 1990. A Los Angeles Times report documents a three-year UCI/CNA agreement reached in November 1990. The signed document was not located publicly. - **Fountain Valley predecessor RN unit:** UNAC won certification in 1988 after a 1987 vote. In 2024, after UC acquired the hospital, UCI mapped nurses into the CNA/UC classifications and wage steps. This is a representation transition, not evidence that Fountain Valley first unionized in 2024. - **Other acquired hospitals:** the 2024 CNA newsletter expressly covers nurses at Fountain Valley, Lakewood, Los Alamitos, and Placentia Linda and describes classification/step mapping and retroactive pay. See `UC_CNA_Acquired_OC_Hospitals_2024_Newsletter.pdf`, PDF pp. 1–2. Their separate predecessor-union histories and CBAs are not part of the UC systemwide archive and must be tracked independently. ## Public contract inventory | Period | Public evidence archived | Coverage result | |---|---|---| | 1983–1989 | NNU history and PERB Decision 0722-H | CNA representation established; signed agreements not located online | | 1990–1993 | LA Times report of UCI three-year agreement | Terms reported, signed CBA not public | | 1993–1999 | No signed agreements located | Public gap | | 2000–2002 | Published report of a two-year agreement | Signed CBA not located | | 2002–2005 | **Full signed agreement** | Downloaded | | 2005–2007 | PERB/CPER evidence; 2006 reopener summary | Base signed CBA not located; reopener evidence downloaded | | 2008–2010 | CPER contract summary | Full signed CBA not located; detailed summary downloaded | | 2011–2013 | CPER contract summary | Full signed CBA not located; detailed summary downloaded | | 2013–2017 | **Full signed agreement** | Downloaded from archived UCnet | | 2017–2018 | Prior agreement expired/extended during bargaining | No separate signed successor located | | 2018–2022 | **Full signed agreement** | Downloaded from archived UCnet | | 2022–2025 | **Full signed agreement** | Downloaded | | 2025–2030 | **Full signed agreement** | Downloaded from UCnet | The missing periods are not proof that no contract existed. DOL explains that CBA filing is voluntary and some agreements are not publicly available. Union members and covered employees may request applicable agreements from the union under federal disclosure rules, although the public-sector UC unit's precise statutory route should be confirmed before relying on that process. ## Contract-by-contract gains beyond wages ### 2002–2005 full CBA - **UCI economics:** new step system with at least 2% between steps and July progression; initial UCI market adjustments varied sharply by classification (for example, 12.7%–19.7% at several range minimums) and subsequent UCI range/per-diem adjustments are specified in the location program. See PDF pp. 71–79, especially pp. 73–78. Because the adjustments differ by title and range position, they should not be graphed as one universal percentage. - **Staffing/floating:** registry and travelers float before bargaining-unit nurses when practicable, with competency protections. PDF p. 13. - **Hours:** management must discuss alternatives when a pattern of mandatory overtime develops and make reasonable efforts to avoid more than 16 consecutive hours. PDF p. 19. - **Core protections:** health-plan choices at p. 22; advance notice for subcontracting that would cause layoffs at p. 47; just-cause discipline for nonprobationary nurses at p. 55; grievance/arbitration and paid educational-development provisions elsewhere in the agreement. ### 2005–2007 contract / 2006 reopener - The downloaded CPER reopener report records UCI and Davis receiving 3% in October 2006 and another 2% in early 2007; it also describes negotiated issues involving health insurance, retiree health benefits, and meal/rest-break coverage. See `UC_CNA_2006_Reopener_CPER181.pdf`, PDF pp. 39–40. - The underlying signed agreement was not located, so this period must be labeled **official/academic contract reporting, not a signed CBA copy**. ### 2008 settlement through September 2010 - **Economics:** market-based first-year increases averaging about 6%, eligible step increases, and increases to on-call and shift-differential pay were publicly announced. - **Work-life/professional gains:** the secondary CPER report describes restored compensatory-time access at Irvine/Davis and limits on rotation for nurses with more than ten years seniority, subject to written notice, protected educational leave for classes on scheduled days off, and provided full-shift educational leave when work was missed to attend class. See `UC_CNA_2008-2011_Contract_Highlights_CPER189.pdf`, PDF p. 64. - Full signed CBA not located. ### 2011–2013 contract - **Economics:** medical-center nurses received 3% in the first year and 4% in each of the next two adjustments, plus service steps; some locations added longevity steps. See `UC_CNA_2011-2013_Contract_Highlights_CPER202.pdf`, PDF p. 57. - **Break relief/patient care:** each unit had to maintain a mechanism for meal-and-break relief each shift so required staffing remained in place; UC also agreed to make every effort to provide meal breaks. PDF p. 57. - **Benefits:** reporting describes negotiated limits on health-cost exposure and pension issues. Full signed CBA not located. ### 2013–2017 full CBA - **UCI economics:** 4% on Jan. 1 of 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017, plus eligible July steps. PDF pp. 71–72. Four 4% adjustments compound to about **16.99%**, before steps. - **Patient-care voice:** facility Professional Practice Committees and a Nursing Staffing Review Panel for chronic ratio/acuity issues. PDF pp. 13–16. - **Breaks and hours:** staffing-preserving meal/break relief at p. 19; mandatory overtime limited to a UC-declared emergency at p. 21. - **Security/benefits:** just-cause discipline at p. 55; health and retirement provisions at pp. 24–25; layoff/subcontracting notice protections at pp. 48–49. ### 2018–2022 full CBA - **UCI economics:** 3% after ratification and 3% each Jan. 1 from 2019 through 2022; UCI also received an extra 2% in 2019 and 1% in 2021. PDF p. 106. The five general 3% adjustments compound to about **15.93%**; combining same-date UCI add-ons into annual events of 3/5/3/4/3, about **19.33%**, before steps. - **Health-cost protection:** public UC highlights describe a $25/month cap on annual premium increases for Kaiser and Blue & Gold, plus continued retirement treatment through the negotiated reopen period. - **Scheduling/staffing:** competency-protected floating at p. 21; Professional Practice Committee and staffing review at pp. 19–22; staffing-preserving break relief at p. 27; mandatory-overtime restrictions at pp. 30–31. - **Job security:** just cause at p. 82 and subcontracting/layoff notice at p. 73. ### 2022–2025 full CBA - **Systemwide economics:** 6% in 2023, 5% in 2024, and 5% in 2025. UCI clinical nurses additionally received 2% in each of those years. PDF pp. 133–135. For UCI clinical nurses, the scheduled combined adjustments are 8%, 7%, and 7%, about **23.64% compounded**, before eligible steps. - **Recognition payments:** $3,000 career-nurse payment; $2,000/$1,000 per-diem payments based on hours. PDF pp. 132–134. - **Family benefit:** Pay for Family Care and Bonding provided up to eight weeks at 100% of eligible earnings. PDF pp. 79–81. - **Institutional voice:** new systemwide labor-management committees for diversity/equity/inclusion and emerging infectious-disease safety; side letters at pp. 191–194. - **Work protection:** formal subcontracting notice/discussion and mitigation side letter at pp. 193–195; existing staffing, break-relief, floating, just-cause, grievance, and arbitration language remained. ### 2025–2030 full CBA - **UCI economics:** 5.33% Jan. 2026, 5.33% Jan. 2027, 4.83% Jan. 2028, and 4% Jan. 2029, plus eligible July steps. PDF pp. 141–143. These UCI adjustments compound to about **20.95%** (treating the .33-point UCI addition as part of each year's base-building increase). - **Floating:** inter-location floating is defined and restricted; professional judgment, competency, and patient safety govern reassignment. PDF pp. 27–28. - **Break enforcement:** missed meal/rest-break reporting and penalty-pay rules are strengthened. PDF pp. 38–39. - **Disaster/workplace safety:** written emergency preparedness, training and review at p. 51; workplace-violence prevention and response at pp. 51–52. - **Technology/AI:** technology must complement rather than replace nursing judgment, with RN participation in selection, design, implementation, and evaluation. PDF pp. 145–146. - **Per-diem and job security:** per-diem just-cause rights at p. 19; new standalone subcontracting article preserving bargaining-unit work and requiring notice/mitigation at pp. 147–148. - **Other retained benefits:** Professional Practice Committees (pp. 24–28), health plans (pp. 47–48), paid family-care/bonding (pp. 86–88), just-cause discipline (p. 112), grievance/arbitration, vacation, holidays, sick leave, retirement and retiree-health provisions. ## Compact site-integration records ```text uc_1983_start | 1983 | representation | CNA elected for 4,420 UC medical-center RNs | evidence: NNU history PDF p4 | signed CBA: unavailable uci_1990_1993 | 1990–1993 | reported CBA | 3% retroactive + 3% following May reported | benefit detail: unavailable | signed CBA: unavailable uc_2002_2005 | 2002–2005 | signed CBA | UCI classification-specific market adjustments + step system | floating, overtime, health, just cause, layoff notice | pp13,19,22,47,55,71–79 uc_2005_2008 | 2005–2007 | partial evidence | UCI 3% + 2% in 2006/07 reopener | health, retiree health, meal/rest-break bargaining | CPER181 pp39–40 | signed CBA unavailable uc_2008_2011 | 2008–2010 | detailed summary | ~6% average first year + steps/differentials | restored comp-time and qualified seniority rotation limits; educational leave | CPER189 p64 | signed CBA unavailable uc_2011_2013 | 2011–2013 | detailed summary | 3% + 4% + 4% + steps | staffing-preserving break relief; health/pension terms | CPER202 p57 | signed CBA unavailable uc_2013_2017 | 2013–2017 | signed CBA | UCI 4%/4%/4%/4% + steps | PPC/acuity review, break relief, emergency-only mandatory OT, just cause | pp13–21,55,71–72 uc_2018_2022 | 2018–2022 | signed CBA | general 3% x5 + UCI 2%/1% add-ons + steps | health-premium cap, retirement protection, fixed-shift/floating and break rules | pp19–31,73,82,106 uc_2022_2025 | 2022–2025 | signed CBA | UCI clinical 8%/7%/7% + steps; recognition payments | 8 weeks 100% family/bonding pay, DEI/EID committees, subcontracting protections | pp79–81,132–135,191–195 uc_2025_2030 | 2025–2030 | signed CBA | UCI 5.33%/5.33%/4.83%/4% + steps | interfacility floating limits, break penalties, disaster/WPV, AI voice, per-diem just cause, subcontracting article | pp19,27–28,38–39,51–52,141–148 ``` ## Source URLs - Current UC contract: https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/resources/employment-policies-contracts/bargaining-units/registered-nurses/contract/ - UC 2013 agreement highlights: https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/press-room/uc-reaches-agreement-contract-university-nurses - UC 2018 agreement highlights: https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/press-room/uc-reaches-multi-year-contract-california-nurses-association - UC 2022 agreement highlights: https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/press-room/uc-and-california-nurses-association-collaborate-new-multiyear-contract - CNA 2025 agreement highlights: https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/article/uc-nurses-ratify-new-four-year-contract - 2002 CBA archive record: https://hdl.handle.net/1813/81511 - 1983 representation history: https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/sites/default/files/nnu/documents/0424_NNOC_101_Final.pdf - PERB Decision 0722-H: https://perb.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/decisionbank/decision-0722H.pdf - PERB Decision 1638-H: https://perb.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/decisionbank/decision-1638H.pdf - UCI 1990 contract report: https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-11-11-me-6199-story.html - Fountain Valley 1988 union certification report: https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-10-20-fi-5175-story.html - CPER 2006 reopener: https://cper.berkeley.edu/wp-content/journal/CPERJournal181.pdf - CPER 2008 agreement: https://cper.berkeley.edu/wp-content/journal/CPERJournal189.pdf - CPER 2011 agreement: https://cper.berkeley.edu/wp-content/journal/CPERJournal202.pdf - DOL explanation of voluntary CBA archive coverage: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/olms/regs/compliance/cba