Understanding UA compensation and salary increases

November 7, 2025

The latest: The University of Alaska (UA) continues to share information to help staff understand how union representation could impact compensation, flexibility, and future salary increases.

Stay up-to-date on staff unionization efforts at alaska.edu/cause.

Why it matters: UA’s approach to compensation reflects a long-standing commitment to flexibility, balance, and competitiveness even when state funding is limited.

By the Numbers: Over the past decade, pay increases for non-represented staff have tracked closely with those of unionized employees, averaging about 2.3% a year. The trend underscores UA’s progress toward a steadier, more equitable compensation structure across the university.

• The consistent pattern of moderate increases also aligns with post-pandemic state funding stabilization and UA’s focus on workforce retention.

The Details: UA’s current model allows the university to reward strong performance, respond to financial realities, and remain competitive with peer institutions and the private sector.

• Comparable Increases: Non-represented staff have received percentage salary increases comparable to those of represented employees, without the added administrative burdens and limitations of paying union dues.
• Flexibility and responsiveness: When the legislature failed to allocate specific funding for pay increases for non-represented staff this year, the Board of Regents and President Pitney chose to move forward with those increases anyway. This reflects UA’s ability to make timely decisions in employees' best interests under the current system.
• Competitive total compensation packages: UA’s overall compensation package, including healthcare, retirement, and leave benefits, remain competitive with both in-state and out-of-state peers, as well as Alaska’s private sector, particularly in healthcare.
• Commitment to parity: For FY27, salary grid and step increases are planned for represented employees that equal a 3% total increase. UA’s practice has been to request the same increase for non-represented staff.

Looking ahead: UA’s salary and benefit decisions are tied to a mix of state funding, tuition, and federal sources. While these sources fluctuate, the university has a proven record of protecting staff pay and benefits even in lean fiscal years. 

Union representation would not change the state’s role in funding salaries, and a union cannot guarantee specific pay increases or job protections. Negotiated contracts must still be approved by the UA Board of Regents and the Department of Administration.

The bottom line: UA is committed to providing fair and competitive compensation and ensuring employees are informed when it comes to decisions about representation.

If you have questions about salary increases, compensation practices, or the staff unionization process, visit alaska.edu/cause, or contact UA Labor Relations at ua-ler@alaska.edu.