The California State University (CSU) announced that an agreement was reached with the Teamsters Local 2010 union and will no longer strike on Monday. However, an agreement hasn’t been made with the California Faculty Association (CFA).
“Let me assure you, as a new chancellor, four months into the job, I have no interest in a strike,” said Mildred García, the CSU Chancellor. “We are ready and willing to come back to the bargaining table with the California Faculty Association. But we must work within our financial realities.”
The Teamsters union reached an agreement for a three-year contract. The chancellor said that the 23 campuses will remain open during the one-week strike. It has been seven months of negotiations and the faculty union continues to demand a 12% general salary increase for their contract.
“The CSU currently spends about 75% of its operating budget on compensation,” said Leora Freedman, the CSU Vice-Chancellor. “If we were to agree to the increases that these unions are demanding, we would have to make severe cuts to programs. We would have to lay off employees. This would jeopardize our educational mission and cause hardship to many employees.”
According to the Vice Chancellor, the faculty union’s demands would cost CSU about $380 million for one year. It would be $550 million more than the CSU’s entire funding that they receive from the state of California. The negotiations have gone through mediation, the fact-finding process and offers have been suggested.
“We’ve made several offers with movement and most recently a 15% increase that would be paid over three years, providing faculty a 5% increase each year,” Freedman said. “But the faculty union has never moved off its 12% demand for one year only.”
This is the same amount that the CSU offered to the five other unions that reached agreement. The Vice-Chancellor also addressed that it is the right of the unions to strike, however, members can also choose to go to work. CSU representatives wanted to remind the public that student services will remain open and available during the strike.
“This includes libraries, food services, student unions, academic advising, financial aid, advising, resource centers, residence halls and gymnasiums,” said Christina Checel, the Associate Vice Chancellor of Labor and Employee Relations. “If there are changes to the hours or availability of specific offices or services, the campus will post updates on its web pages or through other channels.”
During the press conference, a question was raised about what the CSU does with submissions made from reporting a canceled class or student service. They said it’s “One area where students can share their concerns–and to understand the students’ impact during the one-week strike.”
The CFA will begin their one-week strike on Monday starting at 7:30 a.m. This strike will happen at all 23 CSU campuses.
