After negotiations between California State University management and the California Faculty Association stalled, CFA members have elected to go on a systemwide strike this week.
According to a CFA release, union members offered several proposals on Jan. 8 but were met with “nothing but disdain” by CSU management.
Now, tens of thousands of professors, lecturers, librarians, coaches and counselors across all 23 CSU campuses will walk off the job from Monday until Friday.
Faculty members are asking for a 12 percent pay raise to keep up with the rising cost of living across the Golden State, and they believe the university system has enough money in its reserve bank accounts to meet their demands.
Educators are also asking for a more manageable workload and the expansion of parental leave.
“The [CSU system] hurts working families, children and parents,” said Cody Trojan, a lecturer at Cal Poly Pomona. “I’ve had colleagues who are working up until their due date … not given leave for the whole semester, and then asked to return to work. So, it’s just really atrocious.”
Cal State University officials say that they cannot afford a 12 percent raise; instead, they are offering a five percent raise this year and two other conditional five percent raises in subsequent years.
In addition, CSU wants to remain one of the nation’s most affordable university systems, with about half of its students graduating with no student loan debt.
A strike involving unionized skilled trade workers who work on Cal State campuses was averted on Friday when a tentative agreement was reached between the school system and Teamsters. Part of that deal included an immediate five percent pay raise.
School buildings at Cal State campuses are open during the strike, but students need to check with each of their professors to find out whether classes will be held.
