Members of the California State Employees Union have conducted rallies in support of the fight for pay equity, and these demonstrations are just the start as they prepare for a possible labor strike. Members of the CSUEU are currently involved in negotiations with the bargaining team to reach better working conditions.
The latest offer was presented by CSU management on Aug. 30.
“CSUEU members fully support our bargaining team, and when bargaining leaders report that the CSU is not sufficiently taking us seriously, members will consider all options on the table,” said Sandee Noda, CSUEU chapter president at San Francisco State University.
CSEU was founded in 2005 and represents CSU staff members who support the system’s 23 campuses. The union represents six bargaining units – information technology, healthcare, clerical, SCU academics, operations, administrative support, custodial and campus operations.
According to Noda, the CSUEU is currently negotiating with CSU on their contract re-opener by exchanging economic proposals. The most recent one from CSU management failed to bring support staff salaries to competitive market levels.
“Our labor coalition is made up of some 60,000 union employees, including faculty. CSU campuses are run virtually by a wall-to-wall union workforce,” Noda said. “Any collective action by us – because the CSU fails to negotiate in good faith – will have a strong impact. The CSU’s labor coalition stands as one in our fight for equitable pay.”
CSUEU’s website shows a part of CSU management’s latest offer included a 2% general salary increase –– from 3% to 5% ––and offering a lump sum to employees who qualified
“The latest CSU proposal does not resolve the crisis at hand,” Noda said. “A high number of vacant positions and an inability to hire and retain qualified staff due to stagnant wages.”
Another vital part of the Cal State system is the students. If a strike happens during the school year, this could affect them directly and their path to graduation.
“If there is a strike that happens mid-semester, the work that students have completed thus far will be evaluated,” said Neela Koduri, an academic advisor for the Liberal and Creative Arts Advising Resource Center at SFSU. “This is dependent on each department and would act as a basis to award grades for students.”
According to Koduri, Students would be required to show up to classes until noted otherwise by their professors if a strike goes into effect.
According to Koduri, some SFSU students have reported that some professors provided information and next steps in their course syllabus in the case of a strike mid-semester.
“Strikes are designed to take place at the time when the most significant impact would be to the campus –– not to students –– but daily campus operations to emphasize the value of the strike,” Koduri said.
Bargaining is set to resume on Sept. 19 at CSU Dominguez Hills.
