CSU instructors union may strike, Maritime Academy chapter warns
Times-Herald 1/11/07
She joined other CMA faculty members in an informational picket to draw attention to stalled negotiations as well as to their call for better pay.
CMA is one of 23 California State University schools at which unionized instructors are staging informational pickets this month.
Instructors' pay is so low many "can't afford their jobs," said Messer-Bookman, the president of the local chapter of the California State University Employees Union.
Labor talks between CSU instructors and the chancellor's office have dragged on for nearly two years. Both parties are headed to "fact-finding," the step before a strike that involves a third-party investigation and recommendation.
"We might go on strike. We're ready," Messer-Bookman said.
The union insists university teachers are paid nearly 20 percent less than their community college counterparts.
CSU spokeswoman Clara Potes-Fellow said before talks went to impasse, the chancellor's office offered the instructors a 24 percent pay increase over four years, including payment of health benefit premiums.
The long-simmering dispute "could be resolved if faculty and union members accept what is a very good offer," Potes-Fellow said.
But union field representative Maureen Loughran said the offer is "a lie." The union insists the CSU offer is closer to 16 percent, and would not raise instructors' pay to acceptable levels.
The union proposed a 26 percent raise over four years, Loughran said.
CMA spokesman Doug Webster said the school respects the rights of faculty members to picket, but he stressed school administrators are not involved in negotiations.
"We want our faculty to be fairly compensated with pay in line with their levels of skills and expertise," Webster said.