CSU faculty union OKs strike
Fresno Bee 3/22/07
Over the past two weeks, more than 8,000 members of the California Faculty Association -- which represents 23,000 university librarians, instructors, counselors and coaches statewide -- voted on the strike issue, with 94% approving the plan.
Faculty union members say the results of the vote show they are angry and ready to walk picket lines if the California State University system doesn't return to the bargaining table with a better offer to improve their pay and other benefits.
The union has operated without a contract for nearly two years.
Both sides are in a 10-day cooling-off period that ends Monday. If they are unable to reach an agreement after that, a strike could be called at any time.
Only a few strike details have been released by the union. Officials said a rolling strike plan being discussed would call for faculty at each campus to strike on different days as part of an effort to limit the effect on students while showing the faculty's resolve.
Union leaders said turnout in Fresno was strong, but local results won't be available until later this week. The local votes were sealed and sent to the League of Women Voters for counting.
At issue are proposed salary increases that CSU calls fair but union officials label as "illusionary."
Negotiators for the university system offered faculty members raises of more than 24% over the next three years. Union officials said only about 14% of the money is guaranteed. The rest of the CSU offer depends on Gov. Schwarzenegger and the Legislature allocating an extra $39 million for faculty pay over the contract.
Paul Browning, a spokesman for CSU, said the governor's budget proposal does not include additional money for CSU salaries for 2007-08, but noted that the Legislature hasn't taken up the governor's spending plan.
H.D. Palmer, a spokesman for the Department of Finance, declined to comment on the CSU budget request, which seeks an extra $13 million for 2007-08.
"We are not going to interject ourselves in the middle of an ongoing negotiation," he said.
Faculty association representatives say they are worried the extra money sought by CSU might not be available in tough budget years.
"We're dubious of this because they've never fought that hard for extra money before," union spokeswoman Alice Sunshine said.
Lisa Weston, an English professor at Fresno State, said she didn't have faith that CSU administrators would follow through on the entire raise proposal.
"I'm losing my belief that the CSU administration cares about education as much as the faculty," Weston said. "Or that they care about the students."
According to an agreement the governor negotiated in 2004, both the CSU and University of California systems will get a 4% budget increase each year from 2007-08 to 2010-11 to cover salary increases, health benefits and other cost increases. The $13 million yearly request, if approved, would be added to this amount.
Assembly Member Juan Arambula, D-Fresno, who sits on the Assembly budget and higher education committees, said: "It's going to be really hard to find any additional money to provide to the universities above and beyond the compact that was agreed to. I'm not saying it's impossible, but I would hope the two sides would find a way to fund a reasonable contract without the Legislature appropriating additional money."
In Fresno, students and faculty members alike seemed prepared for a strike. Weston, an English professor with more than 20 years of experience, said she is ready to take a stand.
"I'm hoping that the numbers from the vote will show the CSU administrators the commitment of the faculty," Weston said. "Having 94% of the voters say they are ready to strike shows how angry we are at the way we've been treated."
Diane Blair, who has taught at Fresno State for seven years, said she makes several thousand dollars a year less than her husband, who teaches the same subject at Fresno City College.
"He has a master's, I have a doctorate, and I make less money," Blair said. "It doesn't make much sense. The biggest issue we have is that we believe the CSU has the money to give us decent raises. In the last six years, faculty members have had one raise, of 3.5%. In that same time period, administrators have given themselves raises between 25% and 30%, and students fees have increased up to 76%. It doesn't add up."
News of the strike vote was slow to spread Wednesday. Most students were unaware of the vote, and none seemed concerned that it would affect them.
"Depending on when it happens, it might postpone some tests," said student Greg Harris, 35. "But I don't think it would disrupt more than a day or two of classes."
Alison Mathis, 19, said she supported the faculty position and would probably welcome a strike.
"I think they deserve to make more money," Mathis said. "I wouldn't mind a strike, though. I know I should want to be in class every day. But it might be nice to have a few days off."
Fresno State spokesman Tom Uribes said the university has a strike contingency plan, but it won't be released until it is needed.
"It is our hope that this matter will be resolved soon in a manner that will be beneficial to all sides concerned but especially to protect our students," Uribes said in an e-mail.
CSU timeline
March 21, 2007: California Faculty Association announces its members have authorized a strike against the California State University system unless a new contract agreement is reached.
December 2006: CSU Faculty threatens a "rolling strike" to end 18-month impasse.
March 2002: CSU faculty ratify a three-year contract.
March 2002: CSU system and CFA reach a tentative contract.
January 2002: CFA takes initial steps toward calling a strike-authorization vote, but no vote is held.
December 2001: Faculty, CSU fail to agree on pact.
October 2001: CSU faculty members stage teach-ins on campuses across the state.
June 2000: CSU system and CFA ask the state to step in and mediate contract dispute.
May 1999: CSU faculty announce they endorse a new three-year union contract to give professors more control.
April 1999: Chancellor of CSU imposes conditions faculty do not want.
March 1999: CFA leadership votes on a first-ever strike between CSU system and faculty in order to increase importance of merit pay, but no strike vote is conducted by faculty.
March 1999: CSU faculty union considers protests on a contract settlement imposed by the university.
December 1998: CSU, faculty union end talks in stalemate.
October 1998: Mediation hoping to resolve differences between CSU and 20,000 faculty members ends.
September 1998: Negotiations between CFA and CSU system stall.
September 1998: Faculty union temporarily extends contract due to bargaining gridlock.
July 1998: CSU declares an impasse in its negotiations with CFA.
December 1984: CSU faculty and CSU governing board's Collective Bargaining Committee ratify an agreement on salary and other contract points.
September 1984: CFA members picket, stalling negotiations with CSU.
September 1984: CSU grants pay raises for some employees.
August 1983: Contract ratified between CSU and academic support unit represented by United Professors of California.
August 1983: CSU and faculty ratify a historic contract marking the first time they will come under a collective bargaining agreement.
July 1983: Negotiators for the CSU and faculty put finishing touches on tentative agreement.
April 1983: CSU and faculty release initial bargaining positions.
May 1982: Runoff election to determine union representing 19,000 California college professors is announced.
January 1982: Voting in faculty unionization battles ends.