CSU trustees add 10 days to expired faculty contract
Union-Tribune 3/26/07
Officials of the union representing more than 23,000 faculty members, librarians, counselors and coaches said no walkouts would take place during this period.
A 10-day blackout period under state labor law ended yesterday, giving faculty the legal right to strike. Simultaneously, a report from a neutral, third-party fact-finder with nonbinding contract-settlement recommendations was released yesterday. The report recommended a salary increase of nearly 25 percent in a four-year contract.
The CSU administration and the system's faculty union have said they would be willing to honor the report as a guide for reaching a settlement.
The union contends the report more closely supports its demands, while Chancellor Charles Reed characterized it as more of an even split.
Reed said, “My observation is that the fact-finder tried to be fair to both sides and kind of split the difference, to tell you the truth.”
But he said that based on a meeting with the union earlier in the day, “I'm optimistic that a settlement can be reached during these 10 days. . . . Nobody wants a strike, especially with the focus on the importance of students and their education.”
CSU union President John Travis said, “I'm cautiously optimistic. We have in the past in negotiations been disappointed when we thought the time (for settlement) is near, so I cannot rule that possibility out. That's why we're going to continue to organize a strike.”
The fact-finder emphasized a report by the California Postsecondary Education Commission, which revealed that compensation for CSU lagged behind comparable institutions. This round of negotiations would not eliminate the gap but would “make progress toward closing the gap,” according to the report.
The union has contended that some of the pay increase offered by the CSU administration was contingent on state funding that might not be awarded. Yesterday's recommendations would reduce the portion of the raise dependent on state funds, Travis said.
Last week, the union announced that its membership overwhelming authorized its first strike if a contract isn't settled soon, with rolling two-day walkouts on 23 campuses – including San Diego State and Cal State San Marcos – that could start next month.
Contract talks between the union and CSU administration began nearly two years ago.
Yesterday's 31-page report – to view it online, click on “Latest Labor News” at www.calstate.edu – addressed issues ranging from faculty grievance procedures and lecturer rights to workloads and parking fees.