Nearly 30,000 professors, librarians, coaches, and other workers at California State University (Cal State), the largest public university system in the U.S., have gone on strike to demand higher wages. This weeklong strike across Cal State’s 23 campuses comes after contract negotiations between CSU officials and the union ended with a unilateral offer of a 5% pay raise starting this year, effective Jan. 31. However, the union is seeking a 12% hike.
The strike, which began on Monday, coincides with the start of the new semester, potentially leading to class cancellations for the system’s 450,000 students unless faculty members decide to cross the picket lines.
Victoria Wilson, a part-time political science lecturer picketing in the rain at Cal State Northridge in Los Angeles, shared that she is striking for higher pay. The fluctuation of her salary from semester to semester hinders her long-term financial goals. Wilson expressed the hope for a better contract that would ensure fairer pay and improved working conditions on campus.
Representing approximately 29,000 workers, the California Faculty Association is leading the strike. An additional 1,100 CSU plumbers, electricians, and other skilled trades workers represented by the Teamsters Local 2010 were initially planning to join the strike but reached an agreement with the university late on Friday.
In a show of support, some students joined the picket lines on Monday. Gabriela Alvarez, a student at Cal State Long Beach, participated in the demonstration outside the university to stand in solidarity with her professors and oppose upcoming tuition hikes.
Alvarez stressed the importance of treating professors with fairness and obtaining more student resources, while also advocating for lower tuition prices. She expressed concern about her ability to afford next semester if the tuition spikes are implemented.
Cal State Chancellor Mildred Garcia addressed the strike on Friday, explaining that the university system had tried to avoid the strike but believes the union’s salary demands are not feasible. Garcia emphasized the need to work within the financial reality of the institution.
The Fight for Fair Wages and Work Conditions: CFA Members Stage Walkouts
Recent protests have rocked four campuses in Los Angeles, Pomona, Sacramento, and San Francisco as members of the California Faculty Association (CFA) took part in one-day walkouts. Their demands? Higher pay, more manageable workloads, and increased parental leave.
The CFA argues that the university has ample funds in its “flush reserve accounts” to fulfill these requests. They suggest that the necessary salary increases could be covered by operating cash surpluses and the $766 million emergency reserves held by the California State University (CSU) system.
However, Leora Freedman, CSU’s vice chancellor for human resources, argues that these reserve funds are specifically reserved for times of economic uncertainty or emergencies, such as wildfires or earthquakes. She stresses that they cannot be allocated for wage hikes.
Despite CSU’s claims, negotiations have been ongoing. Freedman states that they have proposed several offers, including a recent 15% increase to be paid over three years, providing faculty with a 5% increase annually. However, the faculty union has remained committed to their initial demand: a one-year increase of 12%.
The cost of meeting the union’s demand is estimated at $380 million in new recurring spending, which CSU claims is simply unaffordable.
Support for the strike comes from students like Katerina Navarro, a nursing student at Cal State Los Angeles. Surprised that her classes were not canceled on the first day due to the strike, she expressed her belief that greater investment in salaries and educational resources is necessary. Navarro has firsthand experience with being underpaid as she previously worked as a teacher abroad. Furthermore, her mother and sister are also teachers.
California has seen a surge in labor activity recently. Health-care professionals, Hollywood actors and writers, and auto workers have all taken to picketing to demand fair pay and better working conditions.
The state has responded with new legislation, such as granting workers increased paid sick leave and raising wages for health-care and fast-food workers.
Even the prestigious University of California system was not exempt from strikes in 2022. Teaching assistants and graduate student workers protested for a month, causing disruptions as the fall semester drew to a close.
The fight for fair wages and improved work conditions is far from over. As workers across various sectors unite in their demands, the battle for a more equitable society continues.
