California faculty at largest US university system launch strike for better pay
SACRAMENTO, California — Faculty at California State University, the largest public university system in the U.S., will hold a series of four one-day strikes on four campuses starting Monday to demand higher wages and more parental leave for thousands of professors, librarians, coaches and other workers.
The strikes at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona; San Francisco State University; California State University, Los Angeles; and California State University, Sacramento are the latest effort by the California Faculty Association to fight for better wages and benefits for the approximately 29,000 employees the union represents.
The union is seeking a 12% salary increase and an increase in parental leave from six weeks to a full semester. They also want a more manageable workload for teachers, better access to breastfeeding stations and more gender-inclusive restrooms.
Anne Luna, president of the faculty union's Sacramento chapter, said these workers need an increase in wages and benefits at a time when the costs of rent, groceries, childcare and other necessities have risen in recent years.
“They can afford to provide fair compensation and safe working conditions,” Luna said in a statement. “It's time to stop funneling tuition and tax dollars to a top-heavy government.”
The California State University chancellor's office says the wage increase the union is seeking would cost the system $380 million in new recurring expenses. That would be $150 million more than the state's increased funding for the system for the 2023-2024 year, the agency said.
Leora Freedman, vice chancellor for human resources, said in a statement that the university system is committed to paying its employees fairly and providing competitive benefits.
“We recognize the need to increase compensation and are committed to doing so, but our financial obligations must be fiscally sustainable,” Freedman said.
She said the chancellor's office respects employees' right to strike and is preparing to minimize disruptions on campuses.
In addition to the faculty union, other California State University employees are fighting for better wages and bargaining rights. The Teamsters Local 2010 union, which represents plumbers, electricians and maintenance workers employed by the university system, held a one-day strike last month to fight for better wages. In October, student workers at the university system's 23 campuses became eligible to vote to form a union.
Jason Rabinowitz, secretary-treasurer of Teamsters Local 2010, which plans to strike in support of the faculty union, said skilled workers have been paid far less than workers in comparable positions on University of California campuses.
“Teamsters will continue to stand together and stand with our fellow unions until CSU treats our members, faculty and all employees at CSU with the fairness we deserve,” Rabinowitz said in a statement.
The strike comes during an important year for labor, a year in which health care professionals, Hollywood actors and writers and auto workers stood up for better wages and working conditions. It's all happening amid new California laws that give workers more paid sick leave, as well as higher wages for healthcare workers and fast food chains.
Last year, teaching assistants and graduate student workers at the University of California went on a month-long strike, disrupting classes as the fall semester came to an end.
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Sophie Austin is a staff member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Austin on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter: @sophieadanna