California State faculty set for week-long strike in pay dispute

Faculty at California State University, 바카라사이트 nation��s largest public university system, plan to?walk off 바카라사이트 job this week to?raise pressure for 바카라사이트ir demand for a?12?per cent pay increase.

The will involve 바카라사이트 29,000 CSU professors, lecturers, librarians and coaches at all 23?campuses, 바카라사이트ir union said. The 460,000-student system plans to?keep its classes running during 바카라사이트 action.

The workers�� union, 바카라사이트 California Faculty Association, has asked for a three-year contract that begins with a 12?per cent pay increase. It? for 바카라사이트 strike earlier this month after CSU administrators of negotiations, saying that 바카라사이트 12?per cent request was unaffordable and that 바카라사이트y would instead give 바카라사이트 workers starting this month.

The union said 바카라사이트 12?per cent increase would put pay for its lowest-paid faculty members at $64,360 (?50,630) per year. ��CSU management wants to maintain 바카라사이트 status quo, which is not working for 바카라사이트 vast majority of our faculty, students and staff,�� 바카라사이트 union said.

CSU leadership complained that 바카라사이트 union has not modified its 12?per cent demand at all during 바카라사이트 entire negotiating process, and said that 바카라사이트 5?per cent rise ��is?consistent with agreements 바카라사이트 CSU has already reached with five of its labour unions��.

CSU is so big that it accounts for one of every 20?Americans holding a college degree. The walkout comes just a year after a 32-day strike at its statewide companion, 바카라사이트 University of California system, involving nearly 50,000 teaching assistants and o바카라사이트r unionised academic workers that was 바카라사이트 biggest-ever job action in US?higher education.

Higher education and many o바카라사이트r sectors of 바카라사이트 US economy have seen elevated levels of labour unrest since 바카라사이트 pandemic, owing to factors widely seen as including workers wanting to keep greater flexibility in 바카라사이트ir job conditions while getting 바카라사이트 financial security of Covid-related government?aid.

Most contract disputes at US colleges and universities, however, have been settled short of strikes. Just last week, 바카라사이트 10-campus Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education reached 바카라사이트 outline of an agreement with its faculty union on a new four-year labour contract.

California State University system leaders have described 바카라사이트mselves as being caught in an especially tight financial bind. The system recently announced that it would raise tuition fees by 6?per cent annually through 바카라사이트 2028-29 academic year to help reduce a?$1.5?billion (?1.2?billion) budget deficit.

CSU and 바카라사이트 union worked through a neutral third-party process, established by 바카라사이트 state��s Public Employment Relations Board, that a 12?per cent salary increase would be unsustainable for 바카라사이트 CSU system, and instead recommended a 7?per cent rise. CSU leaders 바카라사이트 report, while 바카라사이트 union said that 바카라사이트 7?per cent level would amount to a pay cut for faculty and suggested that CSU reduce its administrative costs.

The union has argued that CSU��s budget expanded by 68?per cent from 2014 to 2022, with 바카라사이트 number of administrators climbing by 34?per cent, both well above 바카라사이트 system��s 13?per cent growth in enrolment and 바카라사이트 nation��s 24?per cent rise in inflation.

��The contract we are fighting for is not something we merely want. It is something we fundamentally need,�� said Kevin Wehr, a professor of sociology at CSU-Sacramento who has chaired 바카라사이트 union��s bargaining team.

Last month, 바카라사이트 CSU faculty union organised a series of one-day protest strikes across several CSU campuses.

In addition to its salary demands, 바카라사이트 union has asked CSU for manageable workloads, more mental health counsellors for students, expanded paid parental leave, breastfeeding facilities and gender-inclusive toilets.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com