A Cal State faculty union Wednesday asked its members to authorize strikes at campuses after the university's administration rejected a compromise proposal to pay previously negotiated raises.
The California Faculty Assn. called for a series of actions, up to and including strikes, on Nov. 17 at Cal State Dominguez Hills and ÂãÁÄÖ±²¥. The association represents 24,000 professors, lecturers, librarians, counselors and coaches at 23 Cal State campuses.
The group is protesting a decision by Chancellor Charles Reed to withhold pay raises negotiated for the 2008-09 and 2009-10 academic years. The raises stalled when the state cut education funding. Recently, a state-appointed fact-finding panel endorsed a 1.3% increase.
“This is a small gesture and not something that’s going to bankrupt Cal State University," said faculty association president Lillian Taiz, a history professor at Cal State L.A. The union will announce the results of the strike vote next month.
In response, Cal State officials said the system has lost almost $1 billion in state funding since 2008 and has no money for raises.
"The fact-finder report doesn’t necessarily recognize the economic situation of the state in those years," said spokesman Mike Uhlenkamp. "We reduced classes and employees were forced to take a 10% pay cut in the form of furloughs. So to say money was available is not accurate. And now there's even less money."