CFA Threatens to Strike

By Svetlana Arutyunyan

Members of the California Faculty Association called for fair
contract terms from the California State University during an
informational picketing held Wednesday in front of Building 1.

Nearly 20 CFA members and students gathered to inform the campus
community of their stance and the goals they were attempting to
reach. Those goals include bargaining for fair contracts, rolling
back student fees and dropping executive perks.

Rocio Nevarro, a sixth-year sociology and gender, ethnicity and
multicultural studies student, said she was participating in the
picket to demand for better funding of the CSU. Nevarro, an intern
for the CFA, said funding the CSU is important because students are
unable to graduate on time or get into the classes they want.

“We’re tired of the way the education system is going and we
want to do something about it,” said Nevarro.

Nevarro said she wanted to see an increase in the faculty’s
salary because many of the professors are forced to take a second
job teaching at another campus, which makes it difficult to get a
hold of many of the professors.

Nevarro added that the picketing was not solely about promoting
an increase in faculty salaries, but also about preventing any more
fee increases for students.

John Lloyd, a history professor, also said the CFA is not only
trying to get an increase in faculty salary, but is also promoting
a decrease in student fees.

“Our position is that the CSU needs to go to the Legislature to
get funding and not soak students for fee increases,” said
Lloyd.

Lloyd, who is a member of the CFA and part of its bargaining
team, said the state needs to invest in education for the future of
its economy.

Because California is one of the wealthiest states, said Lloyd,
it needs to put more money into education.

One way to do that is through better funding for the CSU.

Lloyd added that the CSU administration does not mention that
the salary increases it has offered during negotiations is linked
to increases in student fees, which the CFA finds unacceptable.

The CFA and the CSU, unable to reach a compromise after nearly
two years of negotiations, are currently in a fact-finding stage.
In this stage, a fact-finder will listen to both sides to make
recommendations for the terms of the new contract.

Gwen Urey, CFA chapter president, said the CFA might go on
strike if it finds the terms of the new contract unfavorable.

“Faculty are at the point where we are willing to strike if we
have to,” said Urey.

Like many other CFA members, Urey emphasized that the strike
will not be solely about faculty salary increases, but also about
rolling back student fees.

Urey added that she was displeased with the salary raises given
to those in administrative positions, but not to the faculty.

Paul Browning, spokesman for the Office of the Chancellor,
responded to CFA criticism by saying high compensations for
administration, such as university presidents, is necessary to
ensure they get the right people to fill those positions.

“I think they get what they deserve because you have to have
competitive salaries to get the best,” said Browning.

Browning said the CSU also gave the faculty “an excellent
compensation package” with nearly a 25 percent salary increase over
a three-year period.

“It’s the maximum offer the CSU can make,” said Browning. “It’s
the best and last salary offer.”

Browning said he hoped the CFA does not go on strike as that
would bear negative consequences on students.

Students will also be negatively impacted if the fee increases
that were proposed by the Governor on Wednesday go into effect,
said Browning.

But he also added that fee increases may be the only way to
approach the issue.

“The increases are necessary if the state does not provide the
resources,” said Browning. “They’re necessary if we’re under
funded.”

Of the $19.8 billion in higher education funding the Governor’s
new budget unveiled Wednesday, $4.4 billion was allocated to the
CSU.

Svetlana Arutyunyan can be reached by e-mail at
asstnews@thepolypost.com or by phone at (909) 869-3747.

CFA Threatens to Strike