by Andres Felix Romero
Across the California State University system, thousands of students expected a pause in classes, thousands of faculty expected to trade in their pens and markers for picket signs and thousands of skilled laborers were prepared to drop their tools for the week of Jan. 22-26 to strike.
However, the Teamsters 2010 announced Friday, Jan. 19 they reached an agreement with the Chancellor’s Office. After one day of a weeklong planned strike, it was announced by the California Faculty Association (CFA) the night of Jan. 22 that they and the Chancellor’s office had settled with a tentative agreement as well. Campus operations are set to return to full swing by the end of this week.
Teamster’s Agreement Highlights
The Teamsters were able to secure an immediate 5% pay increase, with back pay retroactive to July 1, 2023. They were also able to establish a step-pay system, meaning that skilled laborers within the CSU system will have a pay increase each year. Teamsters were also able to maintain their pension, medical benefits, and their emergency pay.
With the Teamsters able to get back to work and have an agreement for a solid contract in order with better pay, skilled laborers on the Humboldt Campus such as locksmith Phillip Bradley felt a sense of relief.
“Obviously [having an agreement in place] just takes a lot of stress off,” Bradley said. “Uncertainty creates a lot of anxiety.”
CFA Agreements Highlights
The CFA also secured a 5% increase in pay retroactive to July 1, 2023. There is planned to be another 5% increase on July 1, 2024, effectively giving faculty a roughly 10% increase in pay. However, the 2024 increase is contingent on the state not cutting CSU funding. There will also be more protections in place for faculty dealing with police, and improved access to gender-inclusive restrooms and lactation spaces. Also for faculty that are new parents, paid parental leave has increased from six to 10 weeks.
Faculty, such as English professor Sarah Ben-Zvi, had to find ways to balance parenthood with work. Despite the support of her department to make her maternity leave as smooth as possible, she still felt some struggle. She felt that the increase in time for maternity leave was appreciated, but it may not be enough.
“It’s definitely a step in the right direction, but I still don’t think it’s enough time,” Ben-Zvi said. “I feel like it was not until maybe three months after my kid was born, that I started to feel almost human again… and able to give my students what they deserve, which is a great teacher who is on her game.”
Another mother and professor with a newborn is English professor Tessa Head, who was on the picket line with her 14-month-old child. Head feels that a paid semester of parental leave would be beneficial for not just parents but the students as well.
“[A semester of parental leave] would give you time to bond with your babies and take care of them, to form that secure attachment,” Head said. “And for students, I think it would provide better learning conditions because they would have a faculty member who is present for the whole semester.”
CFA faculty rights chair Loren Cannon was present on the picket line striking his drum and leading strikers. He shared his thoughts on the outcome of the tentative agreement.
“We really did make some gains,” Cannon said. “I guess [the Chancellor’s Office] didn’t expect us to actually pull off a strike or something, because we only struck for one day [then came to a tentative agreement with the Chancellor’s Office].”
Student Reactions
With notice being given by faculty not to expect classes this week, some students made plans for work or travel. Students like Criminology and Social Justice Major Jocelyn Douglas faced some struggles when they scheduled extra shifts at work this week, only to be told that class would be back in session. The short notice has left students such as Douglas feeling disorganized.
“I took this opportunity of thinking that I had a week off of school to work 60 hours with both jobs that I work at, to be able to catch up on bills,” Douglas said. “Being a full-time student and working full-time, sometimes conflicts with each other. And with less than a 24-hour notice that we do have to attend school, and with my classes being mandatory for attendance, I’m kind of conflicted about [choosing] between work and school. Thank God the teachers are being pretty lenient so far.”
Scene of Strike
As for the strike itself, dozens of faculty and their supporters were on the picket line. They danced with their signs to the passing cars that honked their support, all the while they moved to energizing music blaring over speakers. Some signs read, “5% don’t pay the rent,” “California Strike University” and “You can’t put students first if you put faculty last.”
Students were present on the line to support their faculty. Students such as accounting major Lealu Freedom felt an obligation to support their professors due to the past support they have given to her.
“[If faculty have better conditions they] can devote more time to their students, and create a more enjoyable experience versus focusing so much on trying to get their needs met,” Freedom said. “It’s kind of like a student. You know, if the student’s struggling with housing, they’re not gonna be able to learn. Same thing with a teacher, if they’re struggling with basic needs, they are not gonna be able to teach.”
What’s Next
Language for the contracts will be rewritten based on the tentative agreement, and the CFA is expected to vote on whether or not to officially ratify the contract within the coming weeks to months.
Although the CFA and Teamsters unions made gains in this situation, CFA President Marisol Ruiz acknowledges that there is still work to be done.
“When we are striking, we’re striking for better working conditions for all,” Ruiz said. “For all the faculty and the students, we should all be supportive and in unison working together to fight. There’s still a 6% increase of tuition hikes, and that’s a fight that needs to continue to happen.”