Hundreds of Cal Poly faculty members and some supportive students gathered in the rain Monday morning on the first day of what is expected to be a five-day strike.
The California Faculty Association, which represents faculty, librarians, counselors, and coaches at Cal Poly and other California State Universities, is demanding higher wages and claims the CSU has enough money in its budget to accommodate a 12 percent raise.
“There were four days of bargaining meetings scheduled," said Cal Poly professor Tad Walters. "On the 9th, management got up and walked out. After 21 minutes, they basically imposed their five percent and threatened system-wide layoffs. So I think it's pretty disingenuous that on the Friday before we walk out, they're now saying that they want to sit down and talk.”
The CSU is giving all faculty a five percent general salary starting in February, but faculty members say they deserve more and negotiations have been at a stand-still.
“There's been no movement since May," Walters said. "So there's a statutory process and we've worked our way all the way through that process, which is what's allowing us to be here legally withholding our labor.”
"I'm not happy to strike, but this is what we have to do," said Cal Poly professor Lisa Kawamura. "So I'm here with all the enthusiasm and gusto that I can muster to be here. But honestly, we want our demands met or even, honestly, a fair negotiation session. The Chancellor's office has continued to just say no to everything."
The Chancellor of the CSU system, Dr. Mildred Garcia, agrees an increase is warranted and says she doesn't want a strike.
“They deserve an increase," Garcia said in a media call on Friday. "We are committed to compensating employees fairly, but we are and must be equally committed to the long-term stability and success of this issue, which means we must be fiscally prudent.”
Faculty are asking for salaries to be taken out of the CSU's $2.5 billion reserve fund, but university officials say all but $766 million of that money is committed for specific, necessary and critical campus obligations.
“The CSU currently spends about 75 percent of its operating budget on compensation," said Vice Chancellor Leora Freedman. "If we were to agree to the increases that these unions are demanding, we would have to make severe cuts to programs. We would have to lay off employees. This would jeopardize our educational mission and cause hardship to many employees.”
According to Freedman, the union demands would cost the CSU $380 million in the first year of raises alone, and dipping into the reserve funds is simply off the table.
“The remaining reserves of $766 million that are not committed for specific critical obligations are needed to respond to and manage emergencies and incidents such as earthquakes or wildfires and to maintain safe operations on our campuses," Freedman said.
Both parties say they are ready to meet at the negotiation table in hopes of coming to a mutual agreement. The strike is expected to take place all week from the morning through the afternoon.
