The union representing California State University faculty reached a tentative agreement with the university system late Monday, putting an end to a planned five-day strike after just one day. The union announced on Instagram, that after months of negotiation and strike actions, their movement for a #betterCSU has paid off. Faculty members are expected to resume teaching on Tuesday and the agreement, contingent on ratification by union members, includes higher salary floors for lowest-paid workers, and expansion of parental leave. The announcement of the agreement came after the faculty at all 23 campuses of CSU, spearheaded a massive walkout on the first day of the term for most students.
The California Faculty Assn., representing 29,000 professors, lecturers, counselors, librarians and coaches, had initiated the strike to demand better pay and conditions, which ended up culminating months of escalating tension between the union and CSU administration. The university system clarified that it did not cancel classes and counteracted the “misinformation” about the status of instruction. Students throughout the system said faculty did not show up to most, if not all, of their classes. The tentative agreement fell short of full union demands, but did include provisions for retroactive pay, a 5% salary increase and a one year extension of the current contract which was set to end in June. The agreement regarding improvements such as smaller class sizes, gender-inclusive restrooms, and a full semester of expanded parental leave. It also extended and improved paid parental leave from six to 10 weeks, improved access to gender-inclusive restrooms and lactation spaces, all strengthening learning conditions for students. There were mixed reactions from students in response to the strike, with some in support of the strike’s objectives and issue of fairness and sustainability. However, there were logistical issues as official email communications regarding class cancellation left students unsure if they should arrive or how to proceed. Regardless, the strike resulted in a significant disruption to the regular functioning of the education system.
The one-day strike left campuses nearly empty as students encountered various conflicting instructions about class status and whether to attend. The strike left students in limbo, with some not knowing which classes were canceled or not. Nevertheless, the student sentiments were varied with some being eager to start the semester and others supporting the striking faculty members. Additionally, CSU officials resorted to circulating online forms to report canceled classes, with many students reluctant to “snitch” on their faculty. Despite the rain, faculty members, including working-class members and students, were shown to be in support of the strike. The strike resulted in a significant disruption to the regular functioning of the campus.
