California State University faculty have been working without a new union contract for nearly 100 days.
The Chico State chapter of the California Faculty Association met Friday with a representative of their statewide bargaining team to discuss the status of the contract.
Currently, faculty are still fighting for:
- Increase in salaries
- Reduction in workload
- Rights for Extended Education instructors
“We’re currently in bargaining in getting a fair contract (from the Chancellor’s office),” said Jennifer Eagan, associate vice president of the California Faculty Association. “We have tentative agreements on many things, but proposals are just proposals. We won’t have a contract until we come to an agreement and we ratify it, then our membership and our board of trustees have to approve it too so we still have a ways to go.”
One of the main of the negotiations is increasing salaries. According to a flyer handed out at the meeting, the main areas of concern are:
- No substantive general salary increase for seven years
- Newly hired staff outpacing existing employees
- Incorrect classification of Lecture-rank employees
Reid Cross, associate professor in the College of Communication and Education, said that he is confident bargaining groups will reach a reasonable agreement.
“Personally, I’m guardedly optimistic at this moment,” he said. “I don’t think we’ve hit a point in these contract talks where we’re talking about striking, although that’s always in the background. But, if it does go that way I think we’re willing (to strike) this time. I think there is still negotiable room and I do think we are going to come to a resolution.”
On Oct. 8 faculty will have worked without a contract for 100 days. If no contract is reached, some faculty will stage a CSU-wide protest.
David McVicker can be reached at [email protected] or @DavidPMcVicker on Twitter.
