Click here to see AFL-CIO's President John Sweeney's  March 20 letter of support.
NEA, SEIU, CTA, AAUP Presidents
Click here to see the letter signed by the presidents of some of the largest and most important unions and academic organizations in the nation - NEA, SEIU, CTA, and AAUP.
New Business Item 1/07-3
Unanimously passed by the CTA State Council of Education on January 28,2007. The State Council is the governing body of the 340,000-member CTA.
Whereas, the California Faculty Association (CFA) worked diligently to achieve a fair contract with the CSU; whereas, the CSU has refused to negotiate in good faith; whereas, the CFA faculty does not want to strike, but will; whereas, the CFA is an affiliate of the CTA and NEA; therefore, be it resolved that CTA will support CFA in the struggle to gain a fair and just contract in the CSU.
CTA President Barbara E. Kerr released this statement on March 5 supporting California State University Faculty - Click here for full content:
“The 340,000 members of the California Teachers Association fully support the members of the California Faculty Association as they begin voting today whether to authorize a strike if they haven’t reached a settlement with CSU administrators by the end of March.
“We know that the faculty on the California State University campuses has done everything possible over the last 22 months to reach a fair agreement with CSU and to avoid a strike. But if they are forced to strike they will, and they will have the full support of their CTA colleagues across the state.
“We join CFA at being outraged that student fees continue to rise and instructors’ salaries continue to fall, while CSU administrators receive pay hikes and executive perks. Increasing administrator salaries by more than 20 percent, while faculty pay has remained stagnant is unacceptable, makes it harder to recruit faculty and compete with other colleges across the country.”
AAUP-CBC Resolution in support of The California Faculty Association
Whereas, the California Faculty Association (CFA) worked diligently to achieve a fair contract with the CSU;
whereas, the CSU has refused to negotiate in good faith;
whereas, the CFA faculty does not want to strike, but will;
whereas, the CFA is an affiliate of the AAUP;
therefore, be it resolved that the AAUP-CBC will support CFA in the struggle to gain a fair and just contract in the CSU.
Passed unanimously by the CBC Executive Committee, February 3, 2007
Resolution
January 24, 2007
California Faculty Association Monterey Bay Academic Senate
Resolution in support of CFA in bargaining with the CSU
WHEREAS the faculty of CSU Monterey Bay has primary responsibility for the educational functions of the university; and
WHEREAS the quality of the academic program relies on the recruitment and retention of highly qualified teachers and scholars to the CSU Monterey Bay faculty; and
WHEREAS, since 1997, raises for campus presidents have totaled 49% while in the same period GSIs for faculty have totaled 17%; and
WHEREAS since 2003, the Consumer Price Index has increased by 9.5% but there has been only one GSI, for 3.5%; and
WHEREAS California Faculty Association (CFA) has~bargained in good faith with the California State University (CSU) administration for 20 months; and
WHEREAS CFA and the CSU have reached the final statutory stage of bargaining known as fact-finding; and
WHEREAS on December 15, 2006, the previous statutory step, mediation, ended without progress having been made on the critical issue of faculty compensation; and
WHEREAS, the administration bargaining team attempted in mediation to back out of tentative agreements that already had been reached; and
WHEREAS CFA must prepare for the likely outcome that one side or the other will not support the fact finding report at which point the Chancellor may take the extreme step of imposing terms and conditions of employment consistent with their “last best offer;”
BE IT RESOLVED that the Academic Senate of CSU Monterey Bay, as it empowers faculty to play an integral role in the actualization of the University's vision of shared governance, fully supports CFA and urges Chancellor Reed to return to the bargaining table and negotiate in good faith without establishing positions that cannot be negotiated.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution be distributed to the CSUMB President, the CSUMB Provost, all CSU Academic Senates, the CSUMB chapter of the CFA, all other CSU chapters of the CFA, local media, the Trustees of the CSU and the CSU Chancellor.
Associated Students Inc. at San Francisco State Resolution of Solidarity with California Faculty Association Contract Negotiation
Whereas, Associated Students Incorporated of San Francisco State University is the sole recognized representative body by the California State University system of the over 28,000 SFSU students; and
Whereas, Due to the CSU $511 million budget cuts, class sizes have increased, departments have been cut, the ratio to students and faculty advisors have dramatically increased, and students have suffered a decline in the quality of education and student life across the state; and
Whereas, In addition to implementing the budget cuts, the Chancellor’s Office has initiated raising undergraduate students fees by 76% and graduate fees by 100% and has neglected to bargain a fair contract with the California Faculty Association; and
Whereas, The California Faculty Association is the sole faculty union recognized in the California State University System; and
Whereas, The Chancellor’s Office has continuously misallocated resources including a 23% salary increase to CSU Administrators and scandalous executive compensation perks for top ranking administrators; and
Whereas, CFA continues to stand in solidarity with the 400,000 CSU students, by maintaining an unyielding position against student fee increases, administrators raises and executive compensation; and
Whereas, Some CSU students and faculty have been forced to work more than one job, due to the increase in student fees and misallocation of funds within the CSU; and
Whereas, Although California has a high cost of living, the salaries offered by the CSU are not competitive to comparable universities nationally, thus inhibiting the CSU to attract and retain qualified professors, which in turn impacts the quality of education and the value of a CSU degree; and
Whereas, CFA and ASI recognize that student learning conditions are faculty working conditions and that we have shared visions of the California’s Master Plan of Higher Education, and we advocate to defend the CSU as an affordable, equitable, and quality, higher education institution; therefore be it
Resolved That ASI of SFSU refuses and condemns the propaganda put out by the Chancellor’s Office meant to divide and conquer students and faculty and instead ASI will stand in solidarity with CFA during their struggle to negotiate a fair contract; and be it further
Resolved That the Executive Director of ASI SFSU will be held responsible to distribute this resolution to the CFA SFSU chapter, SFSU President Robert Corrigan, the CSU Board of Trustees and CSU Chancellor Charles B. Reed, the California State Student Association, the Xpress Newspaper, the San Francisco Chronicle, the California State Governor, and the San Francisco representatives within the State Legislator.
Respectfully Submitted by
Héctor Jiménez Cardenas
Asella Donovan-Blood
Mairé Fowler
Joicy Serrano
Chris Oropeza
Please click here to see the letter of support from
Charles Goetzl, APC President, dated March 9.
Please click here to see the letter of support from
Gary Robinson, UAPD Executive Director, dated
February 26.
Resolution in Support of The California Faculty Association
WHEREAS, the members of the California Faculty Association (CFA) are committed to providing California’ college students the highest quality of education in the nation; and
WHEREAS, the members of CFA receive compensation for less than their counterparts at other state and private colleges and universities; and
WHEREAS, CFA has worked diligently to achieve a fair contract with the Trustees of the California State University and have failed to reach an acceptable agreement
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Los Angeles County Democratic Party supports the California Faculty Association in the struggle to gain a fair and just contract with the Trustees of the California State University; and
THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Los Angeles County Democratic Party will urge, in the strongest terms, Democratic leaders and members of the Legislature to demand the California State University Trustees conclude an agreement with the California Faculty Association that is fair, reasonable and just.
Submitted by Cecile Bendavid, 41st AD, February, 2007
Amended by LACDP Chair Eric C. Bauman, March 5, 2007
Committee Approved with amendments on March 6, 2007
The above resolution was approved by all the elected delegates to the Los Angeles County Democratic Party on March 13, 2007
Please click here to see the CSAA's Resolution in Support of Equitable Pay for Quality Instruction, dated March 11.
Please click here to see the Monterey Bay ASI's Resolution in support of CFA and faculty.
Resolution 4.07
Subject: Support for CSUMB Faculty
Date: February 27, 2007
Mover: Jennifer Fellguth
Division/Department: Academic Senate President
Passed: Unanimously
WHEREAS the CSU, as the nation's largest public university system, aspires to set high standards for protecting access to a quality education for all students; and,
WHEREAS faculty working conditions are student learning conditions; and,
WHEREAS the CSU has failed to advocate for the reinstatement of one-half billion dollars cut from the General Fund in 2002; and,
WHEREAS, since 1997, raises for campus presidents have totaled 49% while in the same period General Salary Increases (GSI) for faculty have totaled 17%; and,
WHEREAS since 2003, the Consumer Price Index has increased by 9.5% but there has been only one GSI, for 3.5%; and,
WHEREAS California Faculty Association (CFA) has bargained in good faith with the California State University (CSU) administration for 20 months; and,
WHEREAS CFA and the CSU have reached the final statutory stage of bargaining known as fact-finding; and,
WHEREAS on December 15, 2006, the previous statutory step, mediation, ended without progress having been made on the critical issue of faculty compensation; and,
WHEREAS, the administration bargaining team attempted in mediation to back out of tentative agreements that already had been reached; and,
WHEREAS CFA must prepare for the likely outcome that one side or the other will not support the fact finding report at which point the Chancellor may take the extreme step of imposing terms and conditions of employment consistent with their “last best offer;”
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Hartnell College Academic Senate fully supports the California Faculty Association's efforts, including support for such pending actions as campus-wide rolling strikes, toward the goal of negotiating a fair contract for all CSU faculty, including junior faculty, senior faculty, and lecturers, who constitute more than half of the teaching faculty of the CSU, and nearly 65% of CSUMB faculty.
Please click here to see the Resolution in support of the CFA unanimously adopted by the CA-AAUP membership on
March 3.
RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF SETTLING CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN THE CFA AND THE CSU
WHEREAS The Faculty Senate of Sacramento State endorses the resolution approved by the Academic Senate of the California State University “Importance of Settling the Contract Between the CSU and CFA"; and
WHEREAS the faculty of CSU Sacramento has primary responsibility for the academic policy, curriculum and academic standards of the campus; and the Faculty Senate has a responsibility to advocate policies which will improve the educational quality of campus programs; and
WHEREAS the quality of academic programs and long-term health of the institution depends on the recruitment of highly qualified teacher/scholars to CSU campuses, their retention and continuing professional support, and this recruitment and retention requires remunerating them commensurate with their training, professional status and national norms, and treating them with the respect due co-governors of the institution; and
WHEREAS since July, 2002, faculty have been granted only a 3.5% General Salary Increase while the California Consumer Price Index has risen 15.8%, as the Chancellors Office has effectively subjected the faculty carrying the heaviest teaching loads in the country to a pay cut which reduces their salaries 18% below those of comparable campuses nationally (as determined by CPEC, the California Post Secondary Education Commission); and
WHEREAS California Faculty Association (CFA), the legal collective bargaining representative for CSU faculty, has negotiated in good faith with the CSU Chancellors Office for 20 months, while the Chancellors Office has refused to consider proposals to raise faculty salaries to parity with the rising cost-of-living, provide for Service Salary Increases and remedy salary inversion for junior faculty; and
WHEREAS CFA and Chancellors Office have now reached the final statutory stage of bargaining known as fact-finding, without progress in the previous stage of mediation; and
WHEREAS CFA must prepare for the possibility that after the fact-finder’s report Chancellor Reed may take the extreme step of attempting to impose terms and conditions of employment, which would violate the spirit of shared governance and produce turmoil and demoralization on the twenty-three campuses of the CSU; therefore, be it
RESOLVED that the Faculty Senate of Sacramento State affirms its support for the CFA’s bargaining objectives; urges Chancellor Reed to return to the bargaining table and adequately address matters of faculty compensation, workload and professional growth and development, and calls on faculty to help insure the conditions of a healthy, vibrant university and realize the University’s commitment to principles of shared governance; and be it further
RESOLVED that this resolution be distributed to the Sacramento State President, Provost and other administrators, all CSU Academic Senates, the CSUS chapter and other chapters of the CFA, the CSU Chancellor and Trustees, and local media.
Passed without dissent by the
CSU San Marcos Academic Senate
March 7, 2007
Whereas, the Academic Senate of CSU San Marcos believes that the California Faculty Association (CFA) has worked diligently to achieve a fair contract with the Chancellor and CSU Board of Trustees;
Whereas, the Academic Senate of CSU San Marcos believes that the Chancellor and CSU Board of Trustees have failed to negotiate in good faith;
Whereas, the faculty does not want to strike, but will;
Therefore, be it resolved that the Academic Senate of CSU San Marcos supports CFA in the struggle to gain a fair and just contract with the Chancellor and CSU Board of Trustees.
Resolution passed on March 18, 2007, at the CFT's annual convention:
Whereas, the California Faculty Association (CFA) is a union of 23,000 professors, lecturers, librarians, counselors and coaches who teach in the California State University system, and
Whereas, the CFA has worked diligently to achieve a fair contract with the Trustees of the California State University (CSU), and
Whereas, the CSU system has refused to negotiate in good faith, and
Whereas, the CFA faculty does not want to strike, but will, and
Whereas, the California Federation of Teachers has long been a supporter of faculty at all levels in California and recognizes the fairness of CFA's contract proposals,
Therefore, be it resolved that the CFT will support the CFA in the struggle to gain a fair and just contract with the Trustees of the CSU.
Please click here to see the Press Release dated March 14 issued by the Sonoma County Democratic Party Central in support of the CSU faculty in their efforts to negotiate a new contract with their administrators.
Joint Council of Teamsters No. 38
Please click here to see the strike sanction authorization letter issued by the Joint Council of Teamsters No. 38 on March 15.
Michigan Association of Higher Education (MAHE)
Dear Professor Travis:
Representatives of the Michigan Association of Higher Education (MAHE) learned from CFA delegates at the National Council of Higher Education Conference of the impending job actions contemplated by your organization.
While we were distressed to learn that CFA has not been able to reach agreement with the California State University after nearly two years of negotiations, this is to inform you that we are in solidarity with you, and fully support your job actions including two-day rolling strikes on the CSU's 23 campuses.
By a recent unanimous MAHE board vote, the Michigan Association of Higher Education stands with CFA in its attempt to win a fair and just contract for the faculty of the CSU.
Sincerely,
Matthew Dunckel, President
Michigan Association of Higher Education
Lansing, Michigan
Please click here to see the CSUCI Student Government's Resolution in Support of a Timely and Professional Compromise between the CFA and the CSU dated
February 15, 2007.
Resolution in support of CSU Faculty during Contract Negotiations
Whereas, The Eureka Teachers Association (ETA) is the sole representative body of Eureka Teachers; and
Whereas, Eureka Teachers are together with HSU Faculty in understanding that California’s public education dollars should be spent on public education; and
Whereas, In the last 5 years, faculty members have been given a significantly higher workload of increased class sizes without adequate support, causing a decline in the quality of education for students; and
Whereas The CSU administration has been unsuccessful in advocating for more funding from the California State Legislature to address unmet needs at the CSU; and
Whereas, CSU administrators have been given increases in salary and perks, which total to 23% since 2004, compared to a faculty increase of 3.5% since 2003 (3); and
Whereas, The only CSU faculty union, CFA, has consistently held a pro-student, pro-education stance for the last 4 years, arguing against fee increases through resolutions and lobbying; and
Whereas, The CSU administration has neglected to bargain a contract (to allow for increases in the cost of living, which in California have been 10% since 2003) with the only faculty union recognized in the CSU; and
Whereas, The current contract bargaining between CFA and the CSU has negatively impacted students and the education they receive; and
Whereas, The CSU salary offer to CFA in the current collective bargaining does not address the lag between CSU faculty compensation at comparable institutions; be it
Resolved, That ETA supports the dedication of their colleagues by supporting a fair contract without raising student fees; and be it further
Resolved, That ETA chooses to stand in solidarity with CSU faculty; and be it further
Resolved, That ETA demands that President Rollin Richmond and the other HSU administrators seek a solution that is equally beneficial for administrators, students, faculty, and staff; and be it further
Resolved, That ETA calls upon Chancellor Charles Reed and the CSUBOT to seek additional funding from the California State Legislature to meet the unmet needs of the CSU; and be it finally
Resolved, That copies of this resolution be sent to (but not limited to) CFA HSU chapter president, President Rollin Richmond, CSU BOT members, Chancellor Charles Reed, CSSA chair Nadir Vissanjy, and members of the local media including but not limited to: The Times Standard, The Lumberjack, The Eureka Reporter, That Arcata Eye, and The North Coast Journal.
Please click here to see the strike sanction authorization letter issued by the Orange County Central Labor Council on February 28.
Please click here to see the strike sanction authorization letter issued by Executive Officer Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins on
March 5.
Please click here to see the strike sanction authorization letter issued by CLC President Jack Brigham on
March 6.
March 26, 2007
John Travis
President, California Faculty Association Humboldt State University
Dear President Travis:
The Santa Monica College Faculty Association has passed a unanimous resolution of support for CSU faculty in their current contract settlement dispute with the CSU chancellor and trustees.
This came about after a similar resolution was passed at the state AAUP meeting a few weeks ago. Santa Monica College also has an AAUP chapter. We wish you all the best and please let me know if I or our FA can be of any help. I read the article in this morning's LATimes which stated that both parties are back to the bargaining table after an overwhelming strike authorization vote. Good luck and I hope this is settled soon.
Lantz Simpson
President, SMCFA
Whereas, the California Faculty Association (CFA) worked diligently to achieve a fair contract with the California State University (CSU);
whereas, the CSU has refused to negotiate in good faith;
whereas, the CFA faculty does not want to strike, but will; be it
resolved that the SMC Faculty Association will support CFA in the struggle to gain a fair and just contract in the CSU.
Please click here to see the Sacramento City Teachers Association's Resolution in Support of CFA Contract Negotiations dated March 13, 2007.
Please click here to see FACCC President Dennis Smith's letter of solidarity dated March 27, 2007.
From: Richard Hansen [mailto:HansenRichard@fhda.edu]
Sent: Tuesday, April 03, 2007 9:56 AM
To: creed@calstate.edu
Cc: lhernandez@calstate.edu; jtt1@axe.humboldt.edu
Subject: negotiations with CFA
Chancellor Reed-
Appended below is the text of a letter sent this morning to your office by regular mail on behalf of the California Community College Independents (CCCI). As representatives of the independent faculty bargaining units in the state's community colleges, we urge you to settle with California State University faculty on the basis of the fact-finder's report and avoid the strike sanctioned by members of the California Faculty Association.
-- Richard Hansen, CCCI President
c: R. Achtenberg (c/o L. Hernandez, Trustee Secretariat),
J. Travis
*******************************************
2 April 2007
Charles B. Reed, Chancellor
California State University
401 Golden Shore, Room 641
Long Beach, CA 90802
Dear Chancellor Reed:
As the final week of the extended negotiating period begins, the California Community College Independents (CCCI) urges you to honor the fact-finder's report and settle with the California Faculty Association (CFA) rather than force the faculty to strike. It is disconcerting to watch the California State University administration and Board of Trustees jeopardize this great public university on the basis of a truly misguided set of priorities.
CSU leadership appears to have lost sight of the basic principle that a university administration exists to serve teaching and learning. Support of teaching and learning implies support not only of the classrooms in which faculty work, but also support of the faculty, securing for them a quality professional life. Both concerns demand your attention.
Two years of unproductive bargaining with CFA while lavishing high salaries and luxurious benefits on administrators demoralizes the faculty and makes students wonder why their fees must continually go up. Students believe that they are paying more for less, and faculty know that they are doing more for less.
Recent headlines and editorials have not been favorable, and the public is losing faith in a system that has its priorities upside down. If the CSU administration cannot put educational quality at the top of its priority list, the Trustees should step in to do so.
CCCI, representing the independent collective bargaining units for California community college faculty, supports the California Faculty Association in its fight for a decent contract with fair wages and better working conditions. Should the administration force CFA members to take action, CCCI pledges to assist its fellow faculty in every way that it can.
Sincerely,
Richard Hansen, President
Please click here to see Executive Secretary/Treasurer Laurie Stalnaker's strike sanction letter dated March 30, 2007.
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