CFA recently announced a major escalation of our tactics in bargaining with the Chancellor's office. While many of you have read and heard about these announcements, we want to provide a re-cap and outline what we are asking of faculty members.
Authorizing a one-day strike
CFA is taking the step of asking members to authorize a one-day strike following the Chancellor's refusal to pay previously negotiated raises.
"Concerted actions" -- or job actions up to and including a strike -- will take place on November 17 at one southern campus (Cal State Dominguez Hills) and one northern campus (Cal State East Bay).
While CFA is not currently calling for a one-day strike at SDSU, we are asking faculty members to send a wake-up call to the Chancellor by authorizing one-day strikes on one or more campuses.
Why we need to act
Neutral third-party Fact Finders have twice sided with CFA -- most recently in September -- and rejected the Chancellor's rationale for refusing to pay the negotiated 2008-09 and 2009-10 faculty salary increases. Convinced the Chancellor has some funds at his disposal, the Fact Finders recommended that the Chancellor pay at least part of the negotiated raises.
The Chancellor rejected the recommendations of both Fact Finders.
As we have had to do in the past, faculty members will need to increase the pressure on Chancellor Reed.
We have tried bargaining in good faith with the Chancellor -- and he would not budge.
We presented our case before neutral Fact Finders and they found
that the Chancellor could have and should have paid at least some
of the negotiated raises -- and the Chancellor would not
budge.
If we want Chancellor Reed to budge, we will need to show that we
are prepared to take action.
What we need to do
CFA is asking faculty members to commit to four escalating actions. We are beginning to circulate Strike Authorization cards that lay out the four actions:
- Support the "concerted action" of our colleagues at CSU Dominguez Hills by joining us on November 17 in traveling to that campus. (As we firm up the logistics for November 17, I will be in touch with details. We will make the logistics of the day as easy as possible for those able to make this commitment.);
- Participate in informational picketing on our own campus in early November;
- Authorize the CFA Board of Directors to call a one-day strike on a date to be specified on one or more campuses; and
- Commit to honor a one-day strike if it is called on our campus.
When you receive a Strike Authorization Card, please help us show the faculty's resolve by filling out and returning the card to CFA.
Questions and answers
An extensive Q&A page regarding these faculty actions is available at this link: http://www.calfac.org/nov17questions
We will be sure to provide updates to you on bargaining and on the faculty actions.
