Understanding Our Salary Proposal

The CFA Bargaining Team has been hard at work drafting a comprehensive package of initial proposals (so far, pertaining to 22 articles) that would improve the working conditions of faculty. In November 2025, we put forth our proposal on Article 31: Salary. 

Our proposals would secure salary justice through significant revisions to the salary structure including a new salary floor, pay equity, automatic SSIs, and an on-going Cost-of-Living Adjustment to keep faculty ahead of inflation. 

First, we proposed that a faculty’s full-time equivalent (FTE) salary must be at least 10% of the CSU chancellor’s base salary of $795,000. Currently, the minimum FTE salary for an instructor is $66,084 in Range A and $74,652 in Range B. This provision would bump the lowest salary up to $79,500. 

We also proposed a Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) + 2%. This would be effective every year starting September 1. 

There would also be significant changes to the Service Salary Increases (SSIs) that eligible faculty receive. Most importantly, we have proposed that SSIs shall be awarded every year.    

In addition, we proposed two Post-Promotion Increases (PPIs) of 2.65% for both 2025-26 and 2027-28. PPIs intend to address compression at the top of the salary structure. Faculty eligible for a PPI include full professors, Lecturer D faculty, and equivalent librarian, counselor, and coaching faculty who are at or above the SSI maximum. 

We are also proposing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding salary Minima and Maxima for counselor interns within specific classifications, and an increase to the minimum salary for Range C from $81,900 to $84,900. 

Finally, in bargaining our next contract, we are proposing $10 million in equity increases for 2027-28 and new eligibility requirements: If your salary was inverted or compressed in relation to similarly situated colleagues or because of historical wrongs related to race, gender, sexuality, or other Article 16 categories and intersections, then you may qualify for this increase. However, you are not eligible if you are a rehired annuitant or participate in the Faculty Early Retirement Program (FERP). 

So far, CSU’s bargaining team has offered no specific response to our salary proposal at the bargaining table. They have only proposed a one-time, taxable 3% bonus for faculty. This is the same one-time bonus, or “pizza party” referenced in Chancellor Garcia’s direct communications with faculty that led to our recent PERB charge. 

Yet, in the past couple CSU Board of Trustees meetings, the chancellor and trustees have been quick and eager to hand out significant pay raises to presidents and other CSU executives that are strongly at odds with the CSU’s mission and values. They have routinely prioritized themselves while leaving instruction as an afterthought.  

We will continue to demand that the chancellor respect us. That respect includes fair and equitable pay, which is essential for ensuring a safe and inclusive working and learning environment for everyone in our communities.