By California State University Employees Union (CSUEU) members and the California State University Chancellor’s Office have agreed to a “Step” program for employee salaries for the first time in 30 years.
California State University workers gathered at Brotman Hall on Wednesday, Oct. 11, to support negotiations between the CSU Chancellor’s Office and CSUEU members for a new contract. California State University Employees Union President Catherine Hutchinson from CSU Channel Islands said it would include a payment structure known as the step system or fixed yearly salary increase by a certain percentage. She said that this range can be renegotiated each year. Hutchinson said workers have not had this type of payment system for 30 years.
10/11/23- California State University Employees Union members and supporters marched around Brotman Hall on Wednesday, Oct. 11, to support the union getting their demands met. Photo credit: Elizabeth Basile
“This is going to be a big year for CSUEU members,” Hutchinson said. “No matter what else happens we have already successively pressured the CSU to agree to a salary step structure.”
According to the CSUEU website, the agreement is tentative because union members still have to vote on the concessions reached during negotiations.
Student workers gathered at the rally as part of an effort to get permission to form their own union. Attendees like student assistant Colin Culver came from San Diego State to show support for the new contract.
“We’re standing here today in solidarity with CSUEU members who’re fighting for salary steps,” Culver said. “And we’re here because we’re fighting to start our own union alongside CSUEU members.”
10/11/23- (right to left) Political science major Nataly Torres, 21; public health major Colin Culver, 18 and political science major Golden Bachelder, 22 are student assistants who came together from different campuses in support of the the CSUEU workers getting their Step pay program and for the ability of student workers to unionize. Torres and Bachelder are from California State University Northridge and and Culver is from San Diego State. Photo credit: Elizabeth Basile
Culver said that this was because student workers wanted to be able to negotiate at the table for better pay and working conditions like the unionized staff can.
Hutchinson talked about the union’s achievements outside of Brotman Hall before the rally members began marching. These included:
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Getting the CSU system to agree to the Step system for pay raises in staff contracts
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Approval to allow student workers to unionize
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Cosponsoring a bill that was signed by Governor Gavin Newsom
After the speeches, the group marched around Brotman Hall chanting and carrying signs with slogans like “One job should be enough.”
