By snoadmin
CARSON – The California Faculty Association (CFA) announced yesterday morning its authorization to conduct two-day rolling strikes throughout the 23-campus California State University (CSU) system, a decision that could mark the largest strike in the history of higher education in the United States.
The vote to approve a strike – the first of its kind in CFA’s 26-year existence – came after two years of unsettled negotiations with the CSU and was approved with an overwhelming 94 percent majority “yes” vote. The authorization had an 81 percent voter turnout from the union of more than 11,000 members.
“The level of turnout and the magnitude of the vote sends a clear message to [Chancellor Charles Reed] and the board of trustees that enough is enough,” said Lillian Taiz, CFA vice president and Cal State Los Angeles history professor.
The statewide strikes could begin as early as next month. Taiz said some CSUs will most likely strike for two days, with other CSUs striking on another two days. Taiz said the CFA will determine centrally when exactly the strikes will begin.
“We will surprise you and we will surprise the chancellor,” Taiz said.
John Travis, statewide president of CFA, said with most students’ scheduling, they would most likely only miss one day of classes.
According to the Chancellor’s Office, “A faculty member who is on strike and not receiving pay is not obligated to perform assigned duties, including grading. However, all faculty members, whether striking or not, are obligated to furnish administrators upon their request all grade-books or other documents reflecting grading performed prior to the strike.”
Dennis Kortheuer, a Cal State Long Beach history lecturer, said he feels the strike “is very positive now, and the turnout was fantastic.” Kortheuer also said he hopes that the strike sends a message to Chancellor Reed that the CFA wants change.
According to a statement released by CSULB President F. King Alexander, “We and other CSU leaders understand and respect CFA’s legal right to carry out a job action, such as a strike, in the event that an agreement has not been reached. We also all agree that our faculty and staff deserve increased salaries.”
Alexander also said he has “no doubt that at some point in the weeks and months to come a contract agreement will be reached. However, until that day comes, I would like to make sure that our overarching desire to protect our strong culture of civility and concern for our students prevails.”
CFA representatives said at this time they did not have the exact percentages of the votes from each CSU. However, Elizabeth Hoffman, CSULB English lecturer and CFA associate vice president of lecturers, said CSULB could have played a large part in favor of the strike.
Lydia Sondhi, CFA president of the Long Beach chapter, said CSULB has had a hard time recruiting new faculty because of the CSU system’s “misplaced priorities.”
“We can’t bring in more faculty members,” Sondhi said. According to Sondhi, several people have turned down faculty positions because the salary the CSU system offers does not fit their needs.
Back in Sacramento, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said in a statement that he is “optimistic that both sides can come back to the table and reach an agreement. Faculty and administrators must work together in good faith so that our students, who are bettering themselves through receiving a quality college education, do not become the unintended victims of a looming strike.”
The CSU administration has stated that it plans to continue working with the CFA.
CSU Chancellor Reed said in a statement that by Sunday, the CSU will know whether or not it has reached an agreement. Once its fact-finding report is made public, Reed said “it will be clear that the university administration has gone to great lengths to come to a settlement with the faculty union and avoid the alternative, which would be imposition.”
The announcement Wednesday was strategically given at Cal State Dominguez Hills, a campus the CFA said most represented the extent of how the CSU system has been facing budget cuts that affect students mainly from working-class families.
Starr T. Balmer contributed to this report.
