By Alejandra Arana|Staff Writer|
The California Faculty Association will hold a vote next week concerning an authorized strike as the union seeks to settle a contract dispute with the Chancellor’s Office.
Since 2010 there has not been a single successful contract for the faculty and staff of the CSU system that both parties have agreed upon.
“Active members of the CFA will be able to vote for a contract that provides them with the security of a raise and smaller class sizes to improve the learning experience of students along with other important details of their work,” states the CFA Magazine.
In a time of budget cuts, two CSU presidents, Mildred Garcia of CSU Fullerton and Leroy Morishita of CSU East Bay, received new salary increases.
According to the LA Times Garcia’s salary is $324,000 plus housing and, $12,000 per year car allowance. Morishita is receiving $303,660, the same $12,000 car allowance and $60,000 housing.
There is still a threat to strike only if this contract is not made in a timely manner and if the suggestions that professors are asking for are ignored, forcing them to accept a contract from the Chancellor’s Office.
“If a strike does happen it will be two day rolling strikes so that students are not impacted as much … We don’t want to hurt the students even more,” said Marcia Marx, CSUSB professor and president of CFA’s CSUSB chapter.
“Hearing about threats of a strike discourages me to pursue my goal of becoming a math professor. If things are bad now I can’t even imagine how hard they will be when I try to teach,” said student Teresa Aguilar.
“I am angry and feel less appreciated for my work when the presidents are getting raises annually without any delays. Professors are the ones producing the end result to our students, not the presidents of these institutions,” said Marx.
“It is very hard to survive. I have one child and I have to be frugal with my husband’s and my income. We had a dream of saving up for the future but that is exactly what it has become, a dream,” said CSUSB professor Ahlam Muhtaseb.
Our professors haven’t seen a general pay increase in four years for some even five, but they continue to work just as hard to provide an education for students.
Whether or not a strike will take place remains unknown until after April 27 when voting is closed and the tallies are in.
Until then, all the faculty and staff along with students will be left unknowing what is going to happen after this quarter.