California Faculty Protests, Pushing Fair Work Conditions And a Pay Raise

A series of one-day strikes started Monday at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, also known as Cal Poly Pomona, by faculty at California State University, the most extensive public university system in the U.S., according to AP.

The California Faculty Association, representing the 29,000 workers on 23 campuses, advocates for an entire semester of parental leave instead of just six weeks, a 12% pay raise, reasonable workloads, improved access to nursing stations, and more gender-neutral restrooms. Upholding the fundamentals of a solid public education system is the goal of the strikes. California State Universities, Los Angeles, Sacramento, and San Francisco State University all have similar events scheduled.

California State University's Stand On Strike

The California State University chancellor's office states that the union's requested pay raise would amount to $380 million in new annual spending, exceeding the state's increased funding for the system in the 2023-24 year by $150 million. Leora Freedman, the vice chancellor for human resources, emphasizes the university system's commitment to fair pay and competitive benefits, acknowledging the necessity of raising compensation. However, she highlights the importance of fiscal sustainability. The chancellor's office respects the workers' right to strike and is prepared to minimize campus disruptions. Cal Poly Pomona leaders assure that the campus will stay open, and some faculty will still conduct classes during the strike. Instructors involved in the strike inform students of cancellations and provide instructions for the next class.

Year of Labor Protests

Kate Ozment, an English assistant professor and union representative at Cal Poly Pomona, shares her personal experience, stating she could only afford her job due to being married after earning a modest income as a graduate student. She emphasizes that individuals from two-income households or with generational wealth are more able to take such positions, which she believes goes against the intended principles of the CSU. In addition to salary concerns, Ozment highlights the importance of increased parental leave, noting that the current six weeks are insufficient. She argues that having only a short parental leave disrupts classes, especially when professors have expertise in specific niche topics that other instructors may not cover.

In addition to the faculty union, various California State University workers advocate for improved pay and bargaining rights. The Teamsters Local 2010 union, representing plumbers, electricians, and maintenance workers within the university system, organized a one-day strike last month to push for better pay. Furthermore, in October, student workers throughout the university system gained the eligibility to vote on forming a union.

Jason Rabinowitz, the secretary-treasurer for Teamsters Local 2010, expressed that skilled workers have received considerably lower pay than counterparts in similar positions at University of California campuses. He stated that Teamsters will persist in supporting the faculty union and standing united with other unions until California State University treats its members, faculty, and all workers fairly.

The strike occurred in a significant year for labor, with healthcare professionals, Hollywood actors, writers, and auto workers protesting for improved pay and working conditions. This happens alongside new California laws providing workers with more paid sick leave and increased wages for health care and fast food workers. The previous year, teaching assistants and graduate student workers at the University of California went on a month-long strike, causing disruptions to classes as the fall semester concluded.