Sacramento State faculty eyes possible April strike

The California Faculty Association is either one step closer to going on strike or one step closer to getting what it wants—a 5 percent raise.

Following a vote by its board of directors, the CFA, a union that represents over 26,000 California State University professors, lecturers, coaches and faculty, announced Monday that it would strike for five days in April unless it comes to an agreement with CSU management.

“A strike is our last resort and we still hope that the Chancellor will invest in the faculty who are the major determinant of our students’ success,” CFA president and CSU East Bay professor Jennifer Eagan said in a press release.

The strike, which would happen April 13-15 and April 18-19, has been discussed since 2014, when the CFA and CSU signed an initial agreement to give faculty a 2 percent general salary increase. Since then, the CFA has inquired about, and been denied, a 5 percent raise.

Meanwhile, CSU executives have received two separate pay increases totaling 5 percent since 2014.

In response to CFA’s announcement, CSU released a statement saying it remains committed to coming to an agreement, but will be prepared if a strike does happen. “If a strike occurs, campuses intend to remain open. Many classes will be offered, and students should check with their instructors regarding the status of their classes,” the statement said. “The strike should not interfere with students being able to complete their semester and quarter courses and graduate on time.”

Both sides are still attempting to come to a settlement recommended by a neutral third party. The CFA can’t legally strike until after a 10-day blackout period following the release of the fact-finding report.

However, if the union does strike, it would be the first since one-day walkouts at Cal State Dominguez Hills and Cal State East Bay in 2011.

“We’ve said all along that we don’t want to strike, but we will if we have to,” Eagan said.