California State University faculty overwhelmingly approved a new labor contract, moving the nation鈥檚 largest four-year public university system a step closer to ending between educators and university leaders in the system鈥檚 history.
The California Faculty Association said Monday that 76% of members who voted , a set of raises and expansions of benefits that exceeds what Cal State negotiators were offering during eight months of contract negotiations but fell short of initial union demands.
The union represents 29,000 professors, lecturers, counselors, coaches and librarians.
All that remains to finalize the contract is a vote from Cal State鈥檚 board of trustees, who are scheduled to meet March 24-27. It鈥檚 unlikely the board will turn down a contract negotiated by a team that reports to the system鈥檚 new chancellor, Mildred Garc铆a, whom the trustees hired last year. The union wants the board to meet in a special session to approve the deal sooner. If trustees approve it, the deal will last through June 30, 2025.
鈥淲e look forward to working together to continue our advocacy for an equitable CSU,鈥� Charles Toombs, union president and a professor at San Diego State, said that also thanked members for organizing and joining the strikes. 鈥淲e have special gratitude to our students and sibling union members, as well as elected leaders and public education allies who joined our cause and showed up in favor of investing in our CSU.鈥�
Garc铆a鈥檚 office said in a press release that it鈥檚 .
The week-long vote followed a one-day strike last month, the first time faculty walked off the job at all 23 Cal State campuses in the system鈥檚 history, and strikes at . Some union members criticized the union鈥檚 leadership for ending the rain-soaked January strike the day it began, arguing a better deal could have emerged had the strike lasted the full five days union leaders envisioned. Critics also for agreeing to a raise that technically isn鈥檛 fully guaranteed.
Core to the union鈥檚 initial demands were that Cal State negotiators approve a 12% salary hike for all members for the 2023-24 year. Cal State had countered with a 5% offer in 2023-24 and 5% increases the following two years, if state lawmakers increase Cal State鈥檚 main state funding by 5% each year 鈥� something they鈥檝e done the past two years but hardly a guarantee going forward as the state eyes multibillion-dollar budget deficits. The union鈥檚 leaders refused any deal that was conditional. But Cal State was loath to give any union more than 5% for this budget year; new salary negotiations with some labor groups.
The contract just approved by faculty members locks in 5% for 2023-24 that鈥檒l be applied retroactively. Another 5% kicks in this July if Cal State receives as much state funding for its core programs as it did last year 鈥� a likelier outcome and in his budget blueprint, but still a contingency.
The approved contract also extends parental leave from six weeks to 10 weeks 鈥� short of the full semester the union initially sought. It also raises the salary floor by at least on top of the across-the-board raises.
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