California State University Faculty Strikes Deal to End Walkout

Facts

• Late Monday night, California State University (CSU) management and the California Faculty Association (CFA) union signed a provisional agreement giving CSU faculty a 5% raise retroactive to last year and an additional 5% on July 1, leading the faculty to cease industrial action Tuesday, ending a planned weeklong strike.¹
• On Monday, thousands of professors and lecturers across the California State University (CSU) system began a walkout seeking higher pay and benefits. The protest had been expected to result in the cancellation of most courses for roughly 460K students across all 23 CSU campuses.²
• 29K CSU members of the California Faculty Association (CFA) went on strike demanding a 12% wage increase, a raise in the minimum salary from $54,360 to $64,360, expanded parental leave, and more mental health counselors for students.³
• Union leaders said the deal reached Monday would increase parental leave from six to ten weeks and raise the compensation level for the lowest-paid faculty members by $3K immediately, followed by another $3K raise on July 1.⁴
• In a statement, CSU Chancellor Mildred García expressed appreciation that the two sides had found 'common ground.' On Friday, the university also reached a deal with 1K skilled trades workers who planned to participate in this week's strike, reaching a deal on raises and promotions.⁵
• This week's action was the first ever system-wide walkout, as strikes took place on all 23 CSU campuses. The resolution is not yet confirmed, with union members set to vote on the deal 'in the coming weeks.'⁶

Sources: ¹Associated Press, ²The New York Times (a), ³The Hill, ⁴The New York Times (b), ⁵ABC News and ⁶Inside Higher Ed.

Narratives

• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by Inside Higher Ed. The fact that the CSU and CFA unions reached an agreement to end a systemwide strike after just one day is remarkable. The provisional agreement struck on Monday night ensures the university system's long-term financial viability, while also providing for the demands of its respected faculty. CSU will collaborate to provide an affordable, world-class education to California's diverse population, especially by working to avoid unnecessary industrial action disrupting students' education.
• Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by Los Angeles Times. Though the provisional deal does not meet all union demands, it comes close. The result of just a one-day faculty walkout across all 23 CSU campuses has sent a clear message: strikes work. If anything, the action taken by educators has taught their students vital life lessons, such as the significance of collective strength and the important of standing up for what one believes in.

Predictions