Faculty strike ends after first day: tentative agreement updates

After one day of striking the California State University management and California Faculty Association have reached an agreement about the union’s new contract. Classes will resume as scheduled starting Tuesday, Jan. 23.

In the tentative agreement the faculty will receive retroactive pay with a 5% increase, raising the salary floor for the lowest paid faculty, an additional increase of 2.65% for 2024-2025, extended parental leave, gender neutral bathrooms, lactating rooms and having a union rep present during police interactions for protection. An additional 5% will be contingent on if  the state will be raising funds.

“Parental leave is huge, a lot of people are starting families,” said Maureen Loughran, CFA field representative. 

However, some faculty will not be eligible for the 2.65% increase, part time professors have to teach at least 24 units in order to be eligible for the 2.65% increase. The increase of salary helps department chairs and helps recruit and attract people to the jobs. 

Loughran explained that an assistant professor will be making about 10,000 more and a professor will be making about 14,000 more with this proposed contract.

Fourteenth and B street was packed with professors, lecturers, coaches, librarians and students demanding that CSU come to the bargaining table and reach an agreement about their working contract.

Humboldt’s CFA chapter president Marisol Ruiz and supporter Rick Toledo, led a powerful strike with supporters chanting, “Who’s got the power? We got the power! What kind of power? Union power!” and “No justice, No Teach!”.

Ruiz quotes Angela Davis to describe the union’s fight for better working conditions saying ”freedom is a constant struggle.” 

Multiple groups, consisting of both faculty and students, were striking at the main entrance of Cal Poly Humboldt and by the campus library. The concerns of the faculty are livable wages, parental leave, gender neutral bathrooms and not increasing tuition for the students. 

A few of the students expressed different concerns as to why they decided to join the strike and will continue to support the faculty. 

Sophomore student Ruben Antilla came out to support the strike stating,” I love the faculty, that’s why I’m here.” 

Georgina Cerda, an international student came to support the CFA strike because she believes to have a good education you have to have teachers who are paid fairly; it costs to have a quality education. Cerda also shared that she and other CFA supporters had been flooding the CSU management with emails asking the CSU to be fair and give the teachers what they deserve. 

Student Steven Carin, who walks with a cane joined in on the strike, because nothing was going to stop him from showing his support.

“Nothing is more important than education, nothing,” said Carin.

Loren Cannon was at the bargaining table with the CSU Monday night and noted this is an agreement he plans to vote in favor of. Although not all the requests were met as originally asked, he believes this contract is best for the lowest paid faculty. 

“We get attached to our original proposals,” Cannon said. “As a union it’s important to make decisions for all.” CFA members will vote on the tentative agreement mid-February.