SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The California State University rolling strike continues and the picket line was at Sacramento State University, Thursday.
Faculty marched for better wages and more parental leave. Members of the Sacramento State marching band played while chants for contracts could be heard as early as 7 a.m. during finals week for students.
Margarita Berta-Avila is a professor of education and also the vice president of California Faculty Association (CFA).
According to the California Faculty Association, the Chancellor’s Office of the California State University system is currently offering a 5% raise. Professors, lecturers, librarians, counselors and coaches are asking for a 12% raise.
They also want an increase in base pay for the lowest paid lecturers who they say make around $35,000 a year.
“Right now, we are super far apart. The Chancellor’s Office knows when they are ready to come to the table seriously and be honest agents then we can do that,” said Berta-Avila.
California State University (CSU) spokesperson Amy Bentley Smith agrees they are far apart when it comes to salary, but she is hopeful about returning to the bargaining table.
“5% for each of the next three years to a total of 15% along with additional increases that would go to certain faculty, about a third of the faculty who would be eligible for salary increases at the lower scale of their salary range that could bring them up to 20% over the next five years,” said Smith.
Faculty members also want to increase parental leave from the current 30 days to a semester. The CSU is offering half a semester with 60% work load reduction.
Parental leave is something mother and lecturer Jacke Humphrey-Straue marched for.
“I had to make the difficult decision of going without pay or making the decision to go back very quickly after building my family,” said Humphrey-Straue. “I’m a full-time lecturer. I teach 12 units and my income alone qualifies my family of four for food stamps. That means I’ve had to pick up a second job as a full time lecturer."
Students from Sacramento State and other campuses marched in support. Michael Lee-Chang is a sophomore at Sacramento State.
“Without them, the CSU is nothing but a bunch of empty classrooms with students and, of course, high paid administrators. If the new CSU Chancellor can make a million dollars in her first year, they can pay faculty more,” said Lee-Chang.
Sacramento State says they sent out notices to all students saying campus is open.
Lanaya Lewis with the university says they have law enforcement to assist with traffic and a website dedicated to providing information on the strike.
“We do know some classes are cancelled but there are a lot that are still in session so we really want students to check with their professors,” said Lewis.
Faculty members say they are also asking for gender inclusive bathrooms for staff and students, rooms for mothers who are nursing and more counselors.
The California Faculty Association says they hope talks will happen again next week, but if not, they will strike again in the spring.
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