More than 6,000 academic student employees, including about 550 Cal State Long Beach students, began striking against the California State University system today after failing to reach a compromise on their upcoming union contract.
UAW 4123 of the United Autoworkers, which represents CSU teaching associates, graduate assistants and instructional student assistants, will strike due to CSU’s “unlawful bargaining.” This includes, according to the UAW website, the CSU not providing requested information during the bargaining process and not reaching a resolution on fee waivers for the student employees until the CSU settles wage “re-opener” bargains with other unions.
The strike began at all campuses at 7 a.m. this morning and will last until an agreement is reached on the contract. At CSULB, picketing will take place in front of Brotman Hall. Approximately 98.5 percent of UAW members have authorized the strike, and employees will be able to earn up to $200 a week in strike benefits.
UAW members, whose duties include teaching classes, tutoring students and grading papers, have been told to not continue working during the strike and to ask for support from other students.
Offering fee waivers to the union members, who make an average of $11.90 an hour, would cost the CSU $8- to $11- million each year.
The academic student employees took a 7 percent wage cut this year and are the only unionized workers or administrators in the CSU system who do not receive a fee waiver benefit, according to the UAW.
“We don’t think this is fair at all, but the school begs to differ,” said Adan Gallardo, a CSULB teaching assistant, in an e-mail.
Several legislative leaders, as well as the California Faculty Association, have shown their support for the union, and almost 3,500 UAW members have signed a public statement addressed to CSU Chancellor Charles Reed, requesting a fee waiver benefit.