Expert trades staff at 22 Cal State College campuses plan to carry an unfair labor observe strike Tuesday, Nov. 14, claiming their wages fall far beneath that of UC staff who do the identical work.
The announcement follows a vote by 94% of union members final month to authorize a walkout.
Teamsters Native 2010, which represents 1,100 staff within the Cal State system, stated the college has exhibited unhealthy religion bargaining amid stalled labor negotiations.
Jason Rabinowitz, the union’s secretary-treasurer, stated CSU administration has interfered with its members’ rights to interact in union exercise by altering work guidelines, eradicating Teamster indicators and supplies from break rooms and threatening retaliation for collaborating in a strike.
“Our members have had sufficient and are taking to the picket line,” he stated. “We don’t need to strike, however they don’t seem to be bargaining with us.”
Regionally, the walkout will have an effect on CSU campuses in Northridge, Los Angeles, Lengthy Seaside, Pomona, Camarillo and San Bernardino.
In a press release issued Monday, CSU stated it doesn’t imagine the Teamsters’ deliberate strike is lawful.
“Ought to a strike happen, all CSU universities will stay open and have contingency plans in place to take care of full college operations with as minimal disruption as attainable for college kids, college, workers, and guests to our campuses,” officers stated.
The employees — together with plumbers, electricians, HVAC technicians, auto mechanics and locksmiths, amongst others — carry out myriad jobs throughout the college system associated to high school services resembling pupil housing, lecture rooms and sports activities venues.
Their labor contract expired June 30, and CSU administration has declined to take part in additional negotiations, Rabinowitz stated.
“A state mediator was introduced in on Oct. 31 to assist resolve the dispute, however nothing got here of that,” he stated. “They don’t seem to be bargaining in good religion.”
The Teamsters are demanding a good contract that addresses the college system’s “damaged wage construction.” They are saying CSU pay lags behind that of comparable UC staff by a mean of 23.6% when evaluating UC and CSU campuses in the identical county.
Alex Vermie, a analysis analyst with Teamsters Native 2010, stated CSU electricians with 23 or extra years of expertise within the Los Angeles space are incomes 13.5% to twenty.8% lower than their UCLA counterparts.
The common beginning fee for LA-area CSU electricians in Could 2023 was $37.37, Vermie stated, whereas the flat beginning wage for UCLA electricians was $46.46.
“Staff have been denied annual step will increase in pay for the previous 28 years,” Rabinowitz stated. “We have now staff who’ve been right here for many years who’re nonetheless on the backside of their pay vary. They’re falling additional and additional behind.”
CSU stated it has provided a 15% compensation pool for a three-year interval to Teamsters staff.
“The CSU stays dedicated to the collective bargaining course of and reaching a negotiated settlement for elevated compensation with the Teamsters, as we’ve executed with 5 of our different worker unions in latest weeks,” CSU administration stated.
The strike follows the latest appointment of CSU Chancellor Dr. Mildred Garcia. Union officers say she obtained a 27% wage improve over her predecessor for a $795,000 base wage and a complete compensation bundle value practically $1 million.
The Teamsters are supported of their strike by the CSU Labor Coalition representing roughly 60,000 CSU staff. Members embrace the California College Affiliation, CSUEU/SEIU 2579, Educational Professionals of California, UAW Native 4123 and the United Affiliation of Physicians and Dentists.
“These are staff who’ve been via the pandemic, earthquakes and fires,” Rabinowitz stated. “When bathrooms are clogged or somebody is locked out of their room, these are the employees who deal with them and supply these providers.”
