Fact-Finder Favors Faculty In Dispute With CSU

The California State University system and its faculty remain unable to agree on pay raises. The latest step in the process is issuance of an opinion by an independent fact-finder. It supports the faculty’s call for a 5 percent raise, and it clears the way for a strike.

The California Faculty Association has already scheduled a strike beginning April 13th. Union president Jennifer Eagan says the university could stop it.

"The CSU management could come to use at any time with a reasonable proposal to try to avert the strike, but the ball really is in their court," Eagan says.

The fact-finder’s report calculated the recession impeded salary growth by 10 percent and 43 percent of faculty are due raises based on seniority.

CSU Chancellor Tim White says the system has no money for anything higher than a 2 percent raise.

"We are under-resourced," White says. "As a consequence, we find ourselves in this disagreement with our employees over pay."

The fact-finder’s report recommends the university put some programs on hold to carve out the extra $100 million needed for the higher pay raise, but it doesn’t specify which ones to sacrifice.