California State University faculty members gathered at Chavez Plaza to rally for more support as they move forward in their fight for a five percent general salary increase.

This rally, lasting from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 20, featured an open mic that was heard by several hundred bystanders. The audience was presented with an administration and faculty salary matching activity, and many faculty members tried to recruit more advocates to attend the Board of Trustees meeting in Long Beach on Nov. 17.

“Attending the Board of Trustees meeting on Nov. 17 will be the best opportunity for students and faculty to directly voice the need for higher salaries for faculty and for students [sic] to remind the Trustees that the primary mission of the CSU is quality education for students and that faculty are the way that happens,” said Ann Fiegen, business librarian at CSUSM. “While student fees have been going up, faculty have lost purchasing power of up to 15 percent with tiny or no salary adjustments over the last ten years.”

The California Faculty Association (CFA) bargaining group, who have been negotiating with the CSU since May 2015, are rejecting the current offer of a two percent general salary increase and are insisting on five percent increase.

“We have not had raises in such a long time that we are falling farther and farther behind,” Jackie Trischman, Professor of Chemistry, said at the the open mic on Oct. 20.

However, as said by Toni Molle, Director of Public Affairs for the CSU system, a five percent general salary increase would cost an additional 69 million dollars, not allowing enough money in the budget for other bargaining groups to obtain an increase in pay. A two percent increase allows for the available funds to be more widespread.

As the CFA bargaining group continues to make little progress in this negotiation, the possibility of faculty going on strike looms closer.

“We don’t want to go on strike, but we will,” said Darel Engen, CFA chapter president.

After the Board of Trustees meeting, the possibility of striking will become more concrete. According to Engen, if faculty members decide a strike is necessary, it will be taking place in spring 2016.

CSUSM student, Natalie Pacatti, was concerned with the small salaries faculty members received.
Another audience member brought attention to the way in which these salary issues affect students, asking, “How are we going to recruit decent faculty to teach classes the right way?”

This point was reemphasized by another person who said, “You can’t put students first if you put faculty last.”

According to Emilee Ramirez, CFA student intern, more students need to be aware of how faculty working conditions directly affect student learning conditions.

The ‘fight for five’ will continue through the month of November and, if the CSU and CFA cannot come to agreement, further action may be taken by faculty in spring 2016.