Members of the California Faculty Association (CFA) across all 23 California State University (CSU) campuses voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike - if necessary.
KNX News' Margaret Carrero reports, the union's ultimate goal is to secure a deal that addresses systemic issues, including - low pay, large class sizes, and lack of mental health counseling access for students.
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CFA President Charles Toombs said, "95% of voting members cast a ballot in favor of job actions if we need them. Members are emphatic that low pay, growing workloads, and systemic inequities are not sustainable. CSU management needs to invest their money where it matters - the people and programs which impact on student learning and success."
The CSU issued a statement saying, in part, that the strike authorization vote is not unexpected, they remain committed to the collective bargaining process, and reaching a negotiated agreement with the CFA as they have done with five of their other employee unions in recent weeks.
CFA Bargaining Team Chair and professor at Sacramento State, Kevin Wehr, told KNX News a strike date has not been set, and the CFA hopes to avoid one, but "It's up to management really as to whether we will strike...They need to come back to the table with reasonable proposals."
Wehr said the last time the CFA threatened a system-wide strike was in 2016, but it was averted at the last minute.
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