Pay for performance divides CFA, CSU

Contract negotiations between the California Faculty Association and California State Universities are still continuing. Faculty contracts have been under negotiation since the expiration of their 1991-93 contracts.

"I know they are amicable and continuing negotiations," said Colleen Bentley-Adler, the Chancellor's Office spokeswoman. "That's always a good sign."

Although 30 contract articles have already been resolved, the CFA and CSU declared an impasse in April, as they could not resolve about five of the remaining articles.

The Public Employment Relations Board then appointed the State Conciliation Service to mediate between the two parties.

"The union has presented its proposals, including salary, to the CSU," Mike Hassul, CFA president said. "The CSU has taken them into consideration and presented a slightly modified version, so they are negotiating."

One of the major issues dividing the two parties is the compensation package that includes a proposed pay-for-performance policy that would base faculty salaries on annual reviews.

If approved, instructors would need to apply for pay raises each year and then undergo formal performance reviews.

"The chancellor has talked about this for several years," Bentley-Adler said. "He would like to see some form of true-merit pay instituted in the CSU."

Hassul said that among other problems, performance pay would not give those faculty members who concentrate on faculty governance a fair chance at a pay raise.

"We do teaching," Hassul said. "We do grants. We do research. Would you not give that person a performance pay? Is this only in the classroom and nowhere else? There are just too many different things to do on this campus."

The faculty is anticipating the outcome of the negotiations Tuesday at the CSU Board of Trustees meeting.