Dispute provokes student labor strike

By David Whisler
Online Forty-Niner
Staff Writer

The California Alliance of Academic Student Employees, in conjunction with the United Auto Workers (UAW), has called a one-day strike to protest what it calls unfair labor practices by the California State University system.

The strike will take place today on campuses across the state.

"This strike is about us taking a stand and letting the university know that their behavior is not acceptable," Cal State Long Beach Teaching Associate Usama Kahf said.

The ramifications of the strike could prove problematic for students. The absence of teaching associates, graduate assistants, tutors and graders during the final days of instruction could mean class cancellations, a lack of preparation for finals or even the withholding of grades.

"We don't want to withhold grades," CSULB Teaching Associate Kristin Clark said. "But we'll do what we have to do."

Union negotiators have given student employees talking points on how to inform their students about the strike. These points stress the importance of letting the students know the strike is in their best interest. They urge them and their parents to contact the presidents of their campuses and legislators to let them know how important academic student employees are to their education. They also urge students to come to campus despite the strike, and seek the education that they have paid for and deserve.

The UAW has been bargaining on behalf of the academic student employees since they were granted the right to form a union earlier this year, and has acted as a partner and mentor to them.

The students petitioned the Public Employees Relations Board for the right to unionize due in part to the fact that the University of California's academic student employees already have an officially recognized union.

Negotiations began at the CSU Chancellor's Office on Nov. 1; the goal of the negotiations was to level the playing field for all academic student employees. The students hoped to establish standards for pay, working conditions and hours, in a contract that would apply to all 23 CSU campuses.

The union negotiators had set a contract deadline of Dec. 3, in order to have it ratified before the students leave for winter break.

The UAW has called the strike while the members are continuing to bargain. The next bargaining session is scheduled for Dec. 16.

"It's improper to engage in a strike when the bargaining is still underway," Assistant Vice Chancellor for Human Resources Sam Strafaci said.

"They [the UAW] are using this as a strategy to sway bargaining, [the strike] has no merit and is only an attempt for pressure at the bargaining table," Strafaci said.

The Chancellor's Office is closely scrutinizing the legality of the strike, and may consider filing a countersuit. They contend that the strike itself could be considered an unfair labor practice on behalf of the UAW.

"This [legal action] would take on the UAW for encouraging illegal activity," Strafaci said.

The alliance's Web site has posted information for the strikers urging them to know their rights, and to make sure that they are abiding by the union regulations. Strikers were also informed that they will become eligible for strike pay if the action should last for more than eight days.

The CSU Chancellors Office issued an official statement, but it was unavailable at press time. CSULB administration declined to comment.