Faculty embarks on a peaceful protest

By Wes Woods, On-Line Forty-Niner

Thursday, November 12, 1998

With various California Faculty Association members beating on bongo drums, singing, chanting and even wearing halos or crowns, it appeared to be an adult recess.

However, it was not fun and games that brought close to 100 faculty members to the Chancellor's Office in Long Beach on an overcast Wednesday morning.

The instructors were protesting a California State University Board of Trustees meeting because of administration's refusal to negotiate a new contract.

"It's been very vexing to the faculty," said Tim Sampson, chairman of the CFA's membership and organizing committee.

Dissatisfaction stems over many issues. Chief among them include the administration's proposal of doubling the amount of funds into merit pay. It would bypass a peer review process and give the 22 campus presidents decision-making power.

Proponents claim the proposal would change the relationship between faculty and administration. They also claim the proposal would disrupt the tenure system by reducing compensation.

"Pay per performance alienates all staff," said Gary Ivey, Chapter 310 president of the California State Employees Association.

"No decisions are made locally," said Hamdi Bilici, president of the CFA's Long Beach chapter and instructor of finance. "The future of education is in jeopardy."

Bilici also explained that current CFA faculty members are getting shorted. Contracts signed in 1990 are worth eight percent less because of inflation.

Thus, if a five-percent payment increase were to be offered to educators, it would be misleading, he said.

"The chancellor needs to catch up," Bilici said. "We realize the state went though some bad times [but no longer] ... the state should be more generous."

"I think it's going to be a long, protracted struggle," CFA President Terry Jones said.

On Oct. 16, after nine months of discussions, the CFA filed an unfair labor practice with the Public Employees Relations Board against the CSU.