Faculty, CSU continue talks

As mediator is brought on to aid in negotiations, CSU teachers proceed to work without contract

Staff Reports

Monday, August 31, 1998

Negotiations resumed last week between the California State University System and the California Faculty Association after the CSU declared it a deadlocked situation, said Hamdi Bilici, president of the CFA.

In a news report released Wednesday, the CSU reportedly has proposed a 5 percent salary increase, effective July 1 along with an extension of the current contract, which was opposed by the CFA.

The CFA is looking to close the 11-percent salary lag, based on reports by the California Post-Secondary Education Committee, between CSU faculty and faculty at comparable institutions across the country.

"Based against other institutions, the actual faculty salary figure is 7.6 percent," said Ken Swisher, media relations manager for the CSU. "All other unions, except the CFA and one other, have accepted the 5-percent salary increases, effective July 1."

A mediator has been assigned by the Public Employee Relations Board to assist in the negotiations, and meetings are currently underway in Sacramento. The effective date of the salary increases will be delayed until the bargaining is completed. CSU teachers have been working without a contract since June 30.

CFA's proposal includes putting an end to the current merit pay program, payment based on a performance compiled by colleagues and administration. CSU's proposal would use 40 percent of the salary pool for merit pay.

"The CSU proposal would divide and demoralize faculty," Bilici said. The two groups have also been negotiating the overall settlement.

According to a CSU news release, the CFA is asking for an eight to nine percent overall increase and the CSU is offering five percent.

The CFA is proposing a settlement of $80 million while the CSU's proposal is far less: $50 million.

According to a CSU news release, the faculty union is also requesting their officials be granted increased release time from classroom duty so they can devote more time to CFA issues.

"That is essential because of everything there is to deal with. The local [CFA] chapter gets two courses release time, six units total," Bilici said. Billici said this is not ample time for the amount of work the CFA has to do.

The faculty union also proposes, for temporary faculty, tenure-like employment security without the standard evaluation process by their peers, according to a CSU news release. The CSU is opposed to both proposals.