The California State University (CSU) faculty union went on strike Monday, the first day of classes for the semester, with demands that include pay raises and “gender-inclusive restrooms,” Politico reported.
The five-day strike is the largest of its kind in U.S. history, with the California Faculty Association (CFA) representing nearly 29,000 employees including professors and librarians, according to Politico. The union is demanding 12% pay raises that stays ahead of inflation, more “manageable workloads,” paid parental leave, “safe gender-inclusive restrooms” and “safety provisions” for faculty interactions with campus police, according to a CFA press release. (RELATED: ‘Corrosive To Academic Freedom’: These States Might Get Rid Of Diversity Programs This Year)
“In recent news reports, CSU management has only addressed our conflict over salary; they have completely ignored the issues of workload, health and safety concerns, and parental leave. Management wouldn’t even consider our proposals for appropriate class sizes, proper lactation spaces for nursing parents, gender inclusive bathroom spaces, and a clear delineation of our rights when interacting with campus authorities,” Chris Cox, CFA vice president of racial & social justice, said in the press release.
Faculty members and other employees at California State University Los Angeles stop working for the start of a five-day strike on January 22, 2024 at Cal State LA in Los Angeles. (Photo by FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)
The CSU system is the largest university system in the U.S., according to Politico.
“We’re hoping that this is a moment of visibility, of showing how committed we are, how much we need that 12 percent raise,” Emily Bukowski, a CSU Sacramento geography lecturer and union leader, told Politico.
This is the first time the CFA staged a systemwide strike since 1983 and follows strikes at four campuses in December, according to Politico. The university previously raised pay 5% in a contract that ends in 2024, and there has not been a bargaining session since Jan. 9.
CSU plans to negotiate the faculty’s next contract later in the semester, according to Politico.
“CSU management wants to maintain the status quo, which is not working for the vast majority of our faculty, students, and staff,” Cox said in the press release.
CFA and CSU did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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