Thousands of faculty walk off the job at largest university system in US

Thousands of faculty members at California State University campuses, the largest university system in the US, walked off the job on Monday, beginning a five-day strike.

Thousands of faculty members at California State University, the largest university system in the US, walked off the job on Monday, the first day of spring semester classes for much for the university system’s 450,000 students. The striking staff are part of the California Faculty Association union, which represents 29,000 members, including professors, lecturers, librarians, counselors, and coaches, across 23 campuses. The union says its members are seeking “wages that keep pace with the cost of living and set a livable minimum standard for our lowest paid faculty.” In addition to pay raises, CFA, which describes itself as “an anti-racism and social justice union,” is proposing more manageable workloads, more mental health services for students and expanded paid parental leave, among other demands. In a statement, Cal State said it “remains committed to supporting our students and entering into labor agreements that do not result in cuts to the academic and student supportive programs that make the CSU the most diverse and transformative university system in the nation.” The union has been bargaining with Cal State since May, but agreements have not been made on pay increases.