An arbitrator spent several weeks talking with both sides in the dispute and issued a "fact finder" report with recommendations including a significant pay hike for faculty, the major sticking point for professors.
"The fact finder's report, which becomes public Sunday, validates our long-standing position that CSU faculty are underpaid and that other issues including class size need to be addressed," said John Travis, CFA president. "We call on the CSU administration to accept them as well."
CSU administrators have yet to decide on the report, but will make an announcement Sunday afternoon at an open meeting following a closed door session in Long Beach, said spokesperson Clara Potes-Fellow.
The report recommends that CSU raise faculty salaries by 24.87 percent over four years.
California Faculty Association officials will hold a teleconference Sunday at 11:30 a.m. to discuss the contract negotiations with CSU. The union's membership has already voted to authorize a strike.
A meeting of the Cal State Committee on collective bargaining is set for 1 p.m. at the Chancellor's Office in Long Beach to discuss the recommendations and administration's options. Members of the CFA are expected to attend the public portion of the meeting.
Contract negotiations are in a 10-day "quiet period," following the issuance of a fact-finder's report on March 16.
The recommendations, made by arbitrator Sylvia Skratek to help resolve the deadlock, are included in the report, but they are nonbinding. The "quiet period" ends Monday.
A strike could follow if the two sides cannot reach an agreement.
On Wednesday, a majority of unionized California State University faculty members voted in favor of a strike if negotiations break off.
According to the California Faculty Association, 94 percent of the 8,129 faculty members who voted supported a walkout.
About 81 percent of unionized faculty voted.
"We've been saying for a while (a strike) looks like it's likely," said Alice Sunshine, communications director for the CFA. "But we still hold out hope for a settlement. Something could happen still and we hope it does."
If an agreement isn't reached, Sunshine said, "At some point next week it's likely the CFA board of directors will set the date for a strike."
The strikes would begin on different days at each campus and last two days per campus.
Union officials said if there is a walkout, it would be the largest university strike in U.S. history.
CSU Chancellor Charles B. Reed has said contingency plans are already in place at the system's 23 campuses statewide if there is a faculty strike, although some classes will likely be impacted. He noted that the strike-authorization is limited to dues-paying members of the union, or about 10,000 of CSU's 23,300 faculty members.
"Although two-day rolling strikes will likely not impact more than one day of instruction per class for our students, we are implementing these contingency measures to ensure that our campus communities are fully informed and the safety and security of our students, employees, vendors and visitors is protected," Reed said.
Administration officials said they have offered a package that offers a nearly 25 percent pay hike over three years.
Union officials contend teacher salaries have remained stagnant for years -- leaving them paid far less than faculty at other university systems -- while administrative pay has leapt by as much as 23 percent.
by City Wire, March 25, 2007