CSUEU Questions for CSU Chancellor's Office
June 24, 2009
1. In addition to furloughs, what are some of the other cost-cutting options the CSU is considering?
2. What is the current position regarding furloughs of each union representing employees in the CSU?
3. CSUEU and CSU have set June 29th as the day to bargain over the CSU furlough plan. Is there a deadline by which an agreement must be reached?
4. What impact will decisions of other unions have on any such deadline?
5. Has the CSU considered bargaining a state-wide template which allows for local campus options?
6. If so, does the CSU envision campus-by-campus impact bargaining or regional bargaining?
7. Do campus Academic Senates have to approve changes to the academic calendar associated with possible furloughs? If so, how will the Senates be integrated into the decision making process and how will that affect collective bargaining?
8. For example, there has been some discussion regarding campus closures in December rather than two days per month. Is that the kind of option that could be negotiated on a campus-by-campus basis?
9. Can every campus close for one more week in December to capture energy savings and furlough days?
10. Does the CSU have an estimate for the amount of energy savings that could be generated by all campuses closing for one day? What are the seasonal variations (summer v. winter)? Would a closure during the winter save more money than a closure during the summer?
11. Can furlough days be banked and the monthly paychecks be equalized?
12. Does the Chancellor's Office intend to submit any tentative agreements to the Board of Trustees for ratification?
13. Please explain exactly how an employee's paycheck would be affected by a furlough. If we agreed to a 2-day per month furlough, would the gross pay be reduced by 9.3%, and as a result, all payroll-related deductions (federal income tax, state income tax) and employer expenses (FICA, Medicare, etc.) be reduced accordingly?
14. Will employee's retirement be affected in any way by furloughs?
15. Will employee's benefits be affected in any way by furloughs?
16. Will fee waiver benefits for employees or their dependents be affected in any way by furloughs?
17. Would furloughs have any impact on employee's accrual of vacation and sick leave?
18. UC is proposing furloughs and/or pay reductions based on employee's income. Specifically, they are proposing lesser cuts for employee's earning less than $46,000 per year. Is the CSU considering some sort of sliding scale? The average salary for BU 5 employees is only $31,000 per year and the average salary for BU 7 employees is only $37,000 per year.
19. The Chancellor's Office has stated that one of its goals is to "share the pain" equally. However, is the CO going to take into consideration the fact that faculty and MPP not only earn more money than support staff, but over the years, they have received higher pay raises as well? Is it fair that furloughs and the pay cuts that go along with them not be adjusted to reflect this basic inequity?
20. If an agreement is reached on a furlough plan, how much notice will employees be given?
21. Is the CSU considering reducing the pay of any MPPs or executive employees who recently received pay increases?
22. How will the CSU ensure that employee workloads not be increased as a result of furloughs?
23. How can we ensure that cost savings generated by furloughs of CSUEU-represented employees are only used to mitigate layoffs for employees represented by CSUEU? ?
24. Will the salary savings from CSUEU units be embargoed or used to subsidize other bargaining units? How will this be tracked? We do not want our furlough savings going to hire more MPP (or faculty?)!
25. Many CSU departments, such as Student Health Centers, Housing and Parking, are self-supported. How will furloughs of employees who work in self-supported departments benefit the CSU?
26. Will the CSU support the creation of campus labor-management committees that can be tasked with discussing and making recommendations on cost-cutting measures?
27. Will the CSU support the creation of a systemwide LMC to monitor the situation state-wide?
28. Could the CSU, CalPERS, or other agencies provide loans to employees?
29. Can employees choose to go on an 11/12 program for one year instead of being furloughed?
30. Will employees who took voluntary reductions in the last 6 months have those reductions restored prior to a furlough program so they do not take a double hit?
31. How will employees on paid leave be affected by furloughs (FML, parental leave, bereavement leave)?
32. Will campuses cancel existing contracts for bargaining unit work to save money and avoid further displacement or layoffs (e.g. expensive IT contractor for Student Health Service at SFSU)?
33. Will furloughs affect requests for IRP, in-class progression, and reclassification (those in progress now and those to come)?
34. Does the CSU plan to implement a hiring freeze while employees are being furloughed?
35. How will the CSU ensure that potential mass non-reappointment of temporary employees does not have a disparate impact on protected groups (particularly Unit 5)?
36. How will furloughs affect mandatory overtime and/or the distribution of overtime?
37. How will CSU ensure that performance evaluations are not negatively affected by furloughs (Art. 24 language on layoffs protects employees from unrealistic expectations)?
38. What about Foundation employees? Will they be furloughed and the Foundations closed when the campus does? If not, why not?
39. What about 10/12 employees who already have banked the time and salary for this year? Will furloughs take affect on their pay in their months off retroactively?
40. Will lump sum vacation payouts be affected by the furloughs?
41. How will new employees hired after a furlough plan is in place have their salary set? Will they be advised of a normal salary and then the actual furlough plan?
42. Has the CSU considered a complete hiring freeze?
43. Has the CSU considered a hardship program for employees under a furlough plan?
44. Will there be new policies for overtime?
45. How will the workload for exempt employees be managed in furlough and non-furlough weeks?
46. Will CSU executives have their housing allowance, cars and other perks reduced in addition to furloughs?
47. Will student assistants be affected? Will student assistant hours be frozen so that there is no increase in hours or number so they do CSUEU work?
48. Will there be a prorata reduction in parking fees since salaries are potentially being reduced?