Breaking Newshttps://www.csueu.org/tabid/121/Default.aspxElection for CSUEU Delegates to SEIU International Conventionhttps://www.csueu.org/news/archive/election-for-csueu-delegates-to-seiu-international-conventionGeneral NewsThu, 07 Mar 2024 15:58:24 GMTElection for CSUEU Delegates to SEIU International Convention<p><a href="https://csueu.org/news/archive/election-for-csueu-delegates-to-seiu-international-convention" target="_blank"><img alt="Election for CSUEU delegates to SEIU Convention" src="https://csueu.org/Portals/0/Images/2024/Convention%20Delegate%20Election.png" /></a></p> <p>This May, SEIU members from across the United States and Canada will participate in the SEIU Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from May 20-22, 2024. </p> <p>Held every four years, the convention is an opportunity for union members to come together, identify challenges and opportunities workers are facing, and plan the future of SEIU.</p> <p>Our Union's formal nomination process for convention delegates concluded on Feb. 28. There are 26 CSUEU members nominated to represent our union at the convention. Since we are allocated 16 delegate seats, we will be holding an election March 14-15 in accordance with CSUEU bylaws and the SEIU Constitution.</p> <p>All who are members as of Feb. 28, 2024 will be eligible to cast a ballot.</p> <p>Times and locations are posted on the <a href="https://csueu.org/members/seiu-international-convention-2024" target="_blank">website</a>, including <a href="https://csueu.org/Portals/0/Documents/2024/Candidate%20Statements%20fin.pdf" target="_blank">list of delegates</a>.</p> <p><strong>Voting Process</strong></p> <ul> <li>Voter will have to bring a photo ID of some sort (University ID, Driver’s License, etc.) for eligibility verification.</li> <li>Voter will sign attesting that they are a member of CSUEU and that this is the only vote that they have cast in the election.</li> <li>Ballot will be filled out in-person at the voting site and placed into a sealed ballot box.</li> <li>Results will be announced on Friday, March 15 once ballots have been counted.</li> </ul> eNews | Feb. 28, 2024https://www.csueu.org/news/archive/enews-feb-28-2024General NewsWed, 28 Feb 2024 11:35:19 GMTeNews | Feb. 28, 2024<p><a href="https://csueu.org/Portals/0/CD_Emails/2024/eNews%202024FEB28FIN%20Web.html" target="_blank"><img alt="eNews Feb. 28, 2024" src="https://csueu.org/Portals/0/CD_Emails/2024/eNews28FEB2024%20(3).png" /></a></p> <p><a href="https://csueu.org/Portals/0/CD_Emails/2024/eNews%202024FEB28FIN%20Web.html" target="_blank">eNews | Feb. 28, 2024</a></p> Press Release: 97% Vote Union Yeshttps://www.csueu.org/news/archive/press-release-97-vote-union-yesPress ReleasesWed, 28 Feb 2024 11:32:12 GMTStudent Assistants vote to join CSUEU<p>For Immediate Release <br /> February 23, 2024 </p> <p>Contact: <br /> Maya Polon, maya@paschalroth.com<br /> Khanh Weinberg, kweinberg@csueu.org <br /> Maria Elena Jauregui, 818.355.5291, Spanish-language</p> <p>20,000 California State University Student Assistants Make History</p> <p>Student Workers Overwhelmingly Vote “YES,” <br /> Forming Largest Undergrad Student Union in the Nation </p> <p>SACRAMENTO, CA – Student Assistants from California State University (CSU) campuses celebrated forming the nation’s largest union of undergraduate student workers today. California state officials announced this morning that student assistants voted YES by overwhelming margins to join California State University Employees Union (CSUEU/SEIU Local 2579). </p> <p>A total 7252 voted by electronic ballot, with 7050 checking YES. With a decisive 97% of voters affirming their desire for a union, the student workers left no doubt they are launching a new day at the CSU. </p> <p><strong>“Standing strong, together in our union, student assistants are ready to ensure the nation’s largest and most diverse university system lives up to its promise of opportunity and equity; that’s what’s possible now that we’ve won our seat at the CSU’s decision-making table,”</strong> said Colin Culver, a student assistant from San Diego State University, who has been deeply involved in the student organizing effort since its inception. </p> <p>Student workers packed into the offices of the California Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) and into Zoom viewing parties on campuses around the state, eager to hear official word their historic organizing campaign was successful. Students dressed in colorful CSUEU T-shirts roared with elation when a PERB official announced the overwhelming majority of student assistants had voted in favor of the union. </p> <p>Gem Gutierrez, a student assistant at Sacramento State, explained she is eager to negotiate a first contract with CSU to address immediate issues students have and to strengthen student assistant work for future students. <strong>“We all voted yes for better pay, sick time, and more hours,” she said. “Many of us will only be here for four years but we know that this isn’t just for us – this is for every student worker who comes after us.”</strong></p> <p>Currently, most CSU student assistants make minimum wage and receive no sick time or holiday pay. The CSU has shifted more work traditionally done by union staff onto student assistants who are lower paid, have few benefits, and have their hours capped at 20 per week. Students are eager to address these issues at the bargaining table as they soon negotiate their first union contract with the university. </p> <p>Catherine Hutchinson, President of CSUEU added, <strong>“Student work is real work. With 20,000 student assistants joining CSUEU’s 16,000 CSU staff members, University management will no longer be able to divide students and staff or exploit student labor to degrade staff jobs. Joining together is a win for students, for staff, and for all Californians who have a stake in the CSU’s mission.” </strong></p> <p>Fed up with being underpaid and underappreciated, student assistants in April submitted a petition with thousands of signatures asking state authorities to approve their union election, the largest of its kind in U.S. history. Since then, student assistants have organized a 23-campus-wide unprecedented digital get out the vote campaign. Student organizers have reached their peers where they’re at – over text and email – leading to higher response rates than traditional means of outreach. </p> <p>Not only are student assistants thrilled to make history as the largest undergraduate student worker union in the nation, they are the face of a new wave of labor activism. This election is also the first primarily digital election overseen by California’s Public Employee Relations Board (PERB).</p> <p><strong>“Just like Cal State faculty, student workers who keep CSU campuses running must have a strong and united voice. I have no doubt that they will prevail, and their victory will inspire millions of young people to come together across racial lines to demand their right to join together in unions and build a better future,”</strong> shared SEIU International President Mary Kay Henry </p> <p>The student assistants’ historic election comes amidst a wave of union organizing led by young leaders who are reshaping and reenergizing the labor movement. Generation Z, or Americans born after 1997, are not only the most pro-union generation alive today, but their belief in the power of workers standing together exceeds even that of generations before them.  <br />  </p> History Made: 97% Student Assistants Vote UNION YEShttps://www.csueu.org/news/archive/history-made-97-student-assistants-vote-union-yesUnion ActivismFri, 23 Feb 2024 15:01:50 GMT20,000 Student Assistants join CSUEU<p><img alt="" src="https://csueu.org/Portals/0/Images/Campaigns/Student%20Workers/2024/Victory_WEBx.png" /></p> <p>Student Assistants delivered an unmistakable message to the CSU today: They are ready to take their seat at the labor table and have a say over their work, their pay, and their working conditions. </p> <p>Of 7,252 valid electronic ballots cast, 97% voted YES to join CSUEU, which  becomes the largest union of undergraduate student workers in the U.S.</p> <p>With today's historic vote, CSUEU membership size just doubled - along with our power - and together we will hold CSU management accountable and restore the university mission of equality and opportunity. </p> <p><strong>"I could not be more proud of the hundreds of student workers who put in thousands of hours of work to make this victory possible today," said CSUEU President Catherine Hutchinson. "As a powerful engine for economic mobility, the CSU is positioned to change lives for the better. Those who work here make that mission possible and we will remind management that every day."</strong></p> <p>Once CSUEU is certified to represent our new Bargaining Unit 15, the student workers will decide what they want want to win in their first contract and begin selecting their Bargaining Team. As CSUEU members, let's embrace this next generation of labor leaders and show we are truly #StrongerTogether.</p> <hr /> <blockquote> <p>"We are overjoyed and absolutely ready to march with our new CSUEU siblings to build a better CSU for all of us. We stand on the shoulders of workers at McDonalds, Amazon, and Starbucks. We work in Higher Ed, but our needs are the same: Fair wages, decent benefits, and respect for our work and our value to the organization. This is a new day at the CSU and we are only going forward from here."<br /> - Gem Gutierrez<br /> Sacramento State</p> </blockquote> SEIU President Mary Kay Henry Leaves a Stronger Movementhttps://www.csueu.org/news/archive/seiu-mary-kay-henry-leaves-a-stronger-movementGeneral NewsWed, 07 Feb 2024 15:08:21 GMTSEIU President retires<p><img alt="CSUEU statement on President Mary Kay Henry retirement" src="https://csueu.org/Portals/0/Images/2024/MKH%202024%20(900%20x%20600%20px)%20(1).png" /></p> <p>CSUEU members commend the visionary leadership of SEIU President Mary Kay Henry, following the announcement of her retirement. Under President Henry’s stewardship over the last 14 years, the union engaged in bold, strategic campaigns to uplift workers in job sectors long plagued by exploitation and abuse.</p> <p> From fast food to childcare, President Henry pushed for a more inclusive movement to empower Brown and Black workers to carve a pathway out of poverty. Recognizing the power of education as a vehicle for economic mobility, President Henry prioritized public investment in schools, including higher education. </p> <p>Currently, 20,000 Student Assistants at the California State University are in the middle of a union election to join CSUEU/SEIU 2579. This is a testament to President Henry’s legacy of nurturing social and progressive change – and building the next generation of labor activists and leaders to secure a just economy for all.</p> Press Release: Student Assistants Across All 23 CSU Campuses to Kick Off History-Making Union Electionhttps://www.csueu.org/news/archive/press-release-student-assistants-across-all-23-csu-campuses-to-kick-off-history-making-union-electionGeneral NewsWed, 24 Jan 2024 14:55:03 GMTPress Release | Jan. 24, 2024<p><strong>CSUEU SEIU Local 2579<br /> For Immediate Release </strong><br /> January 24, 2024<br /> Contact: <br /> Maya Polon, maya@paschalroth.com<br /> Maria Elena Jauregui, 818.355.5291, Spanish-language</p> <p><strong>TOMORROW: Student Assistants Across All 23 CSU Campuses to Kick Off History-Making Union Election </strong><br /> 20,000 Student Workers to Form Largest Undergraduate Union in the Country<br /> **Media availability**</p> <p>CALIFORNIA – Student Assistants from California State University (CSU) campuses will kick off their historic union election today, setting the stage to create the largest undergraduate worker student union in U.S. history. </p> <p>STUDENTS WILL BE CANVASSING ON THE FOLLOWING CAMPUSES AND AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS (respond for contact information and meeting point):<br /> ●    CSU Sacramento<br /> ●    CSU East Bay<br /> ●    CSU Fresno<br /> ●    CSU Northridge<br /> ●    CSU San Diego</p> <p>The vote comes on the heels of a groundbreaking tentative agreement for CSU faculty represented by the California Faculty Association as well as a tentative agreement reached Friday for CSU employees represented by the Teamsters. CFA’s successful one-day strike this week made national headlines and sent a clear message that when workers come together, they succeed in holding the CSU accountable to its mission of opportunity and equity for all students. The strike drew intense and broad support from California's labor community, elected officials, students, and more, creating incredible momentum as students prepare to vote to form their union. </p> <p>“For years, the CSU has used us as reliable, cheap labor, paying us minimum wage or less without the benefits of union staff we work alongside everyday,” Emilio Carrasco, a student assistant at Fresno State’s Kremen School of Education. “Enough is enough. We’re coming together to vote UNION YES and hold the CSU accountable to their mission of advancing equity and providing opportunities for the diversity of students on every campus.” </p> <p>Ahead of the historic election, student assistants have fanned out across all 23 CSU campuses for an intensive get-out-the-vote campaign, amplified by thousands of phone calls and texts to the 20,000 student assistants eligible to vote. Student assistants are talking to each other about why they’re voting YES to form their union and building momentum along the way.</p> <p>“Student assistants and staff are coming together to reform a broken system and fight for the equity that CSU stands for,” said Catherine Hutchinson, CSUEU President. “When student assistants win their election and form their union with CSUEU, we will work together to empower and invest in workers across the entirety of the CSU.”</p> <p>Background<br /> Fed up with being underpaid and underappreciated as essential campus workers, student assistants in April submitted a petition and gathered thousands of signatures of student assistants petitioning for a union election. The California Public Employment Relations Board certified that the student assistants met the threshold for a “showing of interest” in October and the workers are now poised to form the largest undergraduate student union in U.S history, 20,000 workers strong. </p> <p>The student workers say having a seat at the table, alongside full-time university staff, will allow them to hold management more accountable and restore the University to its core mission of opportunity and equity, particularly for first-generation students and students of color. </p> <p>Most CSU student assistants make minimum wage and have no sick time or health insurance as employees. The CSU has shifted more work traditionally done by union staff onto student assistants who are lower paid, have few benefits, and have their hours capped at 20 per week. </p> <p>Generation Z, or Americans born after 1997, are not only <a href="http://CSUEU SEIU Local 2579 For Immediate Release January 24, 2024 Contact: Maya Polon, maya@paschalroth.com Maria Elena Jauregui, 818.355.5291, Spanish-language TOMORROW: Student Assistants Across All 23 CSU Campuses to Kick Off History-Making Union Election 20,000 Student Workers to Form Largest Undergraduate Union in the Country **Media availability** CALIFORNIA – Student Assistants from California State University (CSU) campuses will kick off their historic union election today, setting the stage to create the largest undergraduate worker student union in U.S. history. STUDENTS WILL BE CANVASSING ON THE FOLLOWING CAMPUSES AND AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS (respond for contact information and meeting point): ● CSU Sacramento ● CSU East Bay ● CSU Fresno ● CSU Northridge ● CSU San Diego The vote comes on the heels of a groundbreaking tentative agreement for CSU faculty represented by the California Faculty Association as well as a tentative agreement reached Friday for CSU employees represented by the Teamsters. CFA’s successful one-day strike this week made national headlines and sent a clear message that when workers come together, they succeed in holding the CSU accountable to its mission of opportunity and equity for all students. The strike drew intense and broad support from California's labor community, elected officials, students, and more, creating incredible momentum as students prepare to vote to form their union. “For years, the CSU has used us as reliable, cheap labor, paying us minimum wage or less without the benefits of union staff we work alongside everyday,” Emilio Carrasco, a student assistant at Fresno State’s Kremen School of Education. “Enough is enough. We’re coming together to vote UNION YES and hold the CSU accountable to their mission of advancing equity and providing opportunities for the diversity of students on every campus.” Ahead of the historic election, student assistants have fanned out across all 23 CSU campuses for an intensive get-out-the-vote campaign, amplified by thousands of phone calls and texts to the 20,000 student assistants eligible to vote. Student assistants are talking to each other about why they’re voting YES to form their union and building momentum along the way. “Student assistants and staff are coming together to reform a broken system and fight for the equity that CSU stands for,” said Catherine Hutchinson, CSUEU President. “When student assistants win their election and form their union with CSUEU, we will work together to empower and invest in workers across the entirety of the CSU.” Background Fed up with being underpaid and underappreciated as essential campus workers, student assistants in April submitted a petition and gathered thousands of signatures of student assistants petitioning for a union election. The California Public Employment Relations Board certified that the student assistants met the threshold for a “showing of interest” in October and the workers are now poised to form the largest undergraduate student union in U.S history, 20,000 workers strong. The student workers say having a seat at the table, alongside full-time university staff, will allow them to hold management more accountable and restore the University to its core mission of opportunity and equity, particularly for first-generation students and students of color. Most CSU student assistants make minimum wage and have no sick time or health insurance as employees. The CSU has shifted more work traditionally done by union staff onto student assistants who are lower paid, have few benefits, and have their hours capped at 20 per week. Generation Z, or Americans born after 1997, are not only the most pro-union generation alive today, but their belief in the power of workers standing together exceeds even that of generations before them. ###" target="_blank">the most pro-union generation alive today</a>, but their belief in the power of workers standing together exceeds even that of generations before them.  </p> <p>###<br />  </p> Student Assistants' Historic Vote UNION YES Starts Jan. 25https://www.csueu.org/news/archive/student-assistants-historic-vote-starts-jan-25MembershipWed, 24 Jan 2024 11:34:25 GMTCSUEU members are on the ground to help Get Out the Vote!<p><a href="https://csueu.org/Portals/0/CD_Emails/2024/email%2024JAN2024%20fin%20web.html" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="https://csueu.org/Portals/0/CD_Emails/2024/Let%E2%80%99s%20Rock%20(1).png" /></a></p> <p>After Jan. 25, the CSU will never be the same.</p> <p>Starting 8 a.m. Thursday, thousands of Student Assistants start voting to form their union with CSUEU members. With their UNION YES votes,  we will double in size and membership might, and become the largest union of undergraduate student workers in the U.S.</p> <p>It is an all-hands-on-deck moment and CSUEU members have a huge role to play to help Student Assistants Get Out the Vote! </p> <p>What can you do? Talk to every Student Assistant you know and urge them to vote. A team of CSUEU members – backed by a small army of organizers from sibling SEIU unions – will be on the ground to spread the word across 23 campuses. More information: <a href="http://www.csueu.org/sa ">www.csueu.org/sa </a>. </p> <p><a href="https://csueu.org/news/archive/press-release-student-assistants-across-all-23-csu-campuses-to-kick-off-history-making-union-election" target="_blank">>> Press Release</a></p> <p><strong>Here’s what to know:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Student Assistants eligible to vote are those who were employed from May – October 2023. They will receive an email with a ballot link and voting instructions today. There’s also a <a href="https://youtu.be/YJ26Nc8UDo8?si=3nLdLI7ErH5vEvq9" target="_blank">cute union video</a> for how to vote. </li> <li>Voting starts on Jan. 25 and ends Feb. 22. (But we want everyone to vote the earlier the better!)</li> <li>If you hold a supervisory position, it’s best to share with Student Assistants you work with the benefits of having a union – but don’t make them feel like you are instructing them to vote, or how to vote.</li> </ul> <p>There is no mistake that we are in the midst of a movement where workers are rising to demand respect and pay that matches the value of our labor. The CFA strike this week showed the power of workers coming together to win improvements in pay and working conditions. Student Assistants are next!<br />  <br /> Here’s <a href="https://csueu.org/news/archive/member-organizer-spotlight-ashley-hanson-east-bay" target="_blank">Ashley Hanson, Health Education Assistant from East Bay</a>, explaining why she joined the effort to help student workers win:</p> <blockquote> <p>As wealth disparities continue to widen, unions give the people who do the work to keep society running a voice and an opportunity to create a fairer economy. Stepping up as a member organizer is my way of putting my words of support for these students’ success into action.<br />  </p> </blockquote> Member Organizer Spotlight: Ashley Hanson, East Bayhttps://www.csueu.org/news/archive/member-organizer-spotlight-ashley-hanson-east-bayUnion ActivismWed, 24 Jan 2024 10:51:08 GMTAshley Hanson, Health Education Assistant<p><strong>Ashley Hanson</strong><br /> Health Education Assistant<br /> CSU East Bay</p> <div> <div> <p><strong>Why are you working to help Student Assistants win their union? </strong><br /> My department employs dozens of student assistants, without whom we would not be able to serve our campus on the scale that we do. Student assistants make our work possible! That being said, the respect that I have for these students- my coworkers- is not reflected in the way that they are compensated and treated on an institutional level. Stepping up as a member organizer is my way of putting my words of support for these students' success into action.</p> </div> <div><img alt="" src="https://csueu.org/Portals/0/Images/2024/Ashley%20Hanson%201%20crop%20small.jpg" /></div> </div> <hr /> <p><strong>Describe the work you are doing:</strong><br /> I'm part of a team that is opening our union doors to allow student workers to advocate for themselves, to empower them meaningfully so that when they graduate and leave CSU they know how to engage with their future employers in a way that demands respect and recognition of their value."</p> <hr /> <p><strong>What is exciting / rewarding about your interactions with Student Assistants?</strong><br /> The longer I serve at CSU, the farther away in lived experience I get from the majority of the student population. Working with student assistants provides valuable perspective on the state of the university and the broader community in general. I learn from them constantly</p> <hr /> <p><strong><img alt="Ashley Hanson with Student Assistant Tanay Pradeep Patil" src="https://csueu.org/Portals/0/Images/2024/Ashley%20Hanson%20with%20SA%20Tanay%20Pradeep%20Patil%20square_small.jpg" style="float: left; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" />What are SAs telling you about why they want a union?</strong><br /> Student assistants are interested in flattening power structures to have more equitable relationships with their leadership. They want pay that reflects the value of their work- they know the university couldn't run without them and see the disparity between that important work and their meager pay. Those that do work very similar to, or the same as, fully benefitted staff want to see some of those benefits for themselves such as sick pay, PTO, and parking discounts.</p> <hr /> <p><strong>What is the benefit to CSUEU members when 20,000 Student Assistants join our union?</strong><br /> As in our working relationships, I believe we can learn a lot from the perspectives, motivations, and gumption of out student assistant coworkers. When they show up in force, we stand to double our overall bargaining power, further leveling the power imbalance between CSU labor and CSU management.</p> <hr /> <p><strong>Why do unions matter?</strong><br /> As wealth disparities continue to widen, unions give the people who do the work to keep society running a voice and an opportunity to create a fairer economy.</p> <p>PHOTO #2 shows Ashley with Student Assistant Tanay Pradeep Patil</p> Remembering Jacqueline Otis, Shining CSUEU Leaderhttps://www.csueu.org/news/archive/remembering-jacqueline-otis-shining-csueu-leaderUnion ActivismMon, 15 Jan 2024 19:15:27 GMTJacqueline Otis was Chapter President of CSUEU Fullerton 2008-21<p>By Vicky McLeod<br /> CSUEU Fullerton Chapter President, Legislative Committee Chair</p> <p>CSUEU members and CSU Fullerton employees are mourning Jacqueline Otis as her passing has shaken many. It is never easy to say goodbye to a family member, and that is what Jacqueline Otis was to many within the CSU Employees Union and CSU Fullerton – Chapter 317. </p> <p><img alt="Jacqueline Otis" src="https://csueu.org/Portals/0/Images/2024/J%20Otis%20pic%20crop%20small.png?ver=r-wC3cXJnLLx0j_gxo0X6w%3d%3d" style="float: right;" />It is rare to come across a person who lasts in an organization or stays involved for the sake of others, but Jacqueline was a true advocate and a Titan who reached higher. When standing up for employees, Jacqueline made sure others heard her voice. Her tall stature and feisty approach may have startled a few, but once her facial expression radiated that bright smile, she showed herself to be a generous woman with a big heart.</p> <p>Jacqueline was known at Chapter 317 and across the CSU system. She developed a positive working relationship with numerous campus presidents, management in human resources, faculty, staff, students, and sibling unions across the university. She touched many individuals at regular CSUEU board meetings, socializing with other chapter presidents and members. </p> <p>Shopping at Macy's to add to her stylish wardrobe was always a delight when visiting Sacramento. Weekend meetings consisted of sharing work and family stories of trips and adventures. Jacqueline cherished family, and she was heartbroken when her mother passed. She spoke fondly of family members, especially her daughter, LaTania, and grandchildren. She was proud of LaTania's accomplishments and career path. Sharing a series of events with others about being a grandmother made Jacqueline's smile grow more prominent. Her unconditional love for her precious grandchildren truly made her life complete. Her work ethic, public service, and unselfishly giving to others will live on within them.</p> <p>Before working at CSU Fullerton, Jacqueline worked 20 years at AT&T. Jacqueline retired in December 2021 after working at CSU Fullerton for 25+ years. There is no way to honor all that she accomplished. Our deepest condolences to personal family members, the Titans family, and the CSUEU family. May each of you have peace and comfort. May Jacqueline rest in peace and be reunited with her mother and others who passed before her. I will not be surprised if Jacqueline is in heaven organizing a union to ensure all angels are appropriately treated. Until we meet again, no more illness and time to rest. We all know that Jacqueline will ensure the Pearly Gates is functioning correctly. Her many years of service will grant her heavenly wings.</p> <p>Please say hello to Kim and share the news of CSUEU obtaining Steps. May the two of you know how much you are missed and Thank You for all you did!</p> <p>I believe Maya Angelou's quote rings true because Jacqueline truly made the work environment a better place: "I think a hero is any person really intent on making this a better place for all people."<br />  </p> State Draft 2024-25 Budget Funds Compact with CSU, with Defermenthttps://www.csueu.org/news/archive/state-draft-budget-defers-payment-to-csuLegislativeMon, 15 Jan 2024 18:43:45 GMTGovernor issues draft budget<p>Gov. Gavin Newsom’s draft budget includes $240 million for the CSU but defers actual payment of this money to the next fiscal year 2025-26. Under so-called “compacts” negotiated between the Governor and the CSU (as well as the UC) in 2022, the state guaranteed 5 percent funding increases each year for five years. In exchange, the university systems agreed to increase in-state admissions and meet other goals.</p> <p>Facing a $38 billion budget deficit, the Governor says the CSU (and UC) should fulfill their compact commitments (including staff compensation and raises) and spend their own CSU money or borrow money and the state will reimburse both higher ed institutions in 2025.</p> <p><strong>CSUEU members in Units 2,5,7 and 9 ratified a 3-year contract which provided for a 5% salary increase, retroactive to July 1, 2023. We are expecting the 5% bump in paychecks by April 1. In addition, we are scheduled to receive our second 5% general raise on July 1, 2024. </strong>More information is contained in a CSU <a href="https://csueu.org/Portals/0/Documents/2024/Tech%20Letter%20Compensation.pdf" target="_blank">Jan. 16, 2024 letter</a> to employees.</p> <p>CSUEU leaders will work with the CSU, the Governor's office, and the Legislature to make sure the compact funding is protected in this year’s budget.</p> <p>The Governor's budget is Step 1 in a 6-month process of legislative hearings – and intense negotiations - culminating on June 15, the deadline for the state to adopt a budget. The next key step is May when the Governor issues a revised budget. Stay tuned for future budget updates.</p> <p>If you are not yet a member of the union, now is the time <a href="http://www.csueu.org/join" target="_blank">to join </a>to increase our member strength. Political advocacy is also critical to make our voices heard in Sacramento. Contribute to our Political Activities Committee <a href="https://csueu.org/political-advocacy/join-the-pac" target="_blank">here</a>.</p> <blockquote> <p>Even though the overall state budget is uncertain, the CSU community is united in expecting the Governor to keep his multiyear commitment to funding the University which is essential to close equity gaps and promote student success. <br /> - Catherine Hutchinson, CSUEU President</p> </blockquote>