Governor
Vetoes Steps Bill SB 410
Calls on the
CSU to "transition to a steps model for nonfaculty
staff."
Gov. Gavin Newsom
has vetoed SB 410, authored by Sen. Connie Leyva
(D-Chino)
and known as The
Steps to Economic Parity in Salaries (S.T.E.P.S.) Act, which
would have helped fix the CSU’s broken salary structure for CSU
support staff.
In his veto message, Newsom cited "cost
pressures" on the CSU as a reason for not signing the
legislation that had strong bipartisan support in the state
Legislature.
The Governor made
it clear, however, that he is aware that a more equitable pay
structure was needed at the CSU, saying that "Raising wages
and creating salary equity for nonfaculty staff" is a goal
the CSU should strive to achieve given that it is struggling with
hiring and retention systemwide.
The Governor's
message reads in part:
"Earlier this year, my Administration and the CSU agreed to
a Compact that includes a commitment to significant
multi-year investments in the CSU. It is my expectation that
CSU leadership can both meet the commitments of the Compact
and transition to a steps model for nonfaculty staff. I expect
the CSU Board of Trustees and Interim Chancellor to work
collaboratively and creatively with their labor
organizations to resolve these issues at the bargaining
table."
SB 410 would have
helped workers like Sandra Ramos, a Custodian at CSU San Marcos, who supports two
children by herself following the death of her husband. She will
continue with her struggle to pay bills "and still feed
my family."
The Steps bill
would have benefited Shaun Kirby, an Administrative Analyst at CSU Sacramento,
whose wages have not kept up with the cost of inflation.
And the bill would
have definitely brought some relief to Tricia Sahai, an X-Ray Technician at CSU Chico who
provides healthcare services to students while she herself
undergoes dialysis treatment.
On behalf of
Sandra, Shaun, Tricia and 20,000 other nonfaculty CSU employees,
our Union will not stop fighting for a merit-based steps salary
structure to lift up the workers whose work powers the CSU.
"Thank you to every CSUEU member who stepped
up and sent an email, or filled out a postcard, or stood at the
Capitol steps with our Teamsters' brothers and sisters to lobby for equitable pay," said
CSUEU President Catherine Hutchinson. "We fundamentally disagree with the
Governor. We know the CSU has sufficient funding to more properly
compensate its employees. I promise you we will not
stop until we win the nine-step scale called for in the CSU Mercer salary study."
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