Cal State faculty ratify contract

California State University faculty overwhelmingly approved a new labor contract, moving the nation's largest four-year public university system a step closer to ending arguably the most acrimonious labor standoff between educators and university leaders in the system's history.

The California Faculty Association said Monday that 76% of members who voted approved the tentative agreement, a set of raises and expansions of benefits that exceeds what Cal State negotiators were offering during eight months of contract negotiations but fell short of initial union demands.

The union represents 29,000 professors, lecturers, counselors, coaches and librarians.

All that remains to finalize the contract is a vote from Cal State's board of trustees, who are scheduled to meet March 24-27. It's likely that trustees will approve the deal. The deal would last through June 30, 2025.

“We look forward to working together to continue our advocacy for an equitable CSU,” Charles Toombs, union president and a professor at San Diego State, said in a statement that also thanked members for organizing and joining the strikes.

The week-long vote followed a one-day strike last month, the first time faculty walked off the job at all 23 Cal State campuses in the system's history, and strikes at four campuses in December. Some union members criticized the union's leadership for ending the rainsoaked January strike the day it began, arguing a better deal could have emerged had the strike lasted the full five days union leaders envisioned. Critics also faulted the deal for agreeing to a 10% across-the-board raise that technically isn't fully guaranteed.

It also raises the salary floor by at least $3,000 for the lowest paid faculty on top of the faculty-wide raises — less than what the union wanted but also something Cal State management originally opposed.