California State University employees are planning to go on strike from Jan. 22 to 26 after CSU management ended bargaining with the California Faculty Association (CFA) Tuesday and announced a 5% pay increase for all instructional faculty, librarians, counselors and coaches, effective Jan. 31. 

The CFA has pushed for a 12% salary increase for faculty members since bargaining began. The CSU says it exhausted the state’s impasse process during the bargaining process as they felt was not financially viable and would have resulted in massive cuts to campuses — including layoffs.

“With this action, we will ensure that well-deserved raises get to our faculty members as soon as possible," said Leora Freedman, vice chancellor for human resources. "We have been in the bargaining process for eight months and the CFA has shown no movement, leaving us no other option."

The 5% salary increase is consistent with agreements the CSU has already reached with five of its labor unions. In addition to the general salary increase, the CSU will be increasing department chairperson pay and allowing for modest parking fee increases.

“Our overriding responsibility is to manage a systemwide budget in a fiscally sustainable manner,” continued Freedman. “We are committed to paying fair, competitive salaries and benefits for our hard-working faculty members, who are delivering instruction to our students every day and are the cornerstone of our university system. But we must also operate within our means to protect the long-term success and stability of the university, our students and our faculty.”

The CFA, meanwhile, claims that their bargaining team reserved four days to reopen contract negotiations this week out of good faith to explore a solution before the scheduled strike. CFA members delivered four proposals Monday, where they say they were met with “disrespect” from management. 

“Rather than bargain in good faith with CFA members, CSU management expressed nothing but disdain for faculty. We know they have the money in their flush reserve accounts,” the CFA said in a statement Tuesday. “CSU management has never taken seriously our proposals for desperately needed equity transformation for CSU students, faculty and staff, including raising base salary for our lowest-paid, struggling faculty, manageable workloads for more student engagement, more mental health services for students, limits police to power, and humane and adequate parental leave.

“Management’s imposition gives us no other option but to continue to move forward with our plan for a systemwide strike…”

The strike will coincide with the beginning of the 2024 spring semester. It is unclear how the strike will impact classes and other campus events.