Those who were on the CSU Stanislaus campus at noon on Tuesday were probably wondering what the group in front of the Mary Stuart Rogers administration building were rallying against with their signs  and group chants. It wasn’t students protesting global warming or the government shutdown, but rather the California State University Employees Union hosting a flash mob protest to voice concerns about what they consider unfair compensation.

The union is upset because they believe that despite their willingness to absorb the extra work load from job cuts and retirements in recent years, they have yet to be compensated for their work. According to Stanislaus CSU EU President Neil Jacklyn, the union’s last cost of living increase was in 2007. Despite speaking with the Human Resources department, their concerns have yet to be alleviated, said Jacklyn.

“I’ve spoken with other CSU chapter presidents and CSUS has the fewest in-range progressions than any other CSU in the system over the last 10 years. We are being, in a way, kept down and I don’t know why. It’s like we’re being punished,” said Jacklyn.

About 50 CSUS employees gathered with signs at the Tuesday flash mob to publicly express their frustrations chanting, “What do we want? Fair in-range progression. When do we want it? Now.”  The EU tends to resort to flash mobs when they are having issues with management, and two years ago the union hosted five flash mobs when they were protesting layoffs. The flash mob on Tuesday was the first of the school year, but according to Jacklyn it won’t be the last.

“We intend to have several more this year. Our next one is planned for Thursday when the CSU Chancellor White comes to the campus,” said Jacklyn.

University administration did not have a comment about the CSU EU flash mobs by press time.