The California State University (CSU) has reached tentative salary increase agreements with three unions on Oct. 12 after months of bargaining. The three unions were the California State University Employees Union (CSUEU), the Statewide University Police Association (SUPA) and the United Auto Workers (UAW).
Of the three unions to make agreements, the largest is the CSUEU with over 16,000 members across the 23 CSU campuses. Members of this union include: campus healthcare professionals, custodians, administrative and academic support and information technology.
The three-year agreement, which begins retroactively from July 1, 2023, proposes a 10% pay increase over the first two years.
In the third year, starting Oct.1, 2025, a salary step structure will be implemented for all employees included in the CSUEU. The step structure is a salary structure in which employees are guaranteed a 2% raise at each step up. Salaries will be merit-based and vary greatly based on years of service, according to a CSU press release.
On average, CSU staff salaries are 12% below the median salary in the higher education industry, found one Mercer study. Certain jobs were even found to be as far as 20% below market median. This has led to wage stagnation and a lack of incentive for nearly 15 years.
“This tentative agreement establishes an equitable salary structure with steps, which will help address the University’s recruitment and retention crisis,” wrote Catherine Hutchinson, the CSUEU president, in a statement. “Pending ratification, we believe this agreement raises the bar and paves the way for our other union siblings across the system.”
For months, the CSUEU bargained with CSU for wage raises and an equitable salary structure step-system. Rallies have been held at many CSU campuses, including some at CSUN. Members were prepared to strike if their demands were not met, according to the CSUEU website.
The Northridge chapter of the CSUEU represents 1,280 employees, according to CSUEU president Catherine Hutchinson.
“The contract helps lift up stagnant wages for CSU staff, which has been such a problem,” wrote Hutchinson. “The CSU is unable to recruit and retain talent when it chooses not to pay decent wages for frontline staff whose work directly helps with student success.”
A tentative agreement between the CSU and the UAW was met on Oct. 2. The UAW represents over 10,000 academic student employees, teaching associates, graduate assistants and tutors across 23 CSU campuses.
Under the two-year tentative agreement, UAW members will receive a 5% salary increase for each year as well as expanded sick leave benefits for graduate assistants.
The CSU also announced a tentative 3-year agreement with SUPA on Sep. 26 to raise the salaries of over 300 law officials employed in CSU’s university police departments. Members will receive a 5% pay increase for each of the three years should the agreement be ratified.
The unions will vote on whether to ratify the agreements in the coming weeks. Each of the tentative agreements will then be presented to the CSU Board of Trustees for approval on Nov. 7-8.
“Throughout the collective bargaining process, the CSU has been committed to increasing salaries for our employees in a fiscally sustainable manner that ensures we can continue to deliver on our mission of serving our diverse and talented students,” said CSU Chancellor Mildred García. “We thank our labor union partners for negotiating with us to achieve these goals.”
