The California State University system and California Faculty Association came to a tentative agreement on April 3, avoiding a proposed strike that would have made U.S. history.

Once the agreement is finalized, faculty will receive a 20.7 percent raise over four years. Faculty on some campuses were due to begin rolling strikes this week in response to the two-year-old fight over salary negotiations. Some employees may receive a higher raise based on experience and seniority.

“It was really interesting. I fully expected us to go to war (that Sunday). We were sitting there with signs, we were ready to protest, and they came to a quick decision to do a ten-day extension. We were able to negotiate a contract in ten days, and now there’s the legalese,” Dave Ballard, professor of sociology and CSUN CFA chapter president said. “In my opinion, what moved the Chancellor was the overwhelming strike vote. I think it shocked them. And it shocked all the state government, from the governor’s office all the way down, and he communicated to the Chancellor, which brought about an agreement. So for me, it was the faculty standing up and being counted.”

Ballard said the contract authorization vote is tentatively scheduled for the end of the month, and then the CSU Board of Trustees will hold its own vote. He said that the CFA will continue to support students in the face of rising tuition rates within the CSU.

The announcement comes after the approval of a 10 percent hike in student fees. The CFA has long maintained that it is against student fee increases. Throughout the last few months – which saw rising tensions between the CSU and CFA – students favored both sides. The California State Student Association stated its side as being in support of “equitable pay,” while the CSUN Associated Students decided to support neither the CFA nor the CSU.

Over the last few months, negotiations stalled repeatedly, until a fact-finding panel was brought in. The fact-finder supported a raise of up to 24.8 percent over four years.