The California State University Board of Trustees and the California Faculty Association met today for their Oct. 8 mediation in Sacramento to reach a compromise regarding salary negotiations for all Cal State Faculty.

Unfortunately no settlement was made so both groups will be moving on to the fact-finding process.

“We basically discussed if the CSU was going to budge on any of their offers, and they said no,” said Antonio Gallo, CSUN lecturer and member of the CFA bargaining committee. “They didn’t even counter offer. They stuck to the two percent because they said that’s all they can give.”

During the fact-finding process, a neutral third party is chosen to hear both sides. Representatives are then selected from each bargaining team to gather information and issue a report to a neutral third party. The neutral third party then writes a report that recommends how the settlement could be compromised.

“Whenever we have gone to fact-finding in the past, the CSU never sided with the fact-finders decision, even though they select their own representative,” Gallo said. “The thing that we find is every time it comes down to fact-finding, they side with the CFA.”

As of now, no date has been selected for fact-finding.

If fact-finding proves to be unsuccessful, there will be a 10-day media blackout. After the blackout the parties will present their best and final offer.

If no agreement is made, the idea of a strike remains a possibility. The CFA will vote Oct. 19 to determine if they will go on strike if they are unable to settle.

“Of course we are hoping not to strike, and I am sure if you ask most faculty members they don’t want to,” Gallo said. “They love what they do, but they need to be properly compensated.”