P/Timer Hiring Practices Derail CSU Union Negotiations

by TAA Staff A LAST DITCH effort by the California Faculty Association to avert impasse failed July 16 when the CSU Administration Team refused to modify its position on several issues of importance to faculty. Instead, Administration bargainers presented a list of demands for changes to 18 contract articles, most of which had been in their original proposal at the beginning of the negotiations process last March. "The current CSU administration, including Chancellor Charles Reed, has turned the collective bargaining process into a sham," said CFA President Susan Meisenhelder, who cited the last two rounds of bargaining which failed to produce an agreement. "Because of this unfortunate track record, we're gearing up for job actions when classes resume this fall. We believe we owe it to our students to stand up for the future of the CSU, in spite of the administration abdicating its responsibility," she added. "We are extremely disappointed with the failure of the administration to seriously address issues that affect faculty, students and the quality of education at CSU," said CFA Bargaining Team Chairperson and Humboldt State professor John Travis. Those issues include the replacement of tenured faculty with part-time, temporary employees; the continuing financial lag of faculty behind colleagues in comparable universities; and growing workload requirements that make it nearly impossible to give students individual attention. The PERB will now appoint a mediator who will attempt to bring about a settlement. If mediation fails, a Fact-Finder will be appointed who will hold a hearing in which both sides present their cases. He or she will then issue a nonbinding decision outlining a fair contract settlement. Last year, in salary and benefit bargaining, the CSU administration refused to accept the Fact-Finder's decision and opted to unilaterally impose its own terms. If the Fact-Finder's decision is rejected by either party, faculty are free to engage in job actions.