Bargaining Dates Set

The CSU and CSUEU have agreed to meet on September 6, 7, and 14, 2007, for reopener bargaining. Due to difficulties scheduling rooms at the Chancellor's Office, the September 6-7 sessions are likely to take place on a campus yet to be determined.

Some background on this round of bargaining, from Vice President for Representation Dennis Dillon:

Gov. Schwarzenegger signed the 2008 state budget into law Friday, leaving intact the 4% "Compact" funding increase for CSU. The signed budget does not fund the 1% above the Chancellor’s Compact. As a consequence, CSUEU will be returning to the bargaining table next month in reopener bargaining for represented staff salaries based on the provisions of the MOU.

CSUEU, along with other unions, negotiated contract language for salary increases in 2007/2008 that was dependent on not only the Chancellor's “Compact” with the Governor, but also required an additional 1% increase to the CSU budget to fund a total compensation package of 5.25%. The legislative budget conference committee has approved a budget that, so far, includes support for the compact, but DOES NOT include an additional 1% for salary augmentation for CSU staff.

Because the CSU has not been funded that additional 1%, and consequently does not have the funding for the negotiated salary increases for 2007/2008, the bargaining team has put together another proposal that would achieve the same goal. This proposal moves funding for market equity adjustments into general salary increases so that all employees would benefit equally. This means that a 4.25% compensation pool would allow for a GSI of 3.6%, and an SSI of 1%. The Rural Healthcare stipend would still increase by another $250 per year in affected areas. By moving the market salary adjustment funds into GSI, we would retain a 3.6% increase in GSI and a 1% increase in SSI, for a total of a 4.6% salary increase for most CSUEU employees.