Looming Crisis in Our State University System -- Urgent Action Needed!

Dear Brothers & Sisters:

AFL-CIO President Sweeney summed it up very well in his recent letter to CSU Chancellor Reed, "I have a general and growing concern about your seeming disregard for the overall integrity of the institution and the welfare of the students, faculty and staff."



The key issue holding up an agreement is faculty pay. CFA members make on average 18 percent less than their colleagues at other universities and colleges, making it increasingly difficult to recruit and retain the quality faculty members that working class students need and deserve. We are also extremely concerned about unrestrained workload increases, reductions in job security, and expanded use of temporary and non-benefited faculty.



In addition to these traditional labor issues and the anti-union attitudes displayed by the California State University administration, there are larger issues in the CSU that affect all working families and reflect the leadership’s corporate mentality. These issues include:

· Huge student fee increases;

· Reduction in course availability;

· Larger class sizes; and,

· Less faculty time for non-classroom interaction with students such as advising and mentoring.



While the CSU administration is increasingly starving students and faculty members, they have granted huge executive pay increases and paid departing executives and administrators enormous sums for frivolous no-work projects.



CFA members’ fight is your fight to save the CSU. Please click on this link to help save the CSU!



http://capwiz.com/calfac/state/main/?state=CA



cwa39521/afl-cio March 26, 2007