The union representing California State University faculty announced July 24 that its members have voted to accept two-day-a-month furloughs.
The California Faculty Association voted in favor of furloughs by 54 percent. About 68 percent of about 13,000 eligible members voted. The union represents about 23,000 faculty members.
“We believe that many more would’ve voted ‘yes’ if the chancellor had considered the CFA’s proposals,” said the CFA bargaining team chair, John Travis, referring to the ideas union members discussed in group meetings for the past few weeks.
CFA members also overwhelmingly agreed by 80 percent that they have “no confidence in the leadership of CSU Chancellor Charles Reed,” said Lillian Taiz, CFA president. About 4 percent were confident in the chancellor’s abilities, while the other 16 percent were unsure.
“It sends a strong signal that the faculty and the CSU are simply fed up with this lack of leadership,” said Alice Sunshine, CFA communications director. She added that it may be a sign that faculty are looking for new leadership and “change we can believe in.”
Furloughs, or unpaid time off work, would save the CSU system approximately $275 million of the $584 million cut. They would apply to all CSU employees with the exception of campus safety employees.
The furloughs are equivalent to a 10 percent pay cut. Employee salaries make up about 80 percent of CSU’s budget.
Many faculty have said they were reluctant to vote for furloughs because details of the chancellor’s furlough proposal had not been disclosed.
“It became clear to us very quickly … that really what we’re talking about is furloughs and layoffs,” Sunshine said. “There definitely will be layoffs.”
Travis said that while many members are tenure-track faculty members who are safe from layoffs, they voted for furloughs “for the good of the university” and for their students and colleagues.
“We are committed to the university; we built the university,” Travis said. “We are willing to make sacrifices for our students.”
The CFA board of directors announced July 29 that they have approved a side letter with the chancellor’s office for two unpaid furloughs per month for a year, according to a CFA press release. The side letter, once finalized, will be added to the union’s current contract with the CSU.
A union for nonacademic employees, the CSU Employees Union, also recently voted for furloughs. The Academic Professionals of California, which represents student-services employees, also agreed to the details for a furlough program, according to an article from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.
The article also reported that two groups, the Service Employee Trades Council and the International Union of Operating Engineers at the California Maritime Academy, have chosen to accept layoffs.
This article was updated at 6:35 p.m. on July 29, 2009.
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