Hundreds of Workers Rally in Sacramento for CSU Salary Steps!

Worker power took over the State Capitol on Monday as Teamsters, CSUEU, APC, and UAPD members converged on Sacramento to demand Governor Newsom restore salary steps for CSU workers! We rallied at the Capitol, marched to the Governor’s Office, and made ourselves heard in front of the building as Union leaders met with the Governor’s staff and urged him to sign SB 410.

Hundreds of workers traveled from across the state to fight for fair pay at the CSU. We were joined by labor leaders like Lorena Gonzalez, head of the California Labor Federation; California Secretary of State Shirley Weber, who introduced the first bill to try and reinstate salary steps while she served in the State Assembly; State Senator Connie Leyva, who introduced SB 410 this summer and took a stand for CSU essential workers; and more!

UC Teamsters came to show support for our CSU members, and we were joined in solidarity by members of the United Farmworkers, who are maintaining their vigil in Sacramento as they call for the Governor to sign their Union bill, AB 2184 (which you can learn more about here).

“We call on Governor Newsom to stand with California workers and sign SB 410. Our essential Teamsters have been working through the pandemic keeping CSU running, but their pay has fallen way behind, because CSU is the only state employer that does not provide salary steps. Monday’s action made it clear that we need to restore fairness for our hardworking CSU support staff.”

Jason Rabinowitz, Secretary-Treasurer

SB 410, also known as The Steps to Economic Parity in Salaries (S.T.E.P.S.) Act, passed the California Senate and Assembly with bipartisan support and is currently on the Governor’s desk awaiting his signature. If passed, it would require the CSU system to implement the Salary Reforms recommended by the CSU and state-funded Mercer Study and bring back salary step increases to 20,000 CSU support staff.

Leaders from Teamsters, CSUEU, and APC met with the Governor’s staff to discuss the bill as Union members and allies continued to rally outside the Governor’s office. Those who attended the meeting confirmed that they heard our chants the entire time, all the way up on the ninth floor of the building!

Governor Newsom has until the end of the month to sign SB 410. Regardless of his decision, Teamsters will keep fighting until step increases are restored for all CSU workers. We need fair pay NOW!