Next week, Teamsters Local 2010 members at CSU will make history with an unprecedented statewide unfair labor practice strike from Feb 17-20 in protest of CSU’s outrageous refusal to pay our contractual raises and step increases in July 2025. CSU was virtually the only public employer in California to give no raises to any workers in 2025 – except for huge increases to overpaid executives – despite continuing increases in our cost of living. CSU did this even though it received full funding in the state budget, pocketed millions in zero-interest loans from the state, hiked up student tuition by 6% a year, saw student enrollment surge to historic highs, and CSU sits on billions in reserves.
Our members voted by 95% to authorize the strike because we are fed up with CSU’s greed, hypocrisy and unfair treatment of workers. For decades, CSU – unique among public employers – has mistreated and disrespected the workers who make CSU run, dishonestly using the state budget as an excuse to zero out workers and cancel raises, leaving us perennially behind. Teamsters are standing up and taking the lead to say: CSU’s unfair treatment of workers must end!
CSU is dishonestly trying to use a legal loophole to withhold our raises, falsely stating that it did not receive adequate funding because some of the budgeted funds were deferred to subsequent years. But those deferred funds were covered by zero-interest loans from the state intended to fund our raises. CSU took this money, then turned around and withheld our promised raises, falsely stating it is “one-time money,” when it is not because it is part of CSU’s ongoing base budget.
CSU’s dishonesty became even clearer after the Governor’s proposed budget came out in January, providing substantial increases to CSU for 2026-27, and once again committing to fund the budgeted monies deferred from 2025-26. This leaves CSU without any legitimate argument that it can’t afford to pay our July 2025 raises. Yet when our team sat down once again with CSU for Factfinding this past Tuesday Feb. 10, CSU stubbornly continued to refuse to provide any raises for 2025.
For all CSU’s dishonest excuses, the fact remains: CSU can well afford to pay raises it negotiated and promised to workers. Our members upheld our end of the deal, showing up and working hard every day to keep the University running. Every other public employer in California – University of California, Community Colleges, K-12 schools, etc., provided raises in 2025 because the cost of living demands it. Every other employer honors its contracts with workers despite budget challenges.
CSU is out of time and out of excuses. Teamsters are standing up and taking unprecedented strike action to demand that CSU finally end its unfair treatment of workers and honor its contractual promises.
CSU: Pay up or Strike Out!
In Solidarity,
Our Teamsters CSU Unit 6 Bargaining Team
Chief Negotiator Jason Rabinowitz, Local 2010 Secretary-Treasurer
Deborah Elia, CSU San Francisco
Jared Pecot, CSU San Luis Obispo
Steve Phillips, CSU Chico
Christopher Rooney, CSU Northridge
Carlos Sanchez, CSU San Diego
Ernesto Torres, CSU San Bernardino
Tanya Akel, Local 2010 Field Director
Jose Fuentes, Local 2010 Union Rep
Michael Sherritt, Local 2010 Union Rep
Alex Vermie, Local 2010 Research Analyst
Teamsters Strike Benefits
At work or on the picket line, our Union always has our back.
All Unit 6 Teamsters who honor our strike and join the picket line all four days will receive a strike benefit of $600 from our IBT and Local 2010 strike funds. Teamsters must complete a full shift all four days of the strike, signing in and out at the beginning and end of the day, to be eligible. The success of our strike depends on the power we show on the picket lines—we need every Unit 6 Teamster ready to stand strong and picket!
