As they promised during negotiations Sept. 26, California State University filed a second request for the state Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) to determine that the two teams are at impasse. PERB confirmed the impasse on Oct. 4, sending a letter to Teamsters 2010 Secretary-Treasurer Jason Rabinowitz stating that a mediator will be assigned to our contract negotiations with CSU.
Under California labor law, impasse occurs when the employer and the Union have exhausted the good-faith bargaining process, and further negotiations would be futile. Upon certification of impasse, regular bargaining ceases and the parties move to mediation and then fact-finding.
Secretary-Treasurer Rabinowitz opposed impasse because multiple contract articles were still being discussed between the parties, and because the CSU has committed numerous unfair labor practices (ULP).
“This does not change our plans for our strike authorization vote,” Rabinowitz says. “Mediation can be helpful in some instances, but the CSU has shown they do not want to be fair to their workers. They have hoarded roughly $3.5 billion in reserve funds on the backs of workers and students, they approved a salary of almost $1 million per year for the new chancellor, and are raising student tuition by 36 percent over the next six years.
“They have the money and need to be fair to workers who have gone without regular movement through their salary scale for nearly 30 years.”
Strike Authorization Voting continues through October. Only full Teamsters members may vote; non-members may sign up to become a member at all voting locations. If you are unable to attend the in-person voting session, contact your Union Representative before Oct. 31.
