The SF State Chapter of the California Faculty Association will hold a rally Monday to express dissatisfaction over current contract negotiations with the California Board of Trustees.
The CFA and the California State University Board of Trustees have disagreed over salaries and performance reviews in contract talks for about a year. Both sides agreed to hire a mediator to come up with a contract proposal, said SF State CFA President Rick Gutierrez.
CFA President Pat Nichelson said in a CFA bulletin, "We will certainly work with a state mediator to convince the Chancellor that his last offer is seriously flawed and that under these terms a settlement is not possible."
At Tuesday's Academic Senate meeting, Gutierrez said both sides are far apart over the issue of pay raises.
The CSU wants to start giving raises based on professor's performance reviews. Previously, a professor would almost always receive an annual 5 percent raise.
CSU spokesperson Steve MacCarthy said most universities have a merit-based system and those professors haven't had any problems with the added work.
"Those who perform well should be rewarded," MacCarthy said. "It's that way in life."
Problems with the CSU pay raise proposal include the extra work involved in reviewing every professor, Gutierrez said. Also, if the professors are denied the raise, they cannot appeal the decision.
"There is a good chance that other issues could be settled on mutually acceptable terms if the CSU would back off on the demand," according to the memo "CFA Summary of Contract Issues" dated April 5.
Senator and counseling Associate Professor Peggy Smith asked if a strike was being planned at Tuesday's Academic Senate meeting.
Gutierrez said a strike is not being talked about or planned.
"(The CFA) will take no action that jeopardizes students," he said.
The next step is for the mediator to announce their proposal. If the CSU doesn't agree with their recommendation, the CSU's last proposal stands.
"We either accept what the CSU has offered or think of other ways of demonstrating our dissatisfaction," Gutierrez said.
Senator and business Lecturer Diane Molberg said lecturers are being used as a bargaining chip and what little rights they have will be given up.
Gutierrez said higher education is in trouble because prisons receive more financial support from the government.
According to a CFA letter, state employees have seen their salaries increase 5 percent more than CSU employees in the last four years.
Gutierrez said government officials won't say they are against higher education, but they disguise it by not giving the schools the financial support.
President Robert A. Corrigan, La Raza studies Chair Jose Cuellar, and black studies Professor Eunice McKinney-Aaron are scheduled to speak at the CFA rally on Monday from 1 to 2 p.m. in Malcolm X Plaza.
Other CSU campuses plan to hold similar demonstrations Monday, Gutierrez said.