Local fights CSU layoffs
September 22, 2020
Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, Local 2010 has been fighting hard to protect members from suffering layoffs or other loss of income. The Local won paid administrative leave and prevented any layoffs of California State University members through the last fiscal year. For the current fiscal year, the Local presented CSU with a comprehensive proposal on alternatives to layoffs and pushed for additional federal and state funding for California higher education in light of economic losses due to stay-at-home orders and distance learning.
CSU refused to bargain on a statewide basis. While most campuses have so far avoided layoffs, a few have initiated them, including CSU San Francisco, Sonoma, Monterey Bay, and Fullerton.
Governor Gavin Newsom instructed CSU and UC to use some of their unrestricted reserves, in addition to the state emergency funding, to avoid laying off workers. With $2 Billion in reserve, the CSU campuses have the money to keep workers on the job and have plenty of deferred maintenance work to be done.
In addition to the proposal that the Local submitted to CSU Chancellor Timothy White, the local started a petition to both White and CSU Monterey Bay President Eduardo Ochoa expressing “no confidence” in that campus’ Vice President for University Personnel Natalie King, demanding that she be removed from her leadership position. By the time this paper comes out, Teamster members will have spoken to the CSU Board of Trustees on Sept. 22-23 on the effects layoffs will have on workers and the long-term employment capabilities of the CSU and their campuses.
“Teamster members have been working hard through this pandemic to keep our campuses running and our community safe,” says Secretary-Treasurer Jason Rabinowitz. “CSU should be using all of its resources to keep dedicated workers on-the-job, instead of making them bear the brunt of this crisis. Teamsters will keep fighting to protect our jobs from layoff.”
