The possibility of rolling strikes across the 23-campus California State University system is becoming more likely as faculty anger over budget cuts and a general distrust of CSU Chancellor Charles Reed continues to grow.

Hinde Auditorium constantly erupted in outbreaks of applause and cheers as concerned faculty aired their grievances in a California Faculty Association meeting today.

The members of the CFA are outraged with increasing class sizes, slashed budgets and a chancellor they feel is not willing to meet them halfway on negotiations.

“There is no more talk. We have used all our bags of tricks,” said CFA Vice President Lillian Taiz. Taiz teaches 19th Century American History at CSU, Los Angeles.

The CFA is frustrated that faculty members have left Sacramento State and have not yet been replaced while the workload has increased. The faculty empathizes with the students at Sac State who have been subjected to a 76 percent raise in fees since 2003 with more tuition hikes on the horizon.

Simultaneously, Chancellor Reed and Sac State President Alexander Gonzalez have received pay increases and almost a dozen brand-new and high-paying administrative positions have been created since 2003.

“We cannot accept their current proposal and Reed refuses to come back to the bargaining table,” Taiz said.

“The CSU is the largest university system in the nation and we have never had a strike before,” Taiz said.

Faculty and CFA members acknowledge that a strike is not an attractive proposal.

“Sometimes we must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular,” said Cecil Canton, the president of the Sac State chapter of the CFA.

Students will be impacted by a strike, but the CFA is determined to minimize those effects. The strikes would rotate across the CSU system and students would be expected to miss only a few days of classes per campus.

“A two-day strike makes our point without hurting our students’ chances to graduate,” Taiz said.

The CFA recently appointed a fact-finding committee to exhaust all possibilities and research all options before moving for a strike.

Fact-finding is a 30-day period from the day that the committee is formed plus a 10-day waiting period. By law, the strike cannot happen until the report is released from fact-finding. However, the CFA can hold a vote to strike at anytime.

“A strike vote may come as soon as late February or early March, but that does not mean that the strike will happen the next day,” Taiz said.

Linda Current is a full-time lecturer of teacher education who has been at Sac State for 26 years. She attended the meeting to support the CFA and her colleagues.

“Students are being treated unfairly and not one penny of the recent fee increases has gone to instruction,” Current said.

Sociology professor Kevin Wehr raised concerns about the impact of a rolling strike and the impact it may have.

“I fear a two-day strike would be more symbolic than beneficial,” Wehr said.

The possibility of administrative backlash was another concern for faculty. Harassment, retribution and salary reductions for the days spent on the picket line were all concerns raised by faculty.

Taiz countered by pledging every resource of the CFA would be exhausted to ensure the success of any work stoppage and to protect those involved.

“A union that cannot protect its’ members in a time like. This is not a productive union,” Taiz said. She stressed the faculty’s strength in numbers and the CFA has lawyers that are ready to handle any unfair treatment from the administration.

CFA members, faculty and supporters will have two separate “Lobbying Days” at the State Capitol on Feb. 23 and March 2. Another CFA meeting will be held noon on Thursday inside the Auburn Room.

Jordan Guinn can be reached at [email protected]