On Nov. 7, the California Faculty Association Board of Directors were informed of the results of a strike authorization voted by members. Ninety-three percent of members voted to support a strike, and the board voted unanimously to authorize a strike on two campuses – CSU East Bay and CSU Dominguez Hills – for Thursday. On that day, faculty from across the system who have flexibility in their course schedules will join the faculty on the two campuses going on strike.

Strike is a powerful word and a powerful action. When workers withhold their labor, it means something big is at stake. The administration will say it is about money and claim they don’t have any. But we know they do because they continue to give hefty raises to managers – the latest was a $100,000 raise to the San Diego State University campus president. But this is not just about money, it is about rights and respect. Faculty continue to see increases in class sizes and other workload escalations, we continue to have retiring tenured faculty not replaced and lecturers’ careers continue to be sacrificed to the budget axe.

But why should students care? Some will say this action by faculty will harm students. But students understand they are already being harmed, they understand faculty working conditions are student learning conditions. Students are hurt by not getting needed classes, by sitting in mega-lectures where they do not get the individual attention they deserve and by watching their favorite professors get fired – becoming unavailable to supply letters of recommendation for graduate schools and the job market.

Even more, this faculty action is for the students of tomorrow. Your younger brothers and sisters also deserve a quality, affordable public higher education. Faculty are here for you, but we are also here for the long haul – we are fighting for the students of tomorrow and the future of California.

Think of this like the signs you sometimes see at construction sites: “a temporary inconvenience for a lasting improvement.” Together, in solidarity, we can improve the California State University system.