CSU trades workers start four-day strike, picket Fresno State over unpaid raises

About 1,100 California State University skilled‑trades employees represented by Teamsters Local 2010 walked off the job and picketed Fresno State beginning Feb. 17 in a four‑day unfair labor practice strike scheduled through Feb. 20, the union said. Teamsters called the action a coordinated systemwide protest over what the union describes as CSU’s refusal to pay negotiated raises that were included in the last contract.

Union leaders and members on the picket line framed the dispute as a narrow budget question. Sanchez, quoted in Kpbs, said, “Their ongoing budget is over $8.3 billion, but they have $2.3 billion in reserves. They never told us that they can't pay us. They just choose not to. Our raises for the 1,100 skilled trades workers that we have throughout the 22 campuses is roughly only $5 million a year. That's what our raises would cost.” The union says the contingent salary language required state “full funding” and that CSU received funding that should trigger the raises.

CSU officials told the union they do not have enough guaranteed ongoing funding from the state to implement the contested raises and characterized recent state aid as a one‑time loan that must be repaid. Kpbs reported CSU offered a one‑time 3 percent raise for the third year as an alternative, while Press Democrat coverage noted the administration’s position that an interest‑free loan bridging a gap does not meet the contract’s “ongoing funding” threshold.

Picket lines stretched beyond Fresno State. Teamsters and members picketed at San Diego State University’s Campanile Walkway at midday, Cal Poly’s Slack Street entrance from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m., and at Sonoma State in Rohnert Park where roughly 30 Teamsters showed up as early as 5 a.m. and stayed until about 1:30–2 p.m., the Press Democrat reported. Sonoma HVAC engineer Kelley Greene, a 13‑year SSU employee, said, “We’ve marched and we’ve hollered and passed out fliers.” Photo captions from the Press Democrat named Mike Elliott, Kenny Russum, and Kenney Greene among picketers; photographer Christopher Chung provided images.

Teamsters leadership and political figures joined select campus actions. Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien rallied with Local 2010 at San Francisco State University alongside International Vice President At‑Large Peter Finn and Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis; O’Brien told members, “Institutions like CSU only operate because of your skill, commitment, and sacrifice. Without you, everything comes to a halt. You are the lifeblood of 22 campuses. And it’s only right you are treated and compensated fairly for everything you do,” according to a Teamsters Facebook post.

Faculty solidarity appeared in some places. The California Faculty Association, representing roughly 23,000 faculty across the CSU system, called for faculty to honor picket lines and quoted, “An injury to one is an injury to all,” while some faculty members joined pickets at Sonoma State for periods during the action.

Reporting from the Museum of Protest and other outlets said operational disruption was limited and that instruction and student services largely continued during the four days. By the strike’s conclusion, negotiators and CSU administration had not reached a settlement, leaving the core dispute over contract language and what counts as “ongoing funding” unresolved. WSWS reported that roughly 94 percent of represented workers had approved walkout authorization in December, underscoring the union’s bargaining leverage as talks continue.