CSU Workers Get Approval for Unionized Election

By Antonio Ray Harvey, Lila Brown and Joe W. Bowers Jr. | California Black Media

California State University student workers announced on Oct. 4 that the California Public Employment Relations Board (CPERB) has decided that they have enough support to initiate a union vote.

The process puts the student workers in the position to unionize after more than 8,500 union cards were certified by CPERB. The group filed a petition for a unionized election in April.

Many Student workers in the CSU system make low wages without benefits like sick leave, health insurance, and they are limited to weekly 20-hour shifts.

If the student workers’ effort to unionize is successful, they would be represented by the California State University Employee Union

(CSUEU). Over 20,000 student assistants across the CSU system will vote on whether to join the existing union.

CSUEU serves staff members who support the California State University’s 23 campuses as well as the Office of the Chancellor. The union represents 16,000 CSU support staff – working in six distinct bargaining units – covering the academics and operations of the CSU, including information technology, healthcare, clerical, administrative and academic support, campus operations, grounds and custodial.

Author: Wallace