CSUEU Chapter 302 Organizing Chair Peter Owens (right) and long-time FMS employee Shawn Wright lead the charge Wednesday, October 29 in Kendall Hall. Photo by Jason Halley, University Photographer.
CSUEU Chapter 302 Members turned out in force to present President Perez our petition with nearly 6,000 signatures of dedicated CSUEU members and supporters demanding the Chancellor's Office use the $144M loan to fully implement the bargained step system. Instead of using the money to give a one-time 3% bonus to every CSU employee (including Chancellor Garcia and her incredibly well-paid presidents and VPs), our members are demanding the full implementation of the bargained step system.
The CSUEU Bargaining Team again met with the CSU Thursday, October 30 for our "re-opener." These are the key take-aways:
Management conceded that there is no obstacle to using the loan money for full implementation of steps. They simply do not want to use the funds provided by the state in this manner.
The employer is trying to throw money at us to get us to shut up – we are not taking the bait. We are going to stand strong and turn up the heat until we get a proposal that addresses the issue of pay equity and full steps implementation.
Chapter 302 demonstrated a strong commitment to collective action. We demand, for ALL represented members, that our years of service, hard work, and dedication are finally recognized with fair and living wages!
We are STRONGER TOGETHER! If you are not a member, please join here. If you are a dedicated member but work with someone who isn't, let them know how important their membership is at this critical juncture in our negotations! We have the smallest dues structure of any union in the U.S. -- and we need your commitment to strengthen our position at the bargaining table!
Want to be a soldier in this fight for fair pay? Become a member of our Contract Action Team! As part of this group of dedicated and compassionate members you will receive paid release time to be a voice -- a LOUD voice -- for those who are unwilling or unable to speak out for themselves and their team mates! Contact our Org Chair Peter Owens and let him know you're ready to join the fight!
Letter from Chapter 302 President
Dear CSUEU Chapter 302 Members,
I’ve been on campus more than 11 years. The only raises I’ve ever gotten were thanks to the Union and negotiated general salary increases. I’ve been consistently paid below market, had to take on more work with little or no recognition, had to deal with cumbersome processes and lightning-fast organizational changes, and, well, you know, some awkward leadership. But, like you, I love the campus, I love what we do, I love the students and all of their crazy potential. Most of all, I love the people I work with – their passion, their skill, their adaptability, their dedication.
I’m mad. Those same people – the people who make this campus so beautiful, who make sure I get paid, who fix my computer, who keep me safe, who happily help me when I have a problem – are being insulted. After finally, FINALLY, negotiating a contract and a step system that fairly recognizes our time, service, and rising living costs, our CSU leadership is now trying to weasel out of the deal.
I’m hurt. As Union President, I’ve seen what these low salaries do to people. How some of us have to use the food pantry. How our morale suffers. How all the additional work is breaking us down. How many of us have second jobs. How the people who can least afford it have become the strongest financial supporters of our Union.
I’m offended. All the work we have done, all the extra “duties as assigned,” all the covering of empty positions, the longer hours, the doing “more with less,” the added stress and anxiety -- we’re told we’re still not worth it.
The CSU is claiming the temporary deferral of $144 million in state funding is a “cut” and are using it to justify giving us the minimum increase that barely bumps salaries above current pay instead of the target steps we negotiated – the salaries that reflect our skills, our dedication, and our loyalty.
As Chico State “conserves” through attrition by not filling vacant positions, that work gets piled on those who stay. Now the CSU is trying to shortchange those same workers who take on the work because IT IS WHAT WE DO. We are being asked to do even more with even less, AGAIN. For many of us, this isn’t our first rodeo. Remember furloughs? The hoops we jumped through during the pandemic? The miniscule hard-fought-for in-range progressions for those lucky enough to get them? The adjustments to salaries when minimum wage was increased because they were below even that?
We have always gone above and beyond. And now the CSU says we’re just going to have to wait again (wink, wink). For how long? Until when? What will happen at the bargaining table if we have to re-open? Will the promised salary adjustments never really see the light of day due to bureaucratic sleight of hand?
The money is there. The $227 million in state compact funding was not reduced. The Governor even authorized a zero-interest line of credit to ensure the CSU could meet its obligations. Yet CSU leadership is trying to spin this as a “cut” so they can renegotiate terms they already agreed to. This is betrayal disguised as bureaucratic maneuvering.
We cannot afford complacency. CSU is counting on our exhaustion. They see the number of dues-paying members. They see that 30% of CSU employees don’t care enough to join, don’t care enough about their fellow staff, don’t care enough to fight.
As part of our union contract negotiations in 2023, CSUEU reached agreement with the CSU to commit to review job classifications. The year-long review involved analyzing the job descriptions of more than 8,000 employees and placing them in proper classifications, titles, or levels with the ultimate goal of bringing stagnant CSU pay up to market level. The CSUEU Bargaining Team and the CSU have negotiated to place 4,247 employees in a new or different classification.
As related in the letter sent by Human Resources May 9, you may have been notified that you will be moved into a new classification effective October 1, 2025. Your movement into a new classification does not change your job responsibilities nor the position description you currently have on file.
To view the proposed pay ranges that reflect full-time, 12-month salaries, click here (PDF).
Your placement within the salary step structure has not yet been determined. Our contract stipulates that the CSU would implement Salary Steps by October 2025. If the CSU keeps its commitment, all employees will be placed within the steps structure based on their updated job classifications and their time in their currrent job classification. If you need to confirm your official classification start date, please email Human Resources. Your classification entry date may be different than your Chico State hire date.
Placement on the target step of the new salary structure is contingent upon the State of California's final Budget Act of 2025 containing a new, unallocated, ongoing appropriation to the CSU not less than the 2023 compact allocation of $227 million. While the multi-year compact for 2025 calls for a 5% increase over the 2024 allocation, the 2023 allocation will be used for this contingency. The final Budget Act of 2025 has an expected enactment date between June 27, 2025 and October 15, 2025.
If the final state budget in June includes cuts that cause the CSU to be unable to fulfill its contract terms, then employees will be placed on the closest (higher) step to their current salary, and our Bargaining Team and the CSU will be back at the table for a contract negotiation, or re-opener, on Article 20 (Salary) (PDF) and Article 21 (Benefits) (PDF).
Classification Appeals Process and Assistance
If you have questions, and would like Union assistance, please fill out a CSUEU Chapter 302 Contact Form, and we will respond within three business days (most likely sooner).
If you have questions for Human Resources and Classification and Compensation (CLCO), please submit a CLCO Inquiry form.
If you believe you are incorrectly being placed into a new classification and wish to appeal, please click here (PDF) for an overview of what that process will look like. Please click here (PDF) to view a sample letter to appeal your new classification. Please remember, however, that this process is yours as an individual employee; union staff cannot substitute for your knowledge of your job. Employees should file an appeal by June 15.
CSUEU will soon be conducting Town Halls. If you would like to sign up for CSUEU eNewsletters, please click here. If you have general questions regarding the classification study, please email classstudy@csueu.org.
Our CSUEU/APC May Day Event was a huge success and an incredible amount of fun! We connected with current members, added new members, all while enjoying an amazing taco bar from AS Catering! A heartfelt thank you to everyone who attended and to all of the amazing stewards who brought their passion and dedication to our amazing Chico State staff!
But what you really want to know is "Who won the drawings?"
A special shout-out to the CSUEU Chapter 302 stewards who made this such a memorable event: Jessie Mendoza, Peter Owens, Nicole Geiger, Rebecca Nelson, Ildi Grey, Sophie Bellis, Steve Friedrich, and Thomas DuSell. Our stewards are truly the heart and soul of staff advocacy! And a special thank you to APC steward Michael Pratt (who used to belong to CSUEU)!
Keep the Promise. Fund the CSU!
Become a Union Steward!
At Chico State, we represent more than 500 employees! By becoming a steward or bargaining unit representative you are taking advantage of an opportunity to work for the greater good, to help people thrive and succeed in their careers, and to be the voice for those who have remained silent.
Empowerment: By becoming a certified union steward, you gain the skills and knowledge to represent your colleagues effectively. You can champion workers' rights, ensuring fairness, and justice on the job.
Influence: Union stewards play a vital role in shaping our union's policies and decisions. Your input will help drive our mission forward, advocating for better wages, benefits, and working conditions.
Solidarity: It's a chance to connect with fellow union members, share experiences, and work together to face challenges head-on. When we unite, we are stronger.
Personal Growth: The training is an excellent opportunity for personal development, and enhancing your leadership, communication, and negotiation skills.
Please get in touch with our Chief Steward, Jessie Mendoza, if you are interested in learning more about becoming a Union representative or would love to attend the training! Together, we are stronger!
From Humble Beginnings to a United Force
Since our founding in the late 1980s, CSUEU has grown from a modest 30% membership into a powerful collective advocating for the rights and benefits of CSU employees. Our journey has been marked by perseverance and significant milestones, such as the hard-fought restoration of the Salary Steps system in 2024. While we’ve made incredible progress, our mission continues.
As we prepare for the next bargaining cycle, we are reminded that strength lies in numbers. Currently, ~26% of our union family are still non-members. Every member's voice adds weight to our collective power at the bargaining table. Together, we can ensure that the progress we’ve achieved is protected and expanded.
Your Voice, Your Power
As public sector employees, our collective voice is key to shaping policies that protect our rights and livelihoods. Supporting pro-labor candidates and causes is essential—but to make a greater impact in Sacramento, we need to strengthen our Political Activities Committee (PAC).
By pledging just $15 to the PAC, you’ll help power our advocacy efforts, fund impactful Lobby Days, and provide essential legislative training for union members. These resources are critical to ensuring your interests are represented where they matter most.
Join the Champion Circle today and become a driving force in the fight for fair policies, better working conditions, and a stronger future for all CSU employees. Together, we can amplify our voice and make meaningful change.
Expanding Our Collective Strength
Our mission goes beyond membership—it’s about building power by uniting workers through unionization. The recent success of organizing Student Assistants across the CSU system marks a significant milestone in our journey, proving what we can achieve together.
When we organize non-union employees, we don’t just grow in numbers—we grow in strength. With the voices of thousands of Student Assistants inspiring action, we now turn our focus to other unrepresented groups, like auxiliary employees. These dedicated workers, often overworked and under-supported, deserve the protections and advocacy that only unionization can provide.
Our fight continues, fueled by the belief that every CSU employee deserves fair treatment, a voice in the workplace, and a seat at the table. Together, we will amplify their voices, fight for their rights, and bring meaningful change to the CSU system.
CSUEU Chapter 302 Organizing Chair Peter Owens (right) and long-time FMS employee Shawn Wright lead the charge Wednesday, October 29 in Kendall Hall. Photo by Jason Halley, University Photographer.
