Faculty members at the largest four-year public university system in the nation are participating in rolling strikes and canceling classes this week. They are demanding higher pay and better benefits. The California Faculty Association, representing 29,000 workers across the California State University system, announced a series of one-day actions at four campuses; including Cal Poly Pomona, San Francisco State, Cal State Los Angeles, and Sacramento State. Labor actions are becoming increasingly common in California, with various other unions going on strike as well. The Teamsters Local 2010, representing skilled tradespeople working for Cal State, is also joining the faculty in their strike this week.

The strikes are taking place at four of the largest campuses in the system, and not all faculty members are participating. The actions are intended to communicate to the university system’s leadership that the union can organize its members for job actions if needed. The faculty union and the Cal State system are in talks over a new contract and modification of the current one. The union wants an immediate 12 percent pay increase for the current academic year, while the university system has offered a 5 percent increase for each of the next three years. University leaders say they’re facing a huge budget deficit and can’t afford what the union is demanding. They hope to minimize disruptions to campuses and are prepared to return to the bargaining table as soon as possible. The union has no more strikes planned for December but indicated that there may be more actions in the new year.