UAW 4123 2025 INITIAL BARGAINING DEMANDS

For years the CSU has de-prioritized their mission to provide access to higher education for working class communities in favor of pouring their resources into administration salaries and new stadiums. At a time when higher education is under attack in this country, the CSU, as the largest public university system in the United States, should be at the forefront of protecting gateways to social mobility and generational wealth provided by access to higher education. Academic Student Workers provide the academic support and instruction for hundreds of thousands of students every year at the CSU, and it is our labor that enables fellow students to achieve their educational goals and for the CSU to fulfill its mission.

As we begin negotiations for a successor contract, we are calling on the CSU to prioritize its frontline instructional support workers by meeting the demands outlined here:

OUR DEMANDS

economic justice

  • Higher compensation for all Academic Student Workers that is fair and livable so that we can afford the continuing increases in cost of living, not face food and housing insecurity, and graduate from our programs without oppressive debt levels.

  • Academic Student Worker positions with predictable income, and clear communication about pay, working conditions, and job expectations.

  • No third-party companies (such as outside tutoring services) used to replace work otherwise provided by Academic Student Workers. Protections from Artificial Intelligence technology implemented at the expense of Academic Student Worker positions.

Work-Life Balance

  • Expanded Sick & Safe Days for all Academic Student Workers.

  • Improved Support to take care of self and family, including Paid Family Leave, Personal Time Off, and child care support.

  • Priority registration to balance work and class schedules and graduate in a timely manner.

  • Codify & improve processes to meet the access needs of disabled Academic Student Workers. Provide better communication to workers about disability rights and ensure participation of disabled Academic Student Workers in decision-making spaces on access needs on campus.

CSU Worker Equity

  • Access to discounted employee parking for all Academic Student Workers to alleviate the financial burden of commuting.

  • That CSU commits to sustainability and environmental justice by providing Academic Student Workers with free transit passes.

  • Full tuition and fee waivers for all Academic Student Workers.

  • Access to employee discounts at campus bookstores and vendors, just as other university employees receive.

  • Access to employer-provided health care and guarantees that gender-affirming care is included in coverage.

Worker and Human Rights

  • The waiver of Nonresident Tuition for International Academic Student Workers.

  • That the CSU ensures that our campuses are sanctuary spaces where campus community members do not have to work and learn in fear because of their immigration status.

  • The strengthening of Academic Student Workers’ and the union’s ability to enforce their rights and guarantee that each Academic Student Worker receives a union orientation on paid time.

  • The CSU’s actions, investment portfolios, and investment policies shall not hold any direct investments in weapons manufacturing and companies that consistently, knowingly, and directly facilitate or enable violations of international law and human rights.

  • A safe work environment free from discrimination, harassment, bullying, excessive workloads, and academic retaliation and provide access to paid peer-led training for Academic Student Workers