Don’t Miss Tonight’s Virtual Town Hall for COVID Relief!

There’s still time to register for tonight’s virtual town hall to discuss COVID-19 relief.

The town hall runs from 6 to 7 p.m. and will feature several CFA members who are juggling working from home while also parenting or caretaking other family members and dependents. We’ll talk about what CFA members can do to help their colleagues achieve some type of COVID-19 leave or relief from the CSU.

“If there was ever a time for CFA to organize for Rights, Respect, and Justice – this is it,” said Margarita Berta-Ávila, CFA Associate Vice President, North. “COVID relief is needed now, not three to four months from now. Parenting and caregiving responsibilities fall disproportionately to women and people of color. Chancellor Castro’s lack of action to offer any real support clearly demonstrates where his priorities are – maintaining an institutional structure that will oppress its employees. That is why tonight’s meeting is so critical, because this is about people’s lives! We must make it clear that Enough is Enough!”

CFA proposed that faculty in need of COVID-related leave be granted one course off (three or four Weighted Training Units, as appropriate), or up to eight hours/week for coach, counseling, and librarian faculty. The CSU proposed something akin to sick leave that would require discretionary approval by an administrator. At least with normal sick leave, permission is generally not required.

The plan proposed by management would not actually reduce workload, but merely shift when the work is done, showing that the CSU and Chancellor Castro do not care about faculty issues with respect to COVID-19. Remember, the CSU system is sitting on $1.7 billion in reserves, and will soon receive nearly $800 million in another round of COVID-19 federal stimulus money.

CFA believes that with COVID-19 stay-at-home orders, daycare and K-12 schools closed or online, working parents and those with other dependents and caregiving responsibilities should be eligible for a paid workload reduction and course release rather than being forced to take unpaid time off or leave the workforce entirely. It’s time the CSU starts listening.