Faculty Rights Tip: Health and Safety

Article 37 of our Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) covers workplace health and safety for all Unit 3 faculty members—instructional faculty, counselors, librarians, and coaches.

It is the administration’s responsibility to ensure that faculty members are not required to work in unsafe conditions or perform tasks that endanger health or safety. In this time of multiple public health crises, the effects of climate change, and extreme weather events impacting our campuses, CFA continues to relentlessly advocate for safe working conditions for all Unit 3 faculty members in the CSU.

When faculty members believe that they are being required to work under unhealthy or unsafe conditions, they should notify “appropriate administrators,” i.e. college deans and campus provosts.

The university must then investigate complained-of conditions as soon as possible and immediately communicate the results of their investigations. If necessary, the university also must explain the steps that will be taken to correct the conditions.

Faculty members also may request temporary reassignments when they believe in good faith that their present assignment presents a clear danger to their health and safety. The administration must respond to such requests and may not unreasonably deny them during the preliminary aspect of any investigation.

Article 37.7 states explicitly:

“A faculty unit employee may request a temporary reassignment when they believe in good faith that their present assignment presents a clear danger to their health and safety. The appropriate administrator shall promptly respond to such a request in writing. Such a request shall not be unreasonably denied during the preliminary aspect of any investigation. If such an unsafe or unhealthy condition is found during such an investigation, the temporary reassignment shall continue until a remedy is implemented.”

Please check out Article 37 for other important health and safety provisions.

Faculty may also issue a complaint about unsafe working conditions with the Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH), better known as Cal/OSHA here.

With the understanding that Health and Safety rights should go beyond traditional environmental and building hazards, the union recently won important changes to Health and Safety article, expanding in its breadth and scope. Article 37 will provide rights to access to gender inclusive restrooms and lactation spaces. Additionally, the article now provides a right to faculty who may be interviewed by campus police; faculty have the right to union representation in such interviews.

If you are concerned about your health and safety on campus or in relation to your working conditions, contact your faculty rights representative. Find your representative here.

• Browse the faculty contract here.
• See an archive of Faculty Rights Tips.
• If you have questions about a faculty rights tip or would like to suggest a tip, please write us with the subject line “Faculty Rights Tip.”