President's Corner | March 26, 2026
President's Corner
Union President Catherine Hutchinson shares updates, priorities, and ways members can take action together.
March 26, 2026
Dear Members,
The CSU issued a one-time 3% bonus payment for eligible non-represented staff last month. Represented Staff, including CSUEU members, have rejected the offer as inadequate and continue to negotiate with the Chancellor's Office for a real salary increase.
You can read our position when the bonus was first offered in January, but here's a quick recap: The bonus would be heavily taxed; it is not a raise and would not increase our salary base; and it does not address wage stagnation, increased workloads, recruitment and retention challenges, or the rising cost of living.
Why is it that the Chancellor and Board of Trustees always cite "lack of funds" when workers demand livable wages but can afford to boost campus presidents' salary by 5%-20%?
If you are as outraged as I am, sign up and join our union today! CSUEU members' direction to our Bargaining Team is crystal clear: Keep fighting for Full Salary Steps for Contract 2026!
What we're focused on
Along with Vice President for Finance Terrance Wilson and Chief Negotiator Ned Burke, we met with President Wood at Sac State last week to discuss how bargaining is going with ASI workers and the auxiliary employer. Since voting to join CSUEU last year, ASI full-time and student staff are bargaining for their first contract.
Unsurprisingly, ASI Management says there's no money to pay workers livable wages.
Our Union stands with ASI Sac workers: Our fight for fair wages is one! As we wrap up our Contract 2026 campaign kickoff actions across 22 campuses this week, we are hearing from a lot of you who say you are ready to do whatever it takes to win a fair contract this year.
The truth is Management only yields when they feel the heat. Keep reading to learn more about what it takes to wage a successful strike against the boss.
What members should know
What does it mean to go on "strike"? A strike is when workers come together and collectively stop working as a form of protest against the employer. Our contract expires on June 30 this year. After that date, we are working without a contract. If CSU Management engages in bad faith bargaining while we negotiate for a new contract, we can file a Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) charge which allows us to legally refuse to work until our demands are met.
During a ULP strike, the employer cannot threaten, discriminate, or terminate employees for engaging in a lawful strike, per the state Public Employment Relations Board.
Going on strike is always the last resort - but is the most powerful tool we have as workers. For a strike to be effective, everyone would need to join in.
If you want to show CSU management we will not accept anything less than Full Steps, now is the time to join your Contract Action Team - the core group that is planning campus actions to win what we deserve.
Get involved!
We are offering New Steward Certification Training session in April. I encourage you to register to attend. Note: Training takes four hours to qualify for the certification exam.
WHAT: New Steward Certification Training
WHEN: Saturday, April 18
TIME: 9 AM - 1 PM
Registration Link
One more thing
Please do not use your campus email account for communications that relate to workplace issues, such as your job or potential union grievances.
While it may feel convenient, campus email systems are owned and controlled by the employer. That means management can access, monitor, and retrieve emails sent through those systems. In some cases, those communications can be used in ways that may negatively impact you or others, especially when discussing workplace concerns, filing issues, or coordinating around union activity.
When you use your campus email to talk about union matters, you are unintentionally giving management visibility into:
- Your concerns and complaints
- Conversations with stewards or union representatives
- Potential strategies or next steps
This is not about creating fear. It’s about being smart and protecting yourself and your coworkers.For any union-sensitive issue, always use a private, non-campus email account. This ensures your communications remain yours, not the employer’s.
I understand that campus email is often the easiest and most accessible option. But in this case, convenience can come at a cost.
If you need assistance:
- Setting up a private email account
- Connecting with your campus steward using their personal email
- Or understanding how to safely communicate about workplace issues
Please reach out - we are here to help.
Taking this small step helps protect not just you, but our collective strength as a union.
When we fight, we win - but we also have to fight smart.
In unity,
Catherine Hutchinson
President
CSU Employees Union