California State University skilled trade workers hit the streets Tuesday for a one-day strike.
More than 1,000 electricians, elevator mechanics, plumbers, carpenters and locksmiths picketed outside 23 CSU campuses.
The union is currently working under an expired contract, and it says workers said they’re underpaid compared to those who do the same work on University of California campuses.
"They had a study that showed we are about 25% underpaid, and we are looking to get that back," said Robert Engeldinger, a facilities maintenance mechanic from the picket lines at CSU East Bay in Hayward.
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The Teamsters Local 2010 represents the workers. It said in a statement that salary steps were eliminated nearly 30 years ago, and workers have stopped moving through their salary range.
So, the union is proposing a new salary structure.
It wants the CSU system to pay employees at least 2% more than their current salary.
California
Talks with the CSU have hit a wall and both sides are going through state-mandated mediation.
CSU said in a statement it hopes a new deal can be reached and it has a contingency plan in place to avoid disruptions to its operations.
