The United Auto Workers Union has called for a CSU-wide strike on Wednesday in response to a failure to reach an agreement on a new contract for academic student employees.

The UAW union represents over 6000 teaching assistants, graduate assistants and instructional student assistants throughout the CSU and their bargaining team has voted to call an unfair labor practice strike, accusing the CSU of unfair labor practices in recent negotiations.

Teaching associates, graduate assistants, tutors and other instructional student assistants are expected to join the strike, according to a UAW press release.

“The CSU’s unlawful bargaining includes not providing information critical to the bargaining process, not having the authority to bargain at the table, and conditioning resolution of one critical issue- a fee waiver for academic student employees…” the press release states.

In October, the California Faculty Association wrote a letter in support of the ASE to Chancellor Reed in response to the student employee fee-waiver issue of the contract negotiations.

“We are concerned that your administration has indicated an unwillingness to negotiate this benefit…until such time that bargaining ‘re-openers’ have concluded with other CSU employee bargaining units,” the letter, signed by CFA President Lillian Taiz states. “We believe such a pre-condition is not only a disservice to ASEs, but is a violation of collective bargaining practices and good faith efforts outlined in existing law.”

The CSU released a statement Tuesday in light of the UAW’s announcement for a strike in defense of the integrity of the negotiations, stating the parties “have reached agreement on all issues but fee waivers.”

“While the UAW claims that it has the right to strike because of alleged unfair labor practices by the CSU, the CSU’s position is that it has bargained in good-faith and that a strike at this time is unlawful,” the CSU states, adding that they are “prepared to take appropriate legal actions, should the UAW proceed with their planned activities.

The CSU statement highlights the current fiscal crisis and subsequent budget cuts in comparison to their estimated cost of granting the requested full fee waivers, calculating an additional cost of $8 to 11 million a year for the CSU.

“There is no indication of how long the union intends to continue the strike,” Penny Saffold, Ph.D. Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students said in an e-mail to students. “Classes and final exams will be held and other student activities will continue as usual.

The strike is scheduled to begin tomorrow morning, December 10 simultaneously across 21 campuses at 7am.