SEIU 1021

California College of the Arts workers protest unsafe decisions, demand a fair contract and an end to ongoing mismanagement

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On Sunday, November 22, California College of the Arts staff, adjunct professors, and community supporters tied themselves together with caution tape and took to the street to block traffic in protest of the administration’s refusal to bargain a new contract and address mounting safety concerns related to COVID-19.

Members protested CCA’s deeply engrained, anti-union management style which flies in the face of the school’s purported commitment to social justice. Over the past year, CCA’s administration has laid off union leaders, unilaterally cut faculty wages, walked out of a bargaining session, attempted to block members’ participation in union democracy and rolled out a plan to return students to art studios without seeking genuine partnership from staff and adjunct unions.  

“My biggest impression from this weekend is how powerful we all are when we work together,” said Kseniya Makarova, an adjunct professor and bargaining team member at CCA. “One of our main goals was to gain momentum within our chapter and the turnout from our action proved that. It’s reassuring to all of us that we are making progress in the fight and standing up to administration.“