I am extremely disappointed by President Hutchinson’s decision to work behind the backs of the Board of Directors to advance bylaw changes that would fundamentally weaken our chapters and diminish the democratic voice of our members. These proposed changes would concentrate decision-making authority in the hands of the President and Executive Officers, reducing the ability of rank-and-file members and chapter leaders to have meaningful input in the direction of our union.

I am also deeply concerned about the stipends that were accepted using members’ union dues without prior notification to, or approval from, the Board of Directors. Transparency and accountability are essential principles of a democratic union, and our members deserve answers regarding how their dues are being spent.

As a Chapter President, I cannot and will not stand by while actions are taken that undermine the democratic foundation of our union. I will continue to oppose these bylaw changes and will fight to protect the voice, rights, and representation of our members. Our union belongs to its members, not to a small group of elected officers.

My name is Bethany Price and I have worked at CSULB for more than 27 years. I have been a proud union member throughout that entire time, and I continue to be a strong advocate for the rights of the worker. I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of our campus’s CSUEU leadership and the leader of our Contract Action Team.

But I am appalled and embarrassed by the actions of our current Executive Leadership – particularly the President and the Vice Presidents of Finance and Representation. This trio has been handed the trust, the future, and the dues of our CSU staff workforce and they have not protected that trust, our future, or our dues. They have abandoned the current Bylaws that they agreed to live and lead by in their offices, they have disregarded necessary and appropriate oversight by the chapter and bargaining unit representatives – Our Board of Directors, and they have used CSUEU release time for their own personal gain and as leverage to manipulate members to act against the CSUEU’s best interest. 

All of these actions have been documented.

And now, they have disregarded our current Bylaws and the processes by which new Bylaws can be put forth and adopted by holding an unethical and illegal election. This Bylaws election should NOT be taking place. But if I get a Ballot whether by Text or Email you can bet I’m voting NO. I won’t sit out the election in protest. I want to defeat these Presidential Power Grab Bylaws at the Ballot Box so we don’t have to waste union resources beating these Bad Bylaws in court.

My statement in English and Spanish.

I’m voting NO on these proposed CSUEU bylaws, and I want to be very clear why.

I am deeply disappointed in the way the CSUEU President, Vice President of Finance, and Vice President of Representation have continued to operate without the full involvement and authority of the Board. The Board is the highest governing body of our union, and bypassing it undermines the very foundation of our organization.

My belief in union strength is personal. It started with my father, who was a proud union member for over 50 years. He taught me something I have never forgotten: the power is with the people. The power is always with the members—not a select few individuals. And when we lose sight of that, we lose what makes us strong.

These bylaws, as proposed, represent a shift in power that I cannot support. I will not stand by while a small group consolidates control at the expense of member voices and Board authority.

I believe in unity. I believe in transparency. And I believe in truth. Those are the values that build strong unions—and those are the values worth defending.

So today, I am voting NO.
Because our union belongs to all of us, and it’s time we take it back.

Vote NO on the bylaws.

SPANISH:

Estoy votando NO a estas propuestas de estatutos de CSUEU, y quiero ser muy clara sobre el porqué.

Estoy profundamente decepcionada por la manera en que el Presidente de CSUEU, la Vicepresidenta de Finanzas y el Vicepresidente de Representación han continuado operando sin la participación y autoridad completa de la mesa directiva. La mesa directiva es el órgano de mayor autoridad dentro de nuestra union, y el evitarla o dejarla de lado socava la base misma de nuestra organización.

Mi convicción en la fuerza de la union es algo personal. Comenzó con mi padre, quien fue un orgulloso miembro de su union por más de 50 años. Él me enseñó algo que nunca he olvidado: el poder está en la gente. El poder siempre está en los miembros, no en unos cuantos individuos. Y cuando perdemos de vista eso, perdemos lo que nos hace fuertes.

Estos estatutos, tal como están propuestos, representan un cambio de poder que no puedo apoyar. No me quedaré de brazos cruzados mientras un pequeño grupo concentra el control a costa de la voz de los miembros y de la autoridad de la mesa directiva.

Yo creo en la unidad. Creo en la transparencia. Y creo en la verdad. Esos son los valores que construyen uniones fuertes — y son los valores que vale la pena defender.

Por eso hoy voto NO.
Porque nuestra union nos pertenece a todos, y ya es hora de recuperarla.

Vota NO a los estatutos.

Vanessa Vincent
Chapter 321 President
San Marcos

At first, I was excited to hear about changes to bylaws because it was meant to expand “student worker voices,” however, after reading the bylaws carefully, I noticed that the language was stripping away the current system of checks and balances as well as power from each one of our individual chapters. The bylaws, which were sold to us as expanding the voice and vote of student assistants, were really just a way to strip power from our current union.

This will do nothing for student workers. There is no point in having a seat at the table if we have no voice or power to effectively take part in the union governance. We have fought so hard to form part of this union, only to be offered a hollow position that merely serves as the union’s spirit week ambassador and unpaid marketing campaign managers. Moreover, I voted no on the bylaws because we currently have an impending contract and a possible strike. Right now, we must not give up our power, and we must be more united than ever. We have already pushed the CSU Leadership and reached tentative agreements on issues such as discipline rights for student workers and clear language on gender-inclusive restrooms and lactation rooms. We still have a big fight ahead of us and are currently backing CSU Leadership into a corner on issues such as paid sick leave, bereavement, discounted parking, pay raises, and much more. Student Assistants have been fighting for expanded protections and pay raises that reflect the cost of living for more than a year now. We will not be told by CSU Leadership nor by Union Executives that our voices do not matter.

We have fought to join a union, we are fighting for our contract, and now we must fight to for union transparency. 97% of student workers did not vote to join a union, only for us to not be able to contest executive decisions and not have transparency on union expenses. Our pay does not reflect the cost of living, yet we still pay our dues, because we know it means we will recieve more protections and better our living situations and workplace. Expense and governence transparency are the bare minimum we deserve as union paying members! We have survived and are currently surviving through so many historical events; do not let the same thing happen in our workplace! We cannot afford to give up our voices and our power! Student Assistants represent 20,000 employees in the CSUEU. We deserve representative leadership, NOT a top-down power struggle.

Would you trust a leader who personally called you in order to change your mind or who misused your likeness? VOTE No! Make your Voice Count! Say no to Tyranny in our union and everywhere! A vote of “yes” means CSU Leadership and union executives get to decide the future fate of our contract and our strike. You deserve a voice! Vote No on the proposed bylaws!

Maria Lara
Student Assistant from CSULB

I am voting NO on the bylaws vote because I believe in a functioning democracy.  I believe that all members of our union should have a voice and be equally represented, including our student assistants. To bring the majority of power up to just a select few is asinine — the very opposite of everything a union is and should be.  This is just a blatant power grab and should be stopped by an overwhelming majority.

Karen Malone
CSUEU Chapter 313

When the notice for the proposed CSUEU bylaws came out, I found myself asking a few critical questions:

• Why now? Why are we distracting from bargaining with these “needed” changes?
• Who actually benefits? How do these changes help the union at large, and how do they increase the voice of its members?

After looking at the facts, the answer is clear: This is a power grab, plain and simple.

I am voting NO on the proposed CSUEU bylaws, and I urge every single member to follow suit. These are not minor changes. They represent a massive, damaging shift in the makeup of our union that will directly suppress member voices and representation.

A union is supposed to be democratic, member-led, and member-driven. It belongs to all of us, not just a select few. Unfortunately, leadership—specifically the CSUEU President, VP for Finance, VP for Representation, and the Bylaws & Policy Committee Chair—is pushing a structure that destroys our checks and balances.

• Consolidated Power: Under the proposed bylaws, major decisions for the entire organization will be funneled to just three people at the top. That is not a union.
• Misdirection: While President Hutchinson has previously dismissed concerns about these proposals – and their existence, leadership is actively pushing bylaws that shift us toward top-down decision-making.
• Distraction from What Matters: This is happening at the exact moment we should be completely focused on securing a better contract and fighting for full step implementation.”

I believe in open and honest communication.

I believe in transparency at all levels.

I believe in the truth.

Our membership deserves better.

Our union is meant to serve all members, not to be a vehicle for personal gain or centralized control. We need to restore accountability and ensure that our voices are heard at every level of this organization.

Stand up for a democratic union. Vote NO on the proposed bylaws and let’s restore control of our CSUEU!

In Solidarity,
Nic Webber
President – Chapter 308