CSU union at Fresno State marches on president’s office as contract expires
The Fresno State chapter of the CSU Employees Union marched on the president’s office on Tuesday to advocate for a better contract.
This action was one of several that took place at CSU campuses across the state on the day that the former contract expired.
“We just want to make sure that our staff are being compensated adequately at the market levels,” said Fortunato Garcia, president of the Fresno State union chapter and lead grounds worker at the university. He has been a Fresno State employee for 15 years and president of the union chapter for two.
Garcia said that the chapter’s goal is to achieve an 11% raise for workers. Last year, he said, there was no raise.
In November 2025, the CSU Board of Trustees approved a 10% increase to the base annual salary of Fresno State’s president, Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval.
Workers, in part, have been protesting the salary step system, which outlines “steps” in compensation for employees that increase compensation with time at the campus. This system was part of the CSU’s pay structure until 1996 and returned in 2025.
Employees such as Tracy Bessey, who has worked at Fresno State since 1997, feel that the step they have been placed on does not accurately reflect their years of service. Bessey has been placed at step 7, though she feels her years of service should place her higher.
“Because the step system was abolished, employees hired after 1996 lost the predictable salary progression that rewarded years of service,” Bessey, a committee chair for the union chapter, wrote in a statement to The Bee. “We aren’t asking for special treatment; we’re asking the CSU to honor our years of service, provide living wages, fully fund the step system, and negotiate a fair contract that reflects the value of the people who serve our students and campuses,”
During their demonstration, chapter members marched from the campus fountain to the fourth floor of the library, where the office of the university president is located. The president did not appear to be inside, but union members were able to leave a letter to the president at the front desk. The Bee was not able to obtain a copy of the letter.
The chapter chanted “Students and staff unite, one struggle, one fight” and “We are the union, the mighty, mighty union” as they marched.
“Union strong!” an onlooker cheered as they passed.
