Student Activist leads Union fight

For the last couple of years, Sacramento State has had some tough battles getting fairer contracts for its professors and staff. Last year, top CSU executives received up to a 10% increase in their salaries. As for student assistants, that number is 0; professors across the CSU system receive 4%.

Photo: Aaron Gilbert-O’Neil

Now, a student assistant and activist is continuing the fight to unionize Sacramento State University Student assi

stants. Robert Gonzalez, a 20-year-old rising progressive activist, and student assistant is making some noise. Gonzalez has been the voice for student assistants and campus employees while serving on the Cal State Union committee. During his time on the committee, Gonzalez says that he has “fought for a new student assistant contract, eighteen dollar minimum wage, and more working hours.”

Although the movement to unionize student assistants has been met with challenges, it is also receiving much support from organizations such as Teamsters, California State University Employee Union, and the Calfornia Faculty Association. Robert says he will also attempt to reach out to his student government representatives to help support the unionization efforts in which he states “I hope to gain support from our elected student representatives and if not, I will convince them.”

With all on the line, Robert is dedicated to fighting for student assistants and promoting the need to raise the CSU employee minimum wage to eighteen dollars an hour. Though he may have the support and resources to take on this battle himself, the million-dollar question: is it enough to cross the finish line without the help of the ASI student government at Sacramento State?