This email was sent to CalArts faculty and staff on Aug. 18, regarding updates on CalArts and CU-UAW bargaining, tentative agreement on articles, and compensation packages.
Dear Colleagues,
The parties (CalArts and CU-UAW) have already reached tentative agreement on more than 40 articles—a significant achievement that provides the foundation for a complete collective bargaining agreement. CalArts respects the rights of its represented employees, remains committed to bargaining in good faith with CU-UAW, and believes the parties have made meaningful progress. CalArts is prepared to continue meeting to resolve the remaining issues through the parties’ authorized representatives.
As of the morning of Aug. 17, 2026, the status of bargaining was as follows:
- Tentative agreements already reached on more than 40 articles, including:
- Enhanced vacation and holidays for staff.
- Enhanced Tuition Remission Benefits for all bargaining units.
- Paid parental leave for all bargaining units.
- Maintained and/or enhanced Professional Development Grants for all bargaining units.
- Discipline and Discharge procedures appropriate to each unit, with a just cause and progressive discipline standard.
- Grievance and Arbitration.
- Layoff and Recall rights for Staff.
- And many others, such as performance reviews for staff, workplace and materials for all units, intellectual property for faculty, and more. Additional details are available at informed.calarts.edu.
CalArts proposed two compensation options. Both options include all tentative agreements listed above as part of a complete package. The key difference between the options is how wage increases are structured:
- Option 1 (Offer without conditions): A 2.5% increase in each year of the three-year contract, across-the-board for all three (3) bargaining units, effective Jan. 1, 2027; Jan. 1, 2028; and Jan. 1, 2029.
- This separately includes an increase for Facilities, Development, and Management (FDM) employees to bring them to market consistent with CalArts staff compensation philosophy, and sets minimums for Special Faculty work. These adjustments range from 4% to 28%, depending on position.
- For Regular and Technical Faculty, the 2.5% annual increase is in addition to Faculty Salary Advancement Plan (FSAP) step increases (approximately 4% every 3 years, or about 1.3% per year) and any merit-based step increases (1–2 additional steps possible, another about 4% to 8%). This means total annual compensation growth for Regular and Technical Faculty could reach approximately 3.8% or more per year under this option.
- Elimination of the bottom three (3) tiers of the Faculty Salary Advancement Plan for Regular and Technical Faculty. This means beginning salaries would start at Step 4 (presently, $80,178).
- CalArts is also setting minimum pay for Special Faculty in line with other independent private art schools, close to the AAUP-reported maximum for adjunct pay at private institutions (for courses that are 2 credits and above, a minimum of $6,200).
- Maintaining the employee premium contribution percentage to healthcare through March 2028, with a $32,000 (per plan year) healthcare emergency fund to offset rising national healthcare costs for those on the Imagine360 1000 plan.
- Maintaining retirement contributions.
- Option 2 (Conditional Enhanced Offer — available only if accepted by Aug. 21, 2026):
- CU-UAW told CalArts at the bargaining table that its top priority is taking care of the lowest-paid staff employees. In direct response to this stated priority, CalArts developed an enhanced, optional package that directs more money to employees at the lower end of the staff pay scale. Under Option 2, all bargaining unit members—staff and faculty alike—also receive a signing bonus after ratification. Accordingly, this option is available for staff unit members:
- Jan. 1, 2029: 2.5% increase.
- Jan. 1, 2028: $2,000 or 2.5%, whichever is greater.
- Jan. 1, 2027: $2,800 or 2.5%, whichever is greater.
- For example, for an employee earning $50,000/year, 2.5% would be $1,250. Under Option 2, they would receive $2,800 instead — more than double.
- FDM: Same as Option 1 — FDM employees receive their separate market adjustment in lieu of the Year 1 increase.
- Signing bonus: $100 for every bargaining unit member (staff and faculty) on payroll on the date of ratification and who remains on payroll when the bonus is paid.
- All other benefits in Option 1 are included in Option 2 (including healthcare protections, retirement contributions, FSAP step increases for Regular and Technical Faculty, Special Faculty minimums, and FDM adjustments).
- Option 2 is part of a comprehensive resolution package. It is conditioned on the union requesting—and the NLRB accepting— the withdrawal of two pending unfair labor practice charges (one relating to bargaining issues concerning the group health insurance plan and one relating to bargaining issues concerning faculty appointment terms for certain faculty members) that could require the parties to engage in a litigation process. The deadline for CU-UAW to accept this proposal is Friday, Aug. 21, 2026. If those conditions do not occur, Option 2 would not take effect, and the parties would revert to Option 1 or resume negotiations.
- CU-UAW told CalArts at the bargaining table that its top priority is taking care of the lowest-paid staff employees. In direct response to this stated priority, CalArts developed an enhanced, optional package that directs more money to employees at the lower end of the staff pay scale. Under Option 2, all bargaining unit members—staff and faculty alike—also receive a signing bonus after ratification. Accordingly, this option is available for staff unit members:
On Aug. 17, 2026, CU-UAW countered this offer and the parties continue to bargain in hopes of reaching an agreement. The parties are also attempting to reach tentative agreement on the remaining proposals involving Regular and Technical Faculty Appointments and Special Faculty Appointments. These proposals remain under discussion and are not final unless incorporated into an overall agreement and completed through the applicable approval and ratification process. The agreed-upon tentative agreements are also not final unless incorporated into an overall agreement and completed through the applicable approval and ratification process.
Taken together, these proposals represent meaningful investments in CalArts employees across all three bargaining units—including wage increases, enhanced benefits, stronger workplace protections, and professional development support.
CalArts currently faces a structural deficit of approximately $7 million. These financial realities shape what CalArts can sustainably commit to in a multiyear agreement, but they do not diminish the value of our employees or the work they do.
We recognize that bargaining can be a stressful process, and that members of our community may hold differing views on the right path forward. We take those concerns seriously.
The progress made at the table shows that a fair, sustainable agreement is within reach. Reaching agreement means all bargaining unit members would begin receiving these wage increases and enhanced benefits on the proposed effective dates. The goal has always been—and remains—a contract that is fair, sustainable, and in the best interests of the entire CalArts community. We remain ready to continue bargaining through the parties’ authorized representatives, and we will share updates as material progress is made.
Sincerely,
The CalArts Bargaining Team