Strike approval vote under way for state system faculty
Notice: Undefined variable: article_ad_placement3 in /usr/web/cs-washington.ogdennews.com/wp-content/themes/News_Core_2023_WashCluster/single.php on line 128
Faculty for the 14 state-owned universities began casting strike-authorization votes Monday after their union rejected a contract proposal from the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education late last week.
Faculty and coaches represented by the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties, including those at California University of Pennsylvania, are scheduled to vote on the matter through Wednesday.
The union has been working without a contract since June 2011.
According to APSCUF, the state system’s concessionary proposal presented Nov. 9 continues to increase out-of-pocket health care costs, reduce retiree benefits, halt online education compensation and decrease pay for temporary faculty.
While the latest proposal no longer includes a 35 percent cut for the latter, it does contain a different pay scale for part-time instructors, which the union claims would “ultimately discourage the hiring of full-time temporaries.”
Dr. Michael Slavin, president of the Cal U. chapter of APSCUF, said creation of separate pay scales for temporary faculty is the state system’s attempt to divide and conquer the union.
With regard to health care, Slavin said APSCUF members pay more for their benefits than any other public employees statewide. He also said APSCUF is the only public-sector union in the state without a contract.
“It’s not about money. It’s about fair treatment,” he said.
While a decision won’t be made until each chapter’s strike authorization votes are tallied in Harrisburg Friday, Slavin said the Cal U. faculty has been “ready for battle for quite awhile.”
The next negotiating session is scheduled for Dec. 11. There has never been a faculty strike in the state system, which serves about 120,000 students.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.