Apr 12, 2024 By Paul Paterra 3 min read

Collective bargaining agreements with unions representing faculty members, coaches and nurses at the 10 state-owned universities, including Penn West California, have been approved by the Board of Governors of Pennsylvania’s State System of High Education (PASSHE).

The faculty and non-faculty coach members of the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties (APSCUF) and members of the Office of Professional Employees International Union Healthcare Pennsylvania (OPEIU) recently ratified the contracts.

OPEIU represents nurses, university certified registered nurse practitioners or university registered nurse supervisors.

“The faculty and staff have worked incredibly hard over the past four years through the pandemic and the State System’s redesign, and this contract reflects it,” said Chancellor Dan Greenstein. “These agreements allow our colleagues to catch up with inflation and set a course for the future. Most importantly, this is a reminder that universities are about people, and our universities could not serve their students without our dedicated faculty and staff.”

The four-year contracts are retroactive to July 1, 2023, and run through June 30, 2027. The prior four-year contract expired June 30, 2023.

The APSCUF faculty contract includes salary increases over the four-year period of 4%, 2%, 1.25% and 3% and a step increase each spring semester. Faculty members who are at the top of the pay scale and ineligible for a step increase will receive a one-time cash payment of 2.5%. The salary changes in the faculty agreement are similar to recent collective bargaining agreements between the commonwealth and other major unions.

The APSCUF non-faculty coaches contract includes salary increases of 4% and 2.5% in the first year, 2% and 2.5% in the second year, 2% and 2.5% in the third year and 2.5% and 2.25% in the fourth year. The deal also calls for $450 payments for regular full-time and part-time coaches with two years of service on July 1, 2025, and July 1, 2026. It also sets minimum salary thresholds for full-time head coaches and assistant coaches.

The OPEIU agreement includes salary increases of 4%, 2%, 1.25% and 4% and step increases each January. OPEIU members at the top of the pay scale and ineligible for a step increase will receive a one-time payment of 2.5%.

“We are pleased to reach agreements with all of the represented employees, which recognizes their hard work and their contributions to their universities and the state,” said Board Chair Cynthia Shapira.

Dr. Kenneth Mash, APSCUF president, said the new contracts recognize the contributions of the union members through difficult times.

“Our faculty and coaches are the backbone of our universities, and they have been through a lot over the past several years,” he said. “There are many changes to the contracts that we believe will help modernize institutions and ensure that they continue to provide students with an excellent education while being mindful of total college costs.”

APSCUF represents about 5,000 faculty and coaches at Pennsylvania’s State System campuses.