The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education and its faculty union are continuing to work toward a new contract.
The union, which represents faculty from the state’s 14 colleges and universities, has threatened a strike if a deal cannot be worked out soon.
Leadership of the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties (APSCUF) are scheduled to meet Thursday to consider calling for a strike authorization vote. That would give the union leadership the authority to call for a walkout at any time.
State system officials say the union has conducted similar votes during each of the last four rounds of contract negotiations but a faculty strike has never happened.
Officials are adamant the issue will not affect state students’ first day of school, which is scheduled for Monday.
“With classes set to begin Monday, you might have heard about the faculty union’s (APSCUF) ongoing consideration of a potential strike. First, please know that the academic year will start as planned regardless of any action the faculty union might take. Our faculty members are remarkable men and women who are critically important to the success of our students and our universities. The current salaries of State System faculty are among the highest in the nation—ranking near the top 10 to 15 percent among their peers at similar public institutions—a fact acknowledged by an APSCUF campus leader and posted on the union’s website earlier this year. The State System is proud of the fact that our faculty are compensated so well, but we also acknowledge that rising tuition is putting a strain on students and their families. As such, we are committed to reaching an agreement that is fair to everyone—faculty and students. We will continue to work toward that goal.”
The State System negotiates a single contract for all faculty who work at the 14 state-owned universities. It has been bargaining in good faith for nearly two years with APSCUF in an attempt to achieve a new contract to replace the last agreement, which expired June 30, 2015.
Slippery Rock University in Butler County is one of the 14 state schools.
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