State university system moves to delay possible faculty strike
The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education Tuesday asked the state's labor relations board to grant fact-finding in its contract negotiations with faculty, which would delay any possibility of a strike for up to 40 days.
The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education Tuesday asked the state's labor relations board to grant fact-finding in its contract negotiations with faculty, which would delay any possibility of a strike for up to 40 days.
A decision on the request could come as soon as Friday, the next time the board meets.
"We just think it's important to do everything we can to move these talks forward," said Kenn Marshall, spokesman for the 105,000-student state system. "We want an independent third party to look at the proposals and make recommendations."
He said the system wants to meet with the union and try to reach a deal while fact-finding goes on. The sides have been in marathon talks; they met Friday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday and are to meet Wednesday.
Kenneth M. Mash, president of the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties union, said that while negotiations are occurring, not much meaningful work is getting done.
"We're dealing with small stuff mostly," said Mash, a political science professor at East Stroudsburg University. "The bigger things seem elusive at this point."
Mash said the union is requesting binding arbitration, which has a 100 percent chance of success if the parties agree to it. Fact-finding, he said, only yields a solution in about 25 percent of the cases.
In binding arbitration, a three-person panel with one selected by each side and a third by both sides review proposals and outline a contract. For fact-finding, which is not binding, a labor relations board fact finder reviews the proposals and recommends a solution.
Marshall said the system had not responded to the union's request for binding arbitration.
"In the past we have declined arbitration because it would result in the system turning over its financial responsibility to a third party, which we deemed would not be appropriate," he said.
If fact finding fails and talks stall, the potential of a strike would shift to early November. A strike can't occur while fact finding is going on.
Mash said the request for fact finding is not a way to reach a deal.
"It's a way to stall things," he said.
Marshall said the system isn't requesting fact finding to delay a strike.
"But that would at least alleviate some pressure for the time being," he said.
Faculty and coaches by a vast majority have authorized the union's negotiating committee to call a strike at the 14 state universities if necessary. The sides have been divided on health insurance and salary costs, but also on work rules involving adjunct faculty, research and distance education. The union represents about 5,500 faculty and coaches at Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock and West Chester universities.
The union's previous contract expired June 30, 2015. The starting salary for a full-time instructor is $46,609, with the top of scale at $112,238 for an experienced full professor.
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