Faculty union resumes bargaining with Pa. State System

Faculty and management for Pennsylvania's 14 state-owned universities resumed bargaining today amid a threatened Oct. 19 strike, and the union provided a copy of an unfair labor practice charge it says it filed with the state.

The Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties accuses the State System of Higher Education of failing to negotiate in good faith. It said management has "bargained superficially and regressed in its offers" during the latest sessions.

The four-page letter, filed Sept. 22 with the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board, asserts that action by the system “has evidenced a desire to avoid agreement.”

The last faculty contract expired on June 30, 2015 and the dispute has grown more acrimonious in recent weeks, with both sides publicly accusing the other of not being serious about the talks.

“Although we have been treated unfairly, I pledge to keep going to the table for the sake of our students and our universities,” APSCUF President Kenneth M. Mash said. “We just hope we will not be met with more of PASSHE’s cynical showboating.”

“We have yet to receive a complaint from the labor board. However, it would be far more productive if APSCUF would focus on negotiations rather than creating distractions," responded State System spokesman Kenn Marshall. "Regardless of anything else swirling around, we want to stay at the table and reach an agreement that is fair to everyone, especially our students.”

The 5,100 faculty represented by APSCUF are are at odds with the system over pay and health insurance as well as other issues such as use of both temporary faculty and graduate students without degrees to instruct students and over-reliance of distance learning.

Some 400 coaches also are represented by APSCUF. That bargaining unit held talks Tuesday and is scheduled to meet again Monday amid reported progress.

The State System has 107,000 students and includes the following universities: Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock, and West Chester.

Source: Pittsburgh Post Gazette