USA : State universities marathon faculty contract talks to pick up again
Contract talks between the State System of Higher Education managers and the faculty union have concluded for the day with plans to return to the bargaining table on Monday.
During Sunday's six-and-a-half-hour marathon negotiations, the system exchanged offers with the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties that address salary increases, healthcare changes and other items, system spokesman Kenn Marshall said.
"At our request, the teams are scheduled to continue meeting through Wednesday of this week, with additional sessions to come as needed," Marshall said in a statement. "To be clear, the State System is committed to staying at the table until an agreement is reached so that we can ensure our students' education remains uninterrupted, which is our top priority."
The faculty has been working without a contract for 15 months, which is the second longest time that its union has gone without a labor agreement. A majority of APSCUF voted over a week ago to authorize a strike, giving union leaders the ability to call one if they consider it necessary.
Sunday's talks were the second time in three days the teams met to negotiate in what appears to be a last-ditch effort to try to avoid a strike.
Marshall said the system is looking for a settlement that "recognizes both the value of our talented faculty and the unprecedented fiscal challenges of our universities." Union officials, however, have expressed concerns about some of the system's demands eroding quality of education the universities provide along with increased out-of-pocket costs for health benefits.
The dark cloud of a possible strike has begun to unnerve students, causing some to question whether they needed to complete their class assignments due in the coming days or set their alarms for class. However, APSCUF President Ken Mash has said that no strike would be called while the sides are talking.
Still, he said recently that faculty has been sharing information with students on its website about the contract dispute as well in conversations and through informational sheets being passed out on some campuses.
While salary and benefit changes are the subject of negotiations, other issues relating to working conditions such as an increased use of temporary faculty, using more distance education for on-campus students, and allowing students with fewer graduate credits to teach courses are among the issues that the union said on Friday remain in discussion.
The current base salary for full-time faculty ranges from $46,609 to $112,239. Part-time faculty are paid a minimum of $5,838 per every three-credit course they teach. According to a Joint State Government Commission report issued in February, the average faculty member works 54.7 hours a week.
Full-time in-state undergraduate students attending State System universities are paying $7,238 in base tuition for two semesters this year.
More than 100,000 students attend the universities where the faculty affected by this labor dispute are employed. They include: Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock, and West Chester universities.