Aug. 2, 2016
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information, contact:
Kathryn Morton, or 717-236-7486
Negotiations inched forward today between the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education and the union representing Pennsylvania’s state-owned universities’ faculties and coaches.
Negotiators meeting at the Dixon University Center in Harrisburg continued plodding through the 249 changes the State System put on the table in June. That 146-page document was the System’s first multi-year proposal since negotiations began in late 2014.
The two teams have been searching for items on which they can reach a consensus. At their July 19 session, APSCUF and the State System found common ground on some minor issues, and today’s meeting continued that trend. Negotiations are slated to continue Aug. 9.
The most contentious part of today’s negotiations centered on the State System’s unprecedented publication of all proposals and agreed-upon provisions on the System’s website.
“Every expert on negotiations with whom I have spoken has told me that the publication of proposals and tentative agreements does nothing but hurt the process,” APSCUF President Dr. Kenneth M. Mash said. “The System continually seems intent on sabotaging our negotiations. They are not doing this with any other union’s proposals; it just seems spiteful.”
APSCUF’s emergency legislative assembly conference call remains on the calendar for Aug. 25. On that call, delegates from all 14 campuses in the State System will decide whether full APSCUF faculty members will take a strike-authorization vote on their campuses.
The faculty contract expired 399 days ago on June 30, 2015.
APSCUF represents about 5,500 faculty and coaches at the State System universities: Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock, and West Chester Universities of Pennsylvania.