APSCUF negotiators met with the Chancellor’s representatives today, Friday, November 9, 2012, at the Dixon Center in Harrisburg. With the strike authorization vote looming, PASSHE presented APSCUF with a new concessionary comprehensive proposal. The new proposal continues to increase out-of-pocket healthcare costs for active members and to restrict physicians’ discretion in prescribing medications. Current employees would receive reduced benefits and pay increased costs for retiree healthcare. New employees would receive minimal payments toward a voucher that could not sustain current retiree healthcare benefits. Part-time temporary faculty would be placed on a different lower pay scale that would ultimately discourage the hiring of full-time temporaries. Distance education payments would be discontinued, and the teaching of distance education would no longer be voluntary. The new proposal includes a bonus for faculty who would retire this year, but only if APSCUF agrees to waive the 25% cap on temporaries for replacements. The new proposal no longer includes a 35% cut for temporary faculty, and it does include retirement healthcare benefits for same sex domestic partners. APSCUF’s Chief Negotiator informed PASSHE that while there was movement in the new proposal, it was still overwhelmingly concessionary. APSCUF informed the Chancellor’s representatives that the association would present a new comprehensive proposal at the next meeting scheduled for December 11, 2012, in Harrisburg. There is an additional negotiations session scheduled for December 19th in Philadelphia. During a conference call held late in the afternoon on Friday, November 9, the APSCUF Negotiations Committee unanimously reaffirmed its intent to proceed with next week’s strike authorization vote.
