No strike
Professors and coaches at Pennsylvania’s 14 state-owned universities decided not to walk out before the academic year ends.
According to a news release from Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties, delegates at legislative assembly Saturday determined they would not take action this academic year, which ends in May. Instead, delegates voted to take a strike-authorization vote at either an emergency legislative assembly in the summer or at their regularly scheduled September meeting should no progress be made at the negotiations table.
The union, representing more than 6,000 employees, has been working under an expired contract for almost a year. The most recent negotiations were held Jan. 8, and the next session is scheduled for April 28.
Dr. Kenneth M. Mash, APSCUF’s president, said after two hours of heated debate that featured anger and frustration at the lack of progress at the negotiations table and disrespect shown to faculty and coaches at last month’s appropriations hearings in the General Assembly, “There was palpable outrage in the room, and for most of the debate, it seemed certain we would move toward a strike.
“However, in the end, my colleagues believed that a strike at the very end of the semester would unfairly burden students and their families. Uncertainty about the budget and the complications of tuition increases have made this a very stressful semester for students. My colleagues wanted to make it clear that their frustration lies with the state system administration and not with the students.
“However, everyone has their limits, and it is clear the delegates are close to theirs,” Mash said. “If no progress is made soon, there will certainly be a job action in the future.”
Neither the faculty nor the coaches at the state system universities have ever been on strike.
The union represents faculty and coaches at Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock and West Chester Universities of Pennsylvania.