Talks continued in attempt to stave off state faculty union strike
Negotiators stayed at the table into late Monday in an intense effort to stave off a strike Wednesday by union faculty at Pennsylvania’s 14 universities, including California University of Pennsylvania.
The state System of Higher Education and Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties also remained under a mutually agreed media blackout as talks that ended early Monday continued later in the day and into the evening.
Both sides went back to the table Friday, and the union announced the next day that negotiations showed no progress before the news embargo was imposed.
“Neither side will discuss any details involving the negotiations nor make any statements related to the negotiations during the period of this embargo,” said Kathryn Morton, spokeswoman for the union representing nearly 5,500 professors and coaches.
“We continue to negotiate because we are committed to doing everything we can to reach an agreement,” APSCUF President Kenneth M. Mash said Saturday.
Both sides issued statements after 7 p.m. Monday that negotiators were still at the table and the news embargo was still in place.
The union objects to the State System proposal to cut costs by relying more on adjunct professors to teach classes. The State System has also proposed increasing the professors’ contributions to pay for their health insurance.
It was not immediately known late Monday if talks would continue today.
A protest involving a small number of students and faculty members took place Friday afternoon at Cal U. when Geraldine M. Jones was installed as the school’s seventh president.
The union said picket lines would form at 5 a.m. Wednesday if the professors don’t have a contract by then. It would be the first time the union called a strike. The more than 100,000 students have been told to report to classes even if there isn’t a professor there to lead them.