A quarterback for Bloomburg University’s Huskies football team throws a pass during a game at Redman Stadium in Bloomsburg, Pa. Friday, a union representing athletics coaches at 14 Pennsylvania universities, including Bloomsburg, said it has been authorized by its membership to call a labor strike, if necessary, to break gridlock in negotiations that have persisted for two years.
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According to a statement released by APSCUF, the terms of the contract would be determined by a three-person panel where each side would select one panelist and agree on a third, and both sides must follow whatever recommendation the panel makes, and according to Marshall, one side is picked over the other; there is no middle ground.
PASSHE spokesman Kenn Marshall said state has declined binding arbitration in the past because it would result in PASSHE turning over its fiscal responsibilities to a third party.
Earlier this month, union faculty members and coaches in the state system voted to authorize a strike, with 93 percent of voters in favor of the possibility of walking off the job, including at California University of Pennsylvania.
A spokesman for the union says the move is just a delaying technique: faculty would be barred from striking until the fact-finder’s report is issued.
However, that offer is likely to get a cool response from the system negotiators, Marshall said.
“We’re glad, if anything, our strike vote seemed to be an impetus for them to try to meet” more often than had been the case since the last contract expired, Mash said.
Those issues include proposed changes to temporary faculty’s workload, allowing graduate students with fewer credits to teach classes, issues related to professional development and sabbaticals, and salary and health care modifications. Talks over a new contract have been going on since late 2014, the union said. “I’m sure that’s creating a lot of tension on campuses, a lot of anxiety among students”.
Members have worked under contracts that expired June 30 of past year.
“We feel it’s important that we do everything we can to move the negotiations forward”, he said.
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The average cost of tuition, fees, and room and board at state system universities for 2016-17 is about $21,000.
