FIRST DAY OF THREE-DAY BARGAINING SESSION YIELDS NO TANGIBLE RESULTS; APSCUF ISSUES FULL PROPOSAL
HARRISBURG – If the rate of progress achieved in the first day of this week’s bargaining sessions between APSCUF and the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) does not markedly improve today and Saturday, prospects for a new collective bargaining agreement do not look very favorable.
On Thursday, APSCUF presented a complete package proposal to the PASSHE. APSCUF’s document covered all articles of the contract under discussion in an attempt to stimulate meaningful dialogue in a number of areas. The APSCUF negotiators ended the day disappointed with the results.
“Our team is interested in having intensive discussions on the elements that will bring this contract process to a positive conclusion. On Thursday, the PASSHE accepted our contract document but was only willing to discuss non-economic, peripheral issues that certainly have value but are secondary in nature when one looks at the total scope of the talks,” State APSCUF President Pat Heilman said.
“The items the PASSHE selected were those of interest to Management, indicating again, how one-sided these negotiations have been,” Heilman noted. “It’s always about them, which explains why they have the students in such a vise this summer.”
“The faculty are doing everything possible to reach a settlement. If the PASSHE team is willing to adopt the same attitude, we can achieve a fair contract. We have two full days remaining to accomplish that goal.”
The current pact expires at midnight on Saturday. Failure to reach a new deal for the 5,500 faculty members at the state’s 14 state-owned universities could lead to the first faculty strike in the history of the PASSHE.
“That distinction (the first to strike) certainly is not what the faculty wants, but the PASSHE’s mission is to provide a high quality education to the citizens of this Commonwealth. We believe that quality is at risk, and we owe it to our students to achieve a contract that will enable us to attract and retain top-notch faculty members,” Heilman said.
“Our students pay good money for their education, and Pennsylvania needs to put its best foot forward. Our universities have experienced a surge in stature since the PASSHE was born in 1983. The faculty believes in offering our students the best education possible, and that means securing a contract that enables the PASSHE to bring in that first choice in a faculty search. We should be competing for the best minds because our students deserve just that.”
Heilman indicated that students, particularly those taking summer classes, should contact the PASSHE at feedback@passhe.edu, or the governor at governor@state.pa.us if they would like to have their voices heard. Students are also welcome to email APSCUF at kkodish@apscuf.org.