HARRISBURG – Negotiators representing APSCUF and the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) remain in session at this hour, hoping to reach a new agreement for the 5,500 faculty members at the state’s 14 state-owned universities. Today’s session comes on the heels of 35 hours of negotiations from Friday-Sunday.
If the two sides fail to reach a settlement this afternoon, the first faculty strike in the history of the PASSHE could begin as early as tomorrow.
“The State APSCUF Executive Council will meet this evening in Harrisburg, and the council will make its decision following a status report from the faculty bargaining team,” State APSCUF President Pat Heilman said.
Regarding the ending of Sunday’s contract talks, Heilman wanted to correct the characterization portrayed in some news accounts.
“Yes, APSCUF did leave the PASSHE headquarters late Sunday afternoon,” Heilman said. “But, the last transaction of the day was APSCUF’s presentation of a proposal to the PASSHE.”
“Some members of the media have reported that the union rejected the PASSHE’s last offer and left the premises. What actually happened was APSCUF presented a counter-proposal, waited a while for a response, and then left the building. It’s apparent that any significant movement the PASSHE makes must be approved by an external source – something like the man behind the curtain in the Wizard of Oz! This slows the bargaining process to a crawl.”
Heilman added that APSCUF is still hoping to secure a fair agreement for its members, and that the organization added today as a bargaining day in consideration of the students that will be adversely affected by a strike.