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Pennsylvania Faculty Members at 14 State Universities Go on Strike Pennsylvania Faculty Members at 14 State Universities Go On Strike
(about 1 hour later)
Thousands of university faculty members in Pennsylvania went on strike Wednesday morning after negotiations for a new contract between their union and state representatives broke down.Thousands of university faculty members in Pennsylvania went on strike Wednesday morning after negotiations for a new contract between their union and state representatives broke down.
It is the first time that the union, the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties, has gone on strike in its 34 years. It represents more than 5,000 professors and coaches at 14 institutions across the state and has been without a contract since June 30, 2015. It is the first time that the union, the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties, has gone on strike in its 34 years. It has been without a contract since June 30, 2015.
Kenneth M. Mash, the union president, said in an interview on Wednesday that representatives for the state system walked away from negotiations at around 8:30 Tuesday night. “I never heard of anything like it with such a major strike looming, but that’s what they did,” Dr. Mash said. Kenneth M. Mash, the union president, said on Wednesday that representatives for the state system walked away from negotiations at around 8:30 Tuesday night. “I never heard of anything like it with such a major strike looming, but that’s what they did,” Dr. Mash said in an interview.
In a statement on the union’s website, he wrote, “At 11:35 p.m., we made a last attempt to negotiate through back channels. We waited until 5 a.m. We are headed to the picket lines.”In a statement on the union’s website, he wrote, “At 11:35 p.m., we made a last attempt to negotiate through back channels. We waited until 5 a.m. We are headed to the picket lines.”
No new meetings were scheduled, he said on Wednesday. No new meetings were scheduled, he said.
The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education said in its own statement that it had “concluded five days of negotiations Tuesday without reaching agreement on a new contract. Kenn Marshall, a spokesman for the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, said he was disappointed that the faculty members went on strike.
“While the two sides made significant progress in the talks that began Oct. 14, including reaching tentative agreements on more than a dozen issues, including distance education, recruitment and retention of high-quality faculty, and professional responsibilities of faculty outside the classroom, they were not able to reach overall agreement.” “We understand it’s been a long time,” he said. “They’ve been working for well over a year without a contract, but we’re facing some very serious fiscal challenges here.”
The union represents faculty members from state-run colleges with a combined enrollment of more than 100,000 students: Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock and West Chester Universities of Pennsylvania. The union represents more than 5,000 professors and coaches at 14 institutions across the state with a combined enrollment of more than 100,000 students: Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock and West Chester Universities of Pennsylvania.
It does not represent the faculty at Penn State University, Temple University, the University of Pittsburgh and Lincoln University.It does not represent the faculty at Penn State University, Temple University, the University of Pittsburgh and Lincoln University.
Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, said in a statement that he was “extremely disappointed” at the failure by the two sides to reach an agreement. “The resulting strike is detrimental to the system and will have far-reaching effects for years to come,” he said.Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, said in a statement that he was “extremely disappointed” at the failure by the two sides to reach an agreement. “The resulting strike is detrimental to the system and will have far-reaching effects for years to come,” he said.
A key issue for those on strike is health care: who pays for it and how much. The state system said that it had offered the faculty members the same health care package as other state employees.A key issue for those on strike is health care: who pays for it and how much. The state system said that it had offered the faculty members the same health care package as other state employees.
“We don’t understand how A.P.S.C.U.F. can argue that faculty members should be entitled to a better health care plan than our other employees,” a spokesman, Kenn Marshall, said in a statement. “They basically want better coverage and to have their members pay less for it” than other state employees, Mr. Marshall said in an interview. “Not only is this a matter of cost savings, but we think it’s a matter of fairness.”
Dr. Mash said, however, that the union had accepted “dramatic” reductions in health care coverage and had offered to pay deductibles, accept an increase in premiums and pay more for prescriptions.Dr. Mash said, however, that the union had accepted “dramatic” reductions in health care coverage and had offered to pay deductibles, accept an increase in premiums and pay more for prescriptions.
“They’ve gone after the quality of education that we provide, going after our adjunct faculty,” 60 percent of whom are women, Dr. Mash said.“They’ve gone after the quality of education that we provide, going after our adjunct faculty,” 60 percent of whom are women, Dr. Mash said.
The state had urged students to attend classes despite the strike.The state had urged students to attend classes despite the strike.
Some students appeared to be joining the picket lines, organizing on Twitter under the hashtags #PassheStudentPower and #withAPSCUF.Some students appeared to be joining the picket lines, organizing on Twitter under the hashtags #PassheStudentPower and #withAPSCUF.
News of the strike briefly crashed the union’s website. Email responses from Kathryn Morton, a spokeswoman for the union, warned that she would be walking the picket line and may be delayed in responding to messages. Mr. Marshall said a few parents had been in touch with his office, and some students had express concern that a lengthy strike could delay graduations.
“Once the strike is over, we will do everything we can to try to make certain that students can complete the semester,” he said. “The longer the strike goes, the harder that becomes.”
On the campus of West Chester University, in the western suburbs of Philadelphia, striking faculty members set up 10 picket lines on Wednesday morning, attracting support from about 120 students who marched with placards and shouted encouragement.
“Without a quality contract, they can’t do their best job teaching us,” said Aaron Musselman, 32, a senior. “They deserve a quality contract, and to be paid fairly for their profession.”
Mr. Musselman, who held a sign saying, “This Student Stands With A.P.S.C.U.F.,” and carried his 18-month-old daughter, Lydia, in a backpack, said he planned to stay away from a class that evening.
Students carrying signs that said, “Educators Are Not Machines” were given fliers urging them to stay away from classes, though the university staff urged them to attend.
Ed Lordan, a professor of communications studies and a spokesman for the union, said many faculty members were saddened by the decision to strike but believed they had no choice after working without a contract for the past 15 months.
“We feel as though a strike was necessary to move things forward,” Professor Lordan said.
“It’s not something anybody wanted to do,” he added. “Clearly, we understand the harm that is done to the students. We recognize this is a dramatic step despite it being a necessary one.”
He said he was unaware if any faculty members had crossed the picket lines, but said it would not be surprising if a few did so, given that there are about 900 professors at the university.
Stephen Gliatto, a 24-year-old postgraduate music student, said he was attending West Chester because of its “exceptional” faculty, and had come out to support the strike.
He said he had missed three classes so far on Wednesday and had ignored instructions by the university staff to show up for class even if no professor was there to teach it. He said his professors, most of whom are in the union, had warned him they might not be teaching starting on Wednesday.
News of the strike briefly crashed the union’s website. Email responses from Kathryn Morton, a spokeswoman for the union, warned that she would be walking on the picket line and might be delayed in responding to messages.
Ms. Morton’s message said, “If you are emailing from a university email address, I will not be able to respond until the strike is resolved, as answering a university email address would be crossing the picket line.”Ms. Morton’s message said, “If you are emailing from a university email address, I will not be able to respond until the strike is resolved, as answering a university email address would be crossing the picket line.”