Back at the table again, state system administrators and union representatives tried, with little progress, to hammer out a contract over the weekend with just more than two weeks until the faculty go on strike.
The Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties (APSCUF) made minor headway on Saturday when the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) withdrew a number of its 249 proposals, according to an APSCUF press release. The statement details the most notable proposal PASSHE removed was to have new graduate students teach courses.
APSCUF President Kenneth Mash said union negotiators were glad the sides made progress, but they are still far apart.
“APSCUF returned to the bargaining table today at our urging and we are encouraged by the progress we made,” said PASSHE media relations manager, Kenn Marshall, in a press release on Saturday.
Marshall said PASSHE administrators are working to update the contract so it applies to modern needs.
“We are trying to modernize a decades-old faculty union contract to reflect the needs of 21st century students and universities, while maintaining the majority of the language necessary to ensure students continue to receive the highest quality education,” Marshall said.
APSCUF Vice President Jamie Martin, who is the chair of the negotiations team, said some proposals in the contract are troubling.
“Their proposed treatment of adjunct faculty continues to be extremely troubling,” Martin said. “At the bargaining table, they once said they wanted to turn our temporary faculty into ‘teaching machines’ by suggesting that their salaries be cut or their work load be increased by 20 percent. We are anything but ‘teaching machines.’”
PASSHE narrowed in on healthcare as a major issue in its Saturday press release. Marshall said APSCUF is the only union working with the state system that did not accept the healthcare plan.
“While the union has not agreed to healthcare plan changes similar to those that virtually every other state system and commonwealth employee already has, our conversations are continuing,” Marshall said. PASSHE administrators are still offering $159 million in raises if APSCUF accepts the healthcare plan and other cost-saving proposals, according to the press release.
The next round of negotiations are slated for Oct. 14–16, the week prior to the Oct. 19 strike date. PASSHE administrators rejected proposed meetings dates of Oct. 8-9, according to the APSCUF press release.
Pick up this weeks issue of The Slate to compare PASSHE and APSCUF’s clashing Q&A.
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