HARRISBURG, Pa. – Healthcare was the subject of today’s faculty contract-negotiation session between the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties and the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. After the meeting this morning at Dixon University Center, talks remain stagnant.
“It’s clear there is no movement on healthcare in either direction,” APSCUF President Dr. Kenneth M. Mash said.
The teams discussed the same healthcare plan the State System proposed last year, which could cost faculty members thousands more in deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses. The System last month offered a one-time payment of $600 to full-time faculty members in exchange for accepting the proposal.
“But that $600 would not begin to cover the thousands of dollars the plan could cost anyone who actually got sick and had to use it,” APSCUF Vice President Jamie Martin said. “Nothing has changed. The time for playing games is long gone, and so our strike-authorization vote continues.”
Faculty members at each of Pennsylvania’s state-owned universities began strike-authorization voting yesterday and will continue casting ballots through Friday. Delegates agreed last month to move the vote to APSCUF membership. The vote is the third of multiple steps before a job action could commence. APSCUF coaches will participate in a strike-authorization vote Sept. 14–15.
Voting comes amid negotiations that have been ongoing since late 2014, but have not yielded a contract that APSCUF feels preserves quality and is fair to faculty — and students.
“Our biggest concerns are about issues that affect our students and the quality of education we as faculty members can provide,” Mash said.
Faculty and coach contracts expired June 30, 2015. The next faculty contract-negotiation session is slated for Sept. 16.
APSCUF represents about 5,500 faculty and coaches at the State System universities: Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock, and West Chester Universities of Pennsylvania.
