Faculty strike averted
CALIFORNIA – California University of Pennsylvania students, especially those taking summer classes, were spared possible delays to their educational plans now that faculty and coaches from the state-owned universities reached a tentative agreement in contract negotiations with the State System of Higher Education on Tuesday. Gov. Edward G. Rendell held a press conference in Harrisburg with Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) and Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties (APSCUF) to announce that the two had negotiated a “truly fair and balanced contract,” he noted.
The four-year tentative agreement, running through June 30, 2011, must pass a union vote and the Board of Governors, according to a press release.
The press release also breaks down the provisions in the tentative agreement as a one-time cash payment of $1,750 to each full-time faculty member, plus general pay increases of 3 percent each in 2008-09 and 2009-10 and 4 percent in 2011; faculty at the top of the pay scale would receive annual increments of 2.5 percent or 5 percent annually; and the most senior faculty would receive a cash payment equal to 2.5 percent of their salary in the final year of the agreement.
As for the faculty’s health-care benefits, members currently pay a premium co-payment of 10 percent to their health-care provider, according to Rendell, and under the tentative agreement that percentage increases to 15 percent for members enrolled in a new wellness program and 25 percent for those not enrolled.
Dr. Linda Toth, APSCUF chapter president at Cal U, commented on the nature of the negotiations.
“We (APSCUF) didn’t get everything we wanted, but nobody ever gets everything,” she replied in an e-mail interview, adding that give and take is the nature of negotiations. “I do think our union has made some significant advancements such as the domestic partner benefits, the salary correction for the 2003 promotees, the money available for faculty professional development, the cap on temporary faculty, job security for regular part-time faculty and so forth.”
Toth explained that she was happy with Cal U’s response to the negotiations.
“I was particularly impressed with the faculty and students on our California University campus with respect to the dignity with which they carried themselves throughout this entire stressful process,” she wrote. “The union support was overwhelming at times, not just from our faculty, but from our AFSCME and SCUPA colleagues, the local campus police and our students. Thanks to everybody who stuck with us throughout the last few weeks, we were able to reach an agreement that most people will be comfortable with.”
According to a fact sheet on Cal U’s Web site, as of November 2004, the university employed 244 faculty members, who teach 5,455 undergraduate and 1,185 graduate students.
During the press conference, Rendell said that the PASSHE has kept tuition increases at the lowest of other state systems and that continuing to do so is important.
“We’re pleased that this came to what appears to be a good conclusion,” APSCUF President Pat Heilman stated, explaining that a major concern for the union was recruitment and retention of faculty and that doing so was at a low point.
“We hope the new contract will turn that around,” she added.
The other 13 state-owned universities are Bloomsburg, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock and West Chester universities.
The previous agreement expired at midnight Saturday.