Dive Summary:
- Faculty at Pennsylvania's 14 state-owned universities voted Friday to authorize a potential strike, though the faculty union's president says a strike would likely not happen until the next semester begins in late January.
- The last contract with the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties expired in June 2011, and after almost 40 negotiating sessions, the union and the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education remain at odds over health-care costs, part-time faculty compensation, and distance learning pay.
- The union's negotiations committee is meeting in 10 days to discuss a potential strike date, but their president, Steve Hicks, says a strike remains a last resort.
From the article:
In a move to speed up contract negotiations, faculty at the 14 state-supported universities in Pennsylvania voted Friday to authorize a potential strike. If a strike is called, it likely would not happen until next semester, which starts in late January, said Steve Hicks, president of the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties. ...