8/8/2019 APSCUF files lawsuit, sets date for strike vote

1/2

LABOR PAINSAPSGUF files lawsuit, sets date for strike votell1, ('hrislo;rhe r. 'l'rnl't,:t )t't'( )l{

Contract ncgotiationsbetween the State Slstem ofHigher Education (SSHE) andthc Associ:ttiorr of' Irt'llrsylvlrriir('olle1'.e ltnrl ( lnivt.rsrl\, litrt'rrlly(n l)S('llli) t.oillrnU,.'rl lt, sllrilIlrsl rvct'k.z\s rt.potlcrl rrt llrt' llrsl rssttt'trl' llrr,',\ltt't'trttor', llrc StirlcSyslcrrr lcjcctctl Al,S('[Jl;'slrrtcst olll'r' to rvork thc rcst ol'tlrc scrncstcr without a conrract.'l'hc tlcal would have requiredlrolh sidcs to agree to bindingarbitration if a contract was notreached by December 31.APSCUF subsequently filed alawsuit against SSHE, citing aviolation of a Commonwealthof Pennsylvania stafuteregarding the State System'sproposal to change the annualservice increments for faculfvfrom 5 percent to 2.5 percent.Because of the lawsuit beineconsidered, the Statc Systeriproposed another extension ofthe contract until the lcsalissues are resolved in court oruntil December 31, whichcvcrcomes first.APSCUF's grounding for thclawsuit is based on an alleccdviolation of a srate law tAct I82of 1963) thar specifies rhatsalary ranges can be adjusted

orrly by llrc rrrlo;tliorr ol ltrlilrt.rrnilIntuln sirltrry slcps or lltt,irrkr1tlron ol ltltlrltotr;rl :i;rltrrt,stcl)s itl llrc luP ol llre rirrrllt.s olboth."The Board of Govemors,rlcrrnlrncl thal any new conlractinclrrtlcs r,"tu 1t,i.y 1rrrr1,.r,s pl' l5slcl)s, .).5 l)cl('cnl irptrr.l. llrslx'('n it ntlrlol itrr1rcrlrnrt.rrl lrll('liolltll()n:i," Sl;tlc n I'S('l il;I'r'csirlcrrt Wrllirrrrr li. lirrlrrrclslid. "We lirrrrly bclrcve tlratlhe' .l3oard's p

8/8/2019 APSCUF files lawsuit, sets date for strike vote

2/2

*-?*ffi;ammdrass. q*-"As far as discussing the skillsAPSCUF. . . continuedfromPagelthat point," said Thomas S.Giott6, SSHE's chief negotiator.Compensation being frozenfor boih summer school andclass overloads at the 1995 ratewere two additional concerns ofAPSgUF.

For a strike to occur on thepart of the facultY union, there'"te fout stePs that must betaken.First, The LegislativeAssem6ly must authorize . a.irif. u"ltftotization vote to betaken ar4ong the facultY. . Thisstep was comPleted in APril.

SecondlY, bY, virtue of asecret ballot, the facultY mustcast enough votes to authorizethe Execulive Council to call astrike. This vote will take Placeon MondaY, 'SeP. 27, andTuesday, SePt.28. .Third, the negotiations teammust inform the State ExecutiveCouncil that negotiations are atan impasse.Ana fir-rallY, the last slePinvolves the State ExecutiveCouncil actually calling a strike'According t6 a camPus-widee-mail senf out to EdinbqroLrniversig facultY last week,

APSCUF contends that theState System doesn't believe thefaculty has the wherewithal tostrike. It was also noted in thee-mail that in the event of astrike, SSHE plans to keeP all ofits campuses uP and running,with staffrng PrimarilY comingfrom temporary emPloYees.According to an AssociatedPress article, however, SSHEsDokesman Kenn Marshall saidthere are no Plans to hirereDlacement facultY or assignmdnagers to teach in the eventof a strike.

rv!,

,Y;