The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) and Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties (APSCUF) announced Sunday morning that they have agreed on a framework for a new contract.
The agreement comes after slow-moving negotiations that centered on active and retiree health care and distance education, which have been points of conflict throughout this more than year-long process.
The two sides negotiated into the late-night and early-morning hours on Friday and Saturday. Specifics about the tentative proposal are unavailable and many more steps are involved until the deal can be finalized.
“Hopefully this will lead to a final resolution,” Kenn Marshall, media relations manager for PASSHE, said.
“We have the framework for the agreement. There are several steps that need to be taken yet, but hopefully this will resolve it,” Marshall said.
In November 2012, members of APSCUF at the 14 schools in PASSHE voted to authorize a strike. They have been without a contract since July 2011.
The provisions have not yet been forwarded to APSCUF chapter presidents, who will further negotiate the deal with PASSHE before taking a vote from membership; granted all goes smoothly until then.
“At this point one must remain vigilant to ensure that the proposal is neither hastily approved nor allowed to unravel due to missteps,” Brendan Finucane, president of the SU chapter of APSCUF, said.
“We hope that the contract will appropriately reward our faculty for their dedicated service to their students throughout the Commonwealth, and that our students will continue to learn within a high quality educational environment,” Finucane said.
More details are expected as soon as this week.
Check online at www.theslateonline.com to keep updated.
The Slate welcomes thoughtful discussion on all of our stories, but please keep comments civil and on-topic. Read our full guidelines here.