Representatives from the PA State System of Higher Education and Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties met today to begin negotiations toward a new collective bargaining agreement.
The current contract between the State System and APSCUF, which represents permanent and temporary faculty at the 14 System universities, runs through June 30, 2015. Today’s brief session served as an introductory meeting between the two sides. Substantive discussions will begin later.
“Students should have access to relevant programs that meet their needs and that prepare them for the future following graduation,” said Thomas S. Giotto, who is leading the State System’s bargaining team and who spoke after the brief meeting. “The next collective bargaining agreement must support this vision as well as the ongoing financial viability of the universities.”
APSCUF represents the approximately 5,800 full- and part-time faculty members who teach at the 14 State System universities. The current contract between the State System and faculty union was agreed to in February 2013, more than 18 months after the previous agreement had expired.
