In response to last week’s Strategic Review report by a consulting firm hired by the State System of Higher Education, the faculty union, APSCUF, has offered to start negotiations to “try to work on an early and phased retirement proposal”, and to do so prior to the expiration of their current contract.
Union president Kenneth Mash says he hopes the negotiations lead to a “side letter”, which could either modify the terms of the current deal or be treated as a separate agreement to take effect in the future. Mash also hopes that reaching an agreement on this issue might lead better cooperation during negotiations on the next contract.
The current contract was reached last year only after the first faculty strike in State System history, but since the previous deal had expired in 2015, the new three-year contract expires on June 30th of next year. Negotiations on the next contract are scheduled to begin next month.
Mash made his comments last week to the Board of Governors after the Strategic Review report. The recommendations by the consultant are under review.
