Negotiations continue as deadline looms

Faculty across state system, including WCU, will strike at 5 a.m. today unless deal is reached

WEST CHESTER >> Faculty across the state system of higher education, including West Chester University, will strike and picket at 5 a.m. today unless a contract is announced prior to that time.

As of press time Tuesday evening, no contract was reached and union members were preparing for a 5 a.m. strike.

The Daily Local News’ website will be updated when news of an agreement or confirmation of a strike become apparent.

Both sides have repeatedly said they hoped to avoid a strike, negotiate a fair contract, and keep the best interests of 110,000 students

in the state system as a priority.

Both sides also have been negotiating for 15 months. In addition, both sides enacted a media blackout Oct. 15 where they agreed to refrain from making statements to the press regarding the progress of negotiations in order to limit distractions.

Since then, there has been no update about the state of negotiations, leaving the 5,500 faculty and 110,000 students across the 14 universities in the state system in the dark.

West Chester University faculty are among those involved in strike negotiations, and faculty there, along with faculty across the state, are prepared to strike today if they feel they do not receive a fair contract from the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.

The situation started to deteriorate in late August, when the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties announced faculty members and athletic coaches could vote to authorize a strike, which the faculty and coaches did. However, only the faculty set a strike date.

If a strike does occur, it will be the first in the state system’s history.

West Chester University, along with other universities in the state system, have made plans in preparation of a strike.

In addition to West Chester University, the state system of higher education includes Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, and Slippery Rock universities.