Florida Poly faculty union protests amid strained talks
LAKELAND — simmering union struggle between teachers and administrators at Florida Polytechnic University pitted President Randy Avent against faculty members in a public display on Wednesday.
The ongoing conflict showed no sign of a resolution, but instead escalation as 50 teachers and students joined directors from the United Faculty of Florida in bullhorn-led chants, which included, “What's disgusting?” “Union busting!” and “This is what Democracy looks like!”
The conflict came at an emotionally raw time for students and administrators. In July, senior Kevin Masculine shot and killed himself on a bench on campus. The suicide came a month after the school's mental health counselor was laid off. The school had been transitioning to a program with BayCare Behavioral Health to provide counseling.
Casey Fox, the laid off counselor, said at the rally that she told Poly officials the change wasn't healthy for students currently seeing her. She told the official that someone could die, she said Wednesday.
But during a board of trustees meeting that followed the rally, Avent told trustees the change had been planned for months. A single counselor was unable to help students at all times.
He said the new contract with BayCare required a counselor to be on campus for a certain number of hours each week. Students were sometimes waiting to see Fox for five to six days.
He described the new model as “methodical” and “well thought out.”
The rally wasn't just about the fallout from the suicide.
Union officials said they have filed an unfair labor practices grievance against the school after officials fired three of the four faculty members on the bargaining team. That hearing has been scheduled for November before the Public Employee Relations Commission at the school. The school's faculty voted to unionize in 2016 by a 38-6 margin.
Candi Churchill, the service director for the United Faculty of Florida, said the teachers weren't given proper notice of their dismissal.
A petition to reinstate the faculty members circulated last weekend, gathering 645 signatures from students, faculty and community members, she added.
But Avent said no one retaliated. He criticized the union for making negotiations public after the two sides had agreed not to and said the faculty members who were fired were no longer needed based on the direction of the university.
During the rally, a counter protest of about 10 people occurred close to the bigger rally.
The employees held signs that read, “Be One Poly” and “Embrace Change.”
During the public speaking portion of the board meeting, Timothy Shedd, an associate professor of mechanical engineering, said he's had a positive experience at the school.
Board Chair Don Wilson said the school has a different approach than others.
“It's not difficult to understand that people who expect things to be run like somewhere else are going to be disappointed,” Wilson said.
But Wilson said he wanted to see something worked out.
“I urge the president to get this matter resolved and behind us,” Wilson said. The next bargaining session is Sept. 12 at the school.