Pa. faculty to protest stalled university talks

The union representing faculty members at Pennsylvania’s 14 state-owned universities says hundreds of educators plan to protest their stalled contract talks at a meeting of the universities’ governing board.

A spokeswoman for the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties says at least 400 union members plan to protest at Thursday’s meeting of the State System of Higher Education board of governors.

Officials say union president Steve Hicks and board Chairman Guido Pichini both are expected to make statements at the board meeting.

The 6,000 faculty members represented by the union have been working without a contract since June 2011.

Both sides have tentatively agreed on pay raises similar to what other state employee unions received, but they disagree on issues that include health care and class sizes.