University faculty union to vote on whether to strike

Faculty at Pennsylvania’s 14 state universities are scheduled to vote on whether to authorize a strike next month.

The Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties announced Thursday that faculty will vote on the campuses from Sept. 7-9 and members of the coaches belonging to the union will vote a week later.

Union president Kenneth Mash says its members don’t feel the state system has negotiated fairly.

The State System of Higher Education says it wants to reach a fair contract but noted the system’s financial strains.

Classes are scheduled to begin Monday and the administration has assured the system’s 105,000 students that classes will start on time.

Faculty members have been working without a contract since June of last year.