National AAUP reps give faculty support

The Portland State chapter of the American Association of University Professors met with national representatives of the organization yesterday to discuss possible strategies in the event of a faculty strike.

American Association of University Professors (AAUP) national representatives Craig Flanery and Erika Gubrium gave their opinions to the PSU-AAUP in a meeting Thursday, offering options and strategies to chapter members and faculty representatives in light of recent contract negotiations between the faculty union and PSU administration reaching the mediation stage.

The national AAUP representatives said faculty need to be prepared for negotiations to proceed either way, whether or not issues can be quickly and easily resolved, said PSU-AAUP president Gary Brodowicz.

They also said chapter heads need to work on their communication with faculty representatives and have forward vision, according to Brodowicz.

“It was like, ‘Hey guys, the contract negotiations are stalled to the point of mediation, and we have to look forward,'” he said. “They were telling us it’s going to be a long process, basically.”

Faculty salary bargaining happens every other year. This year the bargaining process broke down when the PSU administration offered at most an 8 percent pay raise for some faculty, while the PSU-AAUP requested 12 percent. Mediation is the step collective bargaining moves to if both sides cannot reach an agreement.

Brodowicz said it’s important to have open communication with faculty representatives so that they know what’s going on, and that there are procedures that faculty must go through before deciding to strike.

“You have to lead up to a strike,” Brodowicz said. “The faculty needs to understand that.”

The PSU-AAUP has been in mediation since last Friday, when chief negotiator Jonathan Uto first met with university administrators. The next mediation session is slated for Jan. 30.