Settling a contract comes down to choices, according to the leader of the faculty union at the University of Scranton.
Members of the faculty, who have continued to work since their contract expired Sept. 1, protested the opening of the new Weiss Hall last month. In the 22 years Stacey Muir has worked at the university, she said faculty have never worked this long without a new agreement.
“Buildings are important … But how is it that we can make a choice to invest in that but somehow we can't find a way to make a choice to invest in the faculty?” asked Muir, professor of mathematics and chair of the Faculty Affairs Council. “We have definitely had challenging rounds of negotiations. But even still, this one is really different than the others.”
The 290-member union, a chapter of the American Association of University Professors, remains “far apart” from the university on issues involving compensation and benefits, Muir said.
University of Scranton responds
In a statement, the University of Scranton explained it negotiates a contract every three years with unionized faculty, and that process sometimes extends into the semester.
“We are very proud of our faculty and their deep commitment to our students,” according to the statement. “We are committed to reaching a fair contract with them while acknowledging the realities facing higher education and supporting our efforts to keep tuition as low as possible for our students and their families.”
While higher education faces unprecedented challenges, faculty need economic security, Muir said. The administration has offered an average 2.25% yearly pay raise, which won’t make up for nearly 3% inflation rates. On top of that, the university wants to cut retirement contributions by 15% over the life of the contract, according to the union. A faculty member hired in 2020 has lost 7.4% in purchasing power.
“It's important for us that our faculty shouldn't keep losing wages,” Muir said. “We have been losing purchasing power for quite some time, and even in the two of the last three years of this past contract, we lost to inflation.”
'Minimal compliance' amid 'fiscal realities'
Without a new agreement, faculty have worked under “minimal compliance,” meaning they comply with, but not go beyond, the conditions of the contract. The contract explains minimum work requirements, and the approach is often referred to “working to contract.”
“By stepping back from voluntary/uncompensated or undervalued labor — like taking on extra advising, committee work, or unpaid mentoring — faculty reveal how much the institution relies on uncompensated or undervalued labor to function smoothly,” according to a document on the union’s website. The contract does not allow for the union to strike.
At a recent negotiation session, the university discussed the financial challenges faced by the school. The university stresses “fiscal realities” while avoiding responsibility for the choices that created them, according to the union.
“What we're dealing with comes down to choices and where you want to place your value,” Muir said. “Administration could make that choice right now and help us move forward here.”
