Kent State University professors overwhelmingly agreed to authorize their union leadership to call a strike if necessary as they continue contract negotiations.
The members voted 425-30 in favor of the strike authorization, the Kent State chapter of the American Association of University Professors said Monday.
“We’re happy to see this solidarity, and we hope this will help move things along,” union spokesman Bill Sledzik said.
The anonymous, online vote took place over five days and ended late Sunday. More than 82 percent of members voted, the union said.
The vote doesn’t mean the professors will strike, but it gives the executive committee the authority to call one.
Kent State and the union are negotiating a new three-year deal for tenure track professors, but have reached a stalemate over raises and medical benefits.
The two sides are in the process of selecting a fact-finder after mediation failed.
A Nov. 16 email written by Kent State Provost Todd Diacon updating management on the negotiations blamed the stalemate on the union. The email was provided Monday to the Beacon Journal after a public records request.
The union’s “most recent proposal on medical benefits actually moved in the opposite direction and has increased the divide between the parties on several key benefit issues,” Diacon wrote.
Kent State has offered across-the-board raises of 2 percent, 2 percent and 1.5 percent over the three years — not counting a 1.5 percent merit raise in the third year, the email says.
Health insurance costs for employees would remain the same for the life of the contract. The only major change the school is seeking with medical benefits is requiring spouses of workers to get health insurance through their employers if it’s offered, Diacon wrote.
“Nearly 50 percent of Ohio’s public employers already have this in place for their employees,” he said. “This cost-saving strategy is now necessary at Kent State so that we can continue to provide high-quality health benefit options to our employees.”
The previous agreement expired in August and the professors are working under the former contract. The union represents 772 tenure track professors.
Sledzik said the union has never gone out on strike at Kent, but there have been previous strike authorization votes.
Rick Armon can be reached at 330-996-3569 or rarmon@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter at @armonrickABJ.