Kent State University and the American Association of University Professors-KSU have reached a tentative agreement for its tenured professors and avoided a potential strike next week.
A tentative three-year collective bargaining agreement for tenured and tenure-track faculty was reached around noon Monday.
Kent State spokesman Eric Mansfield said the university would provide no further comment other than its press release, which added that “the parties will present the tentative agreement for approval to their respective constituents this week. Details of the tentative contract will be released after ratification.”
Union spokesman Bill Sledzik, an associate professor at Kent’s School of Journalism, said the union was “pleased it’s come together so we can avoid a work stoppage. We were very near the brink here.”
Sledzik said the union’s advisory council on Friday approved a fact finder’s report, but also approved a notification to begin a strike next Monday.In November, members of the union representing 772 professors, approved a strike authorization if needed during negotiations.
Both sides had reached a stalemate over raises and medical benefits. The previous agreement expired in August and the professors were working under the former contract.
Sledzik said the notification to the university about the potential strike was never sent because when the advisory council members got back to their office Friday afternoon, they received notification that the university had also accepted the fact finder’s report and was willing to meet on Monday. The two sides had moved to a fact finder after mediation had failed.
Sledzik said neither side can discuss the report until the union members are able to vote on the tentative agreement Wednesday. However, Sledzik said the report addressed some of the main sticking points — salary and benefits.
Betty Lin-Fisher can be reached at 330-996-3724 or blinfisher@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow her @blinfisherABJ on Twitter or www.facebook.com/BettyLinFisherABJ and see all her stories at www.ohio.com/betty