Faculty members at Wright State University will go on strike on January 22 against the school’s recently proposed labor contract.
The strike was announced on Sunday after 85 percent of members of Wright State University chapter of the American Association of University Professors voted in its favor.
WSU faculty members have been protesting against the contract, claiming that it will make it more difficult for them to offer individualized attention to students and that it will reduce the quality and quantity of research and scholarship produced by the faculty.
“Administrators and Boards come and go. But most faculty will spend their entire careers at Wright State. We have a deep interest in the long-term viability of our University and are devoted to its academic mission,” President of AAUP-WSU, Marty Kich said.
“Faculty working conditions are student learning conditions, and the value of the degrees that our students earn is defined in no small measure by the professional contributions of our faculty.”
Meanwhile, the university is standing its ground and has assured employees that the contract terms may be re-negotiated once it returns to “solid financial footing.”
“The employment terms are fair in light of our unprecedented financial crisis, and the actions we have taken to respond to the crisis. Under the terms of our last and best offer, our faculty would continue to enjoy higher salaries than their peers at similar state universities. Faculty would also receive the same competitive healthcare benefits provided to all other Wright State employees,” WSU president Cheryl B. Schrader said.
“We have negotiated in good faith for nearly two years, and these employment terms reflect our continued good faith,” she added.
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