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YOUNGSTOWN -- A near unanimous vote by the 337-member Youngstown State University-Ohio Education Association supports a fact-finding report that recommends a 6 percent pay increase over a three-year period.
The report was released on Sept. 25, and university officials criticized its failure to recognize that other nonfaculty employees on campus have had salary reductions of up to 15 percent, furloughs and layoffs due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The report was written by Betty Widgeon, who received sworn testimony and data presented by both parties during the fact-finding process, including financial and budget documents. Widgeon is a retired Michigan District Court judge. She is the founder and president of Widgeon Dispute Resolution.
YSU-OEA believes Widgeon's report "offers a clear path forward to resolving our disputes in order to remain focused on the academic business of the university by maintaining most current contract language," union spokesperson Mark Vopat said.
Union officials said they hope the YSU Board of Trustees agrees with YSU-OEA's assessment of the report. There is a University Affairs committee meeting at 4 p.m. Monday, which will be followed by a 5 p.m. trustees meeting and a vote to either accept or reject the fact-finding report.
The union also will meet Monday after results of the trustees' vote to decide what to do next.
A state-level OEA team, on behalf of the YSU-OEA, Thursday submitted a 10-day "intent to strike" notification to university administrators and to the State Employment Relations Board.
This is a procedural step in the stalled negotiations process required by Ohio law and does not mean that a strike is imminent or inevitable, the union said.
The process began July 16 when YSU-OEA membership voted overwhelmingly to authorize its executive committee to send such a notification.
Should YSU-OEA move to strike, it would require an additional vote by union membership.
In its statement on Friday the union said should the trustees reject the report, "the YSU-OEA looks forward to returning to the bargaining table and hopes that the parties can swiftly negotiate a fair and equitable contract that will be beneficial to everyone."
Last month, the administration questioned what it said appears to be a lack of empathy regarding the financial difficulties the university has been facing. But Vopat maintained the financial situation isn't as bad as the university is portraying.