Nationwide, organized labor is having its moment in the spotlight, but for Temple’s Association of University Professionals, a battle for a new contract is underway. With their contract expiring in less than three days, TAUP held a rally to demand support from the Board of Trustees in obtaining what they say is a fair new contract.
Political Science professor Barbara Ferman said, “we’re hoping that there’s more equity in this contract, we’re hoping that there’s job security for contingent faculty”.
Negotiations are underway and TAUP is demanding fifteen sick days per year, comprehensive additions to the nondiscrimination language, enrollment in SEPTA Key Advantage, and more. TAUP is also asking for a pay increase that’s higher than what the administration proposed. TAUP president Jeffrey Doshna says the one percent increase is unacceptable. He said, “their initial proposal to union members of 1199c who were here today was an insult… it was a 1 percent wage increase and inflation is at eight, nine percent”. TAUP says that they have given around thirty proposals so far and have only received eight in return. They made at least one additional proposal on Wednesday.
According to Doshna, TAUP has made around thirty proposals, and they plan to give another dozen next week. “I think that Temple has the ability to meet the demands we’re making around job security and equity.”
For TAUP this rally signifies their commitment to fight for these demands in a fair contract. In the end, both administration and TAUP have one common goal. “Our goal is to reach an agreement without any sort of work stoppage and to reach an agreement that both sides feel good about” says Ken Kaiser, Vice President and Chief Operation Officer of Temple University. TAUP and Temple Administration have negotiations planned through December.
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