The Akron-AAUP has announced that a strike authorization vote will take place March 7-11.

AKRON, Ohio – March 3, 2016 – The American Association of University Professors, University of Akron Chapter (Akron-AAUP) has announced to faculty that a strike authorization vote of the union membership will take place from March 7 – March 11, 2016. This announcement comes after more than a year of negotiations. An affirmative vote would give  the union’s leadership the authority to call a strike at an appropriate time.

“The University apparently has the time and money to devote to re-branding and other unproven initiatives while at the same time neglecting its core academic mission,” said President of the Akron-AAUP, Dr. John Zipp, Professor of Sociology. “It’s time the faculty had the opportunity to show our resolve to win a fair contract, a contract that will enable us to provide the best educational opportunities for our students. This vote will allow us to do so.”

As of March 3, 2016, the University administration is asking faculty to absorb the costs of failed administrative policies and actions by accepting a contract with no increases in compensation and notable decreases in health and retirement benefits. These proposals come in the wake of the hiring of new administrators, in some cases with salaries almost $100,000 higher than their predecessors, as well as expenditures on a number of new initiatives.

The Akron-AAUP and its members are primarily concerned with the University’s lack of continued investment in its academic mission, and the impact that the current proposals by the university would have on faculty retention,  new faculty hires, and most importantly, on the quality of  education offered  to University of Akron Students.

PRESS RELEASE

Media Contact: John Zipp, President, Akron-AAUP

Phone (330) 972-6893

E-mail: john.zipp@akronaaup.org