BY PHILLIP PINA
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Two unions at the University of Cincinnati notified school leaders Wednesday they will strike on Nov. 2 if no contract settlement is reached.
The American Association of University Professors and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) accused university officials of dragging their feet and called their offers insulting.
"It's time for UC to get its priorities straight and to treat its employees fairly and with respect," said Jim Cebula, president of the AAUP chapter at UC. The union's contract expired Aug. 31; membership voted Sunday to strike.
With uncertain state funding, UC administrators have tightened spending, which includes salaries, university spokesman Greg Hand said.
The SEIU staged a one-day strike on the first day of classes in September and is prepared to strike again, said Carolyn Schwier, president of the union's UC chapter. The labor group represents about 850 support staff in campus registration, the library, parking, financial aid, admissions and purchasing. The AAUP represents about 1,900 faculty.
A major sticking point is salary. The university offered the AAUP a three-year deal with no increase this year, and 2 percent raises the next two, Mr. Cebula said.
The union wants a 1.5-percent increase above the rate of inflation, which the union says this year is about 1.6 percent, each of those three years, said Dave Rubin, the AAUP's executive director at UC.
The support staff was offered a three-year deal with no pay increase this year, and 1 percent raises the following two, Ms. Schwier said.
Administrators will prepare letters to send to students detailing how they should respond to a strike.
The last AAUP strike, in 1993, disrupted classes, but did not alter many operations at the medical complex, he said.
