By Tony Romeo

HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) – Faculty and coaches at West Chester, Cheyney and twelve other state-owned universities have overwhelmingly voted to authorize their leadership to call a strike.

Lauren Gutshall, spokeswoman for APSCUF, the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Facilities, says the union has authorized a walkout before but has never actually gone on strike.

“That does not mean there will be a strike immediately. The strike authorization vote empowers our leadership to make a decision as to when and if to strike. That group will be meeting sometime within the next ten days to discuss the results,” she says.

Gutshall says a strike can only be called if at least ten members of the negotiating committee, made up of one representative from each of the fourteen schools, agree.

She says 86 percent of union members voted and 95 percent said yes to authorizing a strike.
For now, another bargaining session is scheduled for December 11th.