UPDATE | YSU-OEA membership votes to OK fact-finder’s report

YOUNGSTOWN — Youngstown State University's 337-member faculty union voted overwhelmingly Friday to accept the fact-finder's report.

This comes a day after the YSU-OEA submitted a 10-day "intent to strike" notification to YSU administrators and the State Employee Relations Board.

YSU-OEA has called the report by Judge Betty Widgeon "fair and equitable" and said if the administration and trustees agree, there would be no formal strike vote Monday.

Of the 315 member votes cast, 312 members voted to approve the report and three members voted to reject it.

The union has called the report by Widgeon "an impartial party jointly chosen by YSU-OEA and YSU administration and approved by the State Employment Relations Board to preside over mediations between the two parties."

It "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," YSU-OEA spokesperson Mark Vopat said in the news release.

Vopat added that YSU-OEA hopes the trustees' vote agrees with YSU-OEA's assessment of the report and votes to approve it.

While the union will meet at 4 p.m. Monday to consider a string vote, YSU administrators and the board of trustees are expected to meet earlier in the day.

"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," the union said in the news release.

The 10-day strike notification issued Thursday was the latest procedural move in a protracted contract dispute between the union and the university. YSU-OEA voted to authorize a strike July 16. The next step toward a strike could be Monday's vote by union membership.

Widgeon's recommendations largely involve maintaining the faculty's contract, which expired in August. YSU-OEA originally wanted to postpone negotiations until next year once the financial fallout from the coronavirus pandemic is known.

In a document obtained by Mahoning Matters, a YSU representative claimed the report lacks "any significant analysis on any level." The document said Widgeon's recommendations don't take into account the financial circumstances facing higher education.

The decision to authorize a strike in July was spurred in part by the university's academic restructuring plan announced May 28. The plan cut 18 departmental chair positions and is expected to save the university $1 million annually in the face of cost and revenue issues brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In their statement today, the union noted some "optimism" spurred by an interview President Jim Tressel did with Mahoning Matters published on Monday (Sept. 28) in which he acknowledged faculty and employees who have taken furloughs and pay cuts to help the university deal with pandemic budget constraints need to have their normal salaries returned.

"YSU-OEA takes this as a clear indication that the university's financial situation has improved beyond its initial budget report predictions this summer and that YSU administration may have rightly adjusted their stance on issues that are important to YSU-OEA members," union the statement today said.

According to a union memo obtained by Mahoning Matters on Wednesday night, if the trustees reject the fact-finder's report, the negotiating team is unable to close a deal and YSU-OEA membership votes to strike, a strike could begin Oct. 12, the first day of fall break.

This story was originally published October 2, 2020 at 3:23 PM with the headline "UPDATE | YSU-OEA membership votes to OK fact-finder’s report."