CINCINNATI — On the day Cincinnati State’s fifth president was officially inaugurated, a teacher’s strike began — the first in the institution’s history.
Approximately 200 full-time faculty went on strike Friday after negotiations between the American Association of University Professors and top-level college officials fell through late Thursday night.
During President Odell Owens’ inauguration response speech, he recognized the “800-pound elephant in the room,” that is the teacher’s strike.
“I say to that: what a wonderful country we live in, what a wonderful country we live in where people can disagree, people can strike — I support that process,” Owens said.
In an effort to not disrupt classes, the college has hired more adjunct faculty during the strike, said Michael Oestreicher, chairman of the board of trustees.
“I don’t know that there is anything scheduled (for continued negotiations) or will be scheduled,” Oestreicher said. “I heard they were only going to be out for a week, but I don’t know what that’s all about.”
The main issue dividing the two sides remains workload, particularly in light of the college’s transitions from quarters to semesters scheduled for the fall of 2012.
Oestreicher said faculty staff want to work approximately 15 to 20 percent less, matching the workload of other teachers throughout the state.
“But they’re not proposing they get paid less, so we’re sitting here as stewards of the college and fiduciaries of tax-payer dollars —I don’t know of any situations now where anybody is working 15 to 20 percent less and getting paid the same amount,” Oestreicher said.
Outside the college, striking teachers rotated shifts. They say they want the same workload as their peers throughout the state.
“All the other 22 colleges in the state have agreed on a workload, around 30 units, and they’ve asked us to work 42,” said Dawn Caudill, program chair for interpreter training, or sign language.
Middletown Mayor Larry Mulligan was in attendance for Owen’s inauguration ceremony, along with police chief David VanArsdale. He doesn’t expect the strike to affect Cincinnati State’s potential expansion to Middletown.
“They’ll resolve it in the best interest of the school and faculty,” he said.
Pam Ecker, spokesperson for the American Association of University Professors’ Cincinnati State chapter, could not be reached for comment.