No talks scheduled in Temple strike

The administration and striking faculty of Temple University remained at a stalemate Friday, as the faculty union rallied to strengthen support among its members. Approximately 300 members of the Temple Association of University Professionals gathered Friday afternoon in a church west of the Temple campus. TAUP President Arthur Hochner said that the union remained in favor of the strike, which is being held to demand a salary increase and protest a proposal which would have Temple faculty help pay for their health plans. This morning marks the fifth day of the strike. Temple administrators said that no negotiations were scheduled. Temple's administration has offered all faculty members a five percent salary increase over two years, plus one percent for merit, according to Kathy Gosliner, Temple's director of communicaitons. TAUP has requested a 7.5 percent increase. The administration also asked faculty members to pay $260 per year towards health insurance. The faculty union rejected the plan, saying that it is not the "long-term" solution needed to dealing with rising health care costs. Hocher said that the union voted by a nine to one margin to continue with the current negotiating position. He said that the union estimated that 75 percent of classes have not met due to the strike. Gosliner said that the administration has asked for an independent investigator who would issue a non-binding opinion on the dispute. But Hochner called fact-finding "a stall," saying that "we want it to be over with."

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