Temple, faculty reach accord

Temple University administrators and faculty reached a tentative agreement early yesterday morning, which may bring an end to a contract dispute that has raged since the faculty's month-long strike in September. Both administration and faculty officials declined to comment yesterday on the agreement, saying that details will not be released until the full union membership votes on the pact. According to a statement, the two sides reached the agreement at 2 a.m. yesterday morning after 14 hours of negotiations. The Temple Association of University Professors began a month-long strike on September 4 after a disagreement over a contract offer. They were forced back to work on October 3 by a court order. According to TAUP President Arthur Hochner, the union's executive board was to meet yesterday to vote on the proposal. He said that he expected it to pass the executive board. "It should go over well," Hochner said yesterday. He added that he also expects the agreement to pass when it is voted on by the general membership. Last November Temple faculty rejected an administration contract proposal by a vote of 283 to 130. The administration offered a five percent annual salary increase over five years with a one percent added increase in the second year and a two percent raise in the fourth year. The November proposal included a $260 annual contribution to the faculty's health plan in the last four years of the contract, known as a co-payment. The co-payment has been one of the most difficult points for the two sides since the dispute began. Temple faculty have repeatedly refused to accept any administration proposal that would share the costs of health care.

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