Coaches reserve right to join faculty picket line “off the clock”

While members of the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties (APSCUF) officially started striking today, APSCUF coaches have yet to set a strike date or meet a contract agreement.

“They [coaches] are contractually obligated to continue working unless they themselves are on strike,” said APSCUF spokesperson Kathryn Morton. Morton also shared that during the faculty strike “coaches would not walk out.”

However, coaches reserve the right to join faculty on the picket line if they wish to do so.

“Coaches could show support of the faculty by joining the faculty picket line when coaches are off the clock,” Morton said.

Kenn Marshall, state system media relations manager, addressed the possibility of coaches joining the picket line, by saying, “That’s entirely their [coaches] call. If they do, we [PASSHE] intend to keep the universities open and continue all operations to the greatest extent possible.”

Marshall also commented on what would happen if coaches do end up striking.

“I don’t know the exact process they [coaches] would have to go through before they could go on strike, from their union standpoint. There is no legal requirement that they provide any advance notice.”

Marshall continued, “We don’t have an agreement with the coaches; how close we are to an agreement could well be interpreted different by them than by us.”

In the event that coaches do strike, with or without a set strike date, the state system has no intent “to hire ‘substitute’ coaches.”

While coaches have not set an exact strike date, athletic directors and athletic trainers are a part of APSCUF’s faculty bargaining unit, and are scheduled to strike with faculty.

The coaches’ bargaining unit last met on Oct. 4, making progress on contract negotiations, but not reaching a final contract. APSCUF and PASSHE’s coaches did not agree upon a future negotiation date. 

Macala Leigey is the news editor for The Spectator. She can be reached at eupnews.spectator@gmail.com.