Dear colleagues,

This week, Temple University representatives continued negotiations with the Temple Association of University Professionals (TAUP). Since my last update, we have met with TAUP representatives on two occasions, and economic proposals have been at the forefront of our discussions.

As I shared in my March 1 update, the university presented an economic proposal on Feb. 26 that was in line with other recent higher education labor agreements and demonstrated how much we value our faculty. On March 18, TAUP presented a counter proposal. After reviewing the proposal, we used the March 25 session to discuss specific elements of the proposal and ask several in-depth questions to better understand it and the union’s goals so we could get closer to an agreement.  

In the weeks ahead, we hope to continue discussing the economic proposals on the table. The university also awaits TAUP’s healthcare benefits proposal, which is critical in comprehending the totality of the wage and benefits package that TAUP is requesting. Receipt of this proposal is also necessary for the university to present an informed counter.

Our next meeting will take place on Tuesday, April 2, with three additional meeting dates scheduled on Wednesday, April 10; Tuesday, April 16; and Wednesday, May 1. 

Temple strives to provide competitive salaries and increases—and benefits—for all employees. As we have reached agreement on a number of noneconomic proposals, Temple remains confident that we will land on a contract that is amenable to all parties, and we remain committed to providing fair working conditions and compensation for faculty and staff. As promised, we will continue to keep you apprised of any developments as they occur, both through email and updates on our TAUP Negotiations page.

Sincerely,

Sharon Boyle
Vice President for Human Resources