Mercy College announce strike date

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email
Print

DOBBS FERRY – If a new contract is not reached with the Administration of Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry by the end of April, the Mercy Faculty Forward/Service Employees International Union, Local 200United negotiating committee said they will call for an indefinite strike on May 2.

Last week, adjunct faculty and part-time teachers voted to authorize their union’s negotiating committee to call a strike.

The union said at the following day’s bargaining session, college administration increased their wage proposal by $50 for a minimum for some course rate of $3,250 for some adjunctions, while decreasing compensation for others compared to their prior proposal.

“On April 2nd hundreds of adjuncts like myself are prepared to strike,” said Crisanta Melicio, a Mercy adjunct in the nursing department. “No one wants to strike, but our backs ae up against the wall and we cannot go any longer with sub-subsistence wages, no benefits and no job security.

Loushema Lott-Coakley, a senior at Mercy studying international relations, said she and other students “stand with our professors and will not be showing up to classes starting May 2.”

The union negotiating committee will meet with administration three times in the last week of April and said if no “fair first contract” is agreed upon afterwards, they will strike indefinitely starting Monday, May 2 until the end of the semester.




Popular Stories