SUNY Broome faculty holds rally for ‘fair contracts’

DICKINSON (WBNG) -- Members of the SUNY Broome Faculty Association rallied outside the Wales Center on the SUNY Broome campus Thursday morning, demanding a contract that makes fair investments.

The faculty was denied compensation for working harder throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

The rally comes as SBFA members have been without a contract for more than a year. The SBFA and college administration are currently in mediation in an attempt to reach a fair deal.

The SBFA’s contract expired on Aug. 31, 2021. After 15 months of negotiations, several sticking points remain, including fair pay, maintaining quality health care benefits for current and retired staff, and keeping online class size limits that benefit students. Other colleges in the Southern Tier, including Tompkins Cortland and Corning community colleges, have recently reached fair contract agreements with their faculty.

SUNY Broome Business Professor Stephen Ohl showed up to the rally to support to the other facility members and shared his opinion that it’s best to come to an agreement before needing mediation.

“The longer this goes on, the more people get upset,” said Ohl. “I think strategically, maybe the administration made a mistake here, in my opinion, by not settling sooner.”

SUNY Broome President Kevin Drumm also shared his statement on the situation.

“We support our faculty’s concerns for a fair contract, as always,” said Drumm. “Administration is encouraged by the reference to nearby contracts that was in their press release and how those colleges came to terms on the very issues listed in the NYSUT release. If our faculty agree with the key aspects in those contracts, then we’re pretty much on the same page.”