(WXYZ) — A strike is looming for the faculty and staff at Eastern Michigan University as professors reach nearly one week of working without a contract.
If EMU's faculty votes to strike Tuesday, they will stop showing up to class as soon as Wednesday. But, the university is insisting courses will continue all week.
Some students say they are concerned.
"I'm a little concerned. I help teach some of the laboratory courses. It's concerning to me but I understand why they are doing it," one EMU student said.
Nearly 500 tenured and tenure track faculty members have been working without a contract.
The university and the union are in gridlock when it comes to negotiations.
EMU is offering a 15.2% pay bump over five years with a 6.2% bump in the first year.
“We've looked at other universities and are in a really good position with that offer," VP of Communications at EMU Walter Kraft said.
"The problem is, that raise comes with significant cuts to our health care benefits," lead negotiator for the faculty union Professor Matt Kirkpatrick said. "They are benefits that a great majority of our faculty and union rely on."
Kirkpatrick says members will vote on whether or not to strike on Tuesday. The decision comes one day before a state-appointed mediator will meet with both sides.
"Our professors really do think about their students, but I also know they really need to think about their families," one student said.
