Court gives Simon Campbell access to salaries for state college professors

Simon Campbell, founder and president of stopteacherstrikes.org, union boss critic, and Pennsbury school board member, wins a battle for the public, requesting information about the negotiation process at Pennsylvania universities.   An independent futures trader, Simon caught the “fever in the belly” when his daughters’ school was shut down over a strike.  Phillyburbs.com has the story.

Commonwealth Court has said the Bucks County man can have the salary and benefits information he sought for the professors and employees of the 14 universities in the state higher education system with a Right to Know request. Those universities include California, Kutztown, Indiana, Slippery Rock and West Chester.

However, Judge Bonnie Leadbetter is giving the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties 30 days to decide if it will appeal her decision to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.

If the faculty union decides to appeal and prevails, Campbell said that decision could have a huge negative impact on the public’s access to government information.

In addition . . . Campbell is seeking individual names and job titles and said he plans to post the information on his website, stopteacherstrikes.org.

The union is embroiled in a protracted contract negotiation that has brought it to the brink of a strike, although negotiations this month with the state system have led to some tentative agreements.

Spokeswoman Lauren Gutshall said the union has been preoccupied with contract negotiations and it has “not formally decided” if it will appeal Leadbetter’s decision.

Additionally, Campbell said he has been concerned that the state open records office has been too quiet in this battle, an allegation denied by the head of that office.