Youngstown State University President Jim Tressel is speaking out after hundreds of faculty members have authorized their union leaders the authorization to issue a ten-day strike.

More than 200 professors, assistant professors, and other YSU faculty members met Tuesday for two and a half hours for a vote on the proposed strike. 

According to a statement from the Ohio Education Association, the vote was unanimous.

The vote authorizes the leadership of the YSU-OEA to issue the strike notice if bargaining fails to come up with a satisfactory contract from the university.

Some members believe it's what's needed to get what teachers say is a fair and equitable contract. 

A union statement says that proposed salaries and changes to course load policies signal what they describe as a lack of respect for faculty’s role in student success, which the union claims would undermine the quality of programs offered at YSU.

The OEA says YSU has lost roughly 10 percent of its full-time faculty over the last 10 years, which the union blames partly on the increased workload and lower take-home pay.

The union would hold another meeting with members to take another vote before a strike would actually be called.

"I think the process with mediation has occurred and fact finding. You bring in people from outside who don't have a position," said Tressel. "They come back in 10 days and say, 'You know what, based on what I heard from both sides,' and they don't have a side, 'You know, here's what we recommend.' And the sides get a chance to get together and say, 'Ok, here's what's best for the institution,' and I feel good because we have good people."

The fact finders report President Tressel was referring to is expected to be completed by early September.