Fed up with contract talks that have dragged on since last year, Rutgers University professors are one step closer to walking off the job.

The faculty union’s leaders on Thursday asked their members to give permission to call for a strike, if necessary.

“We have taken this step because it is important to defend quality public higher education," said Deepa Kumar, president of the union representing more than 4,800 full-time faculty and graduate workers. “Instead of spending money on our educational mission, the (President Robert) Barchi administration has wasted resources on high management salaries and golden parachutes for managers and coaches.”

The vote itself doesn’t mean professors will automatically go on strike and isn’t an unusual tactic in collective bargaining. But it would give the union’s leaders authorization to call for a strike if they aren’t happy with negotiations, escalating an increasingly hostile situation.

Professors accused Rutgers of delaying contract talks until too close to the end of the old deal and limiting negotiation sessions to a few hours a month. They called an offer of a 1.5 percent salary increase “insulting” and questioned why Barchi was awarded a raise when professors can’t get a new deal.

Faculty members have protested at recent Board of Governors meetings and hinted at the potential of a strike in December. They could theoretically go on strike at any time sine their previous contract is expired.

“I have heard many professors say, ‘I just can’t take it anymore. I am angry and I am living below the standard that I ever expected I would have as a teacher,’” Michael McKeon, a professor of literature, said then.

Rutgers’ contracts with 24 labor unions, including the professors’ union, expired at the end of last year. The university has struck new deals with just 5 groups so far, typically including 3 percent raises in each of the next three years.

“We are continuing to negotiate in good faith and on a regular basis with the remaining unions,” the university said in a statement.

If the union gives authorization to strike, it would not include the 3,000 part-time lecturers who are represented by the union but have a separate contract.

The union leaders are asking Rutgers to hire more full-time faculty to improve the student-faculty ratio. It’s also fighting for equal pay for equal work for part-time faculty and for female faculty, among other requests.

Adam Clark may be reached at adam_clark@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on twitter at @realAdamClark. Find NJ.com on Facebook.