LCC Faculty Colleagues,

Your LCCEA Bargaining team met with the College yesterday to exchange new proposals. Thank you to the incredible support and overwhelming response of faculty earlier this month, which helped limit the scope of bargaining to economics only. This process is now off to a productive start.

Your LCCEA Team proposed: (See summary and full proposals below.)

• COLAs based on inflation for year 1 and year 2
• An incremental move to pay parity for part-time faculty through creation of a new part-time faculty salary schedule onto which part-time faculty would step on and advance until reaching full parity
• Restoration of contract work days (furlough days that had become permanent) with a commensurate salary increase
• An increase in PT faculty inservice hours for meeting and workshop attendance
• 1.5 steps added at the top of the salary schedules
• Allowing reimbursement to faculty for unused personal days each year
• Additional steps awarded in salary schedule placement for faculty using bilingual / multilingual skills in their faculty work
• Implementation of Juneteenth and Indigenous Peoples’ Day holidays, and
• A more inclusive definition of family for the purpose of tuition waivers and leaves, among others.

The College proposed: (see below)

• 2.25% COLAs for year 1 and year 2
• Adding one paid day to the contracted work year

Note: the contract provides automatic step advancement each year.

The College proposal represents a step in the right direction, yet significant differences remain. For example, the College proposal makes no movement toward pay parity for PT faculty, does not include steps for faculty at the top of the salary schedules, restores only one day of the 2-2.5 furlough days that had become permanent, and does not keep up with inflation.

We greatly appreciate all the faculty who have shared or read stories at public meetings. Stay tuned for more information from Action Team Co-Chairs, Peggy Oberstaller and Wendy Simmons, as well as department reps for more opportunities to share your own stories. Faculty voices are important and make an impact.

The parties will meet again next Thursday to present counter proposals. Based on the interactions yesterday, we are hopeful that productive negotiations will continue.

Your LCCEA Bargaining Team

Kelly Collins

Joseph Colton

Adrienne Mitchell

Nancy Wood