Lane Community College Education Association

LCC Faculty Colleagues,

We have been informed by an administrator that the College has hired an attorney to conduct a workplace investigation. The administrator has stated that the College has retained an outside attorney to conduct an investigation of Administration retaliation against faculty. Beyond this general statement, the College has not provided LCCEA with any information regarding the purpose of the investigation, what specifically is being investigated, who will be interviewed, whether participation is voluntary, whether this investigation is disciplinary, or provided any other details that would allow us to advise faculty.

Attorneys for LCCEA have asked the College for clarification, but have only been told that the investigation is regarding unspecified claims of retaliation. LCCEA’s attorneys are concerned the College is using this investigation to conduct discovery that’s intended to help the College defend itself against unfair labor practice claims pending before the Employment Relations Board. If true, this would not be an appropriate purpose for an investigation.

If you are contacted by an attorney for the College about this investigation, LCCEA advises you to seek assistance from a union representative before engaging in an interview or providing any information. It will be important for you and your union representative to find out why you are being interviewed; if your participation is voluntary; and whether you could be subjected to discipline for refusing an interview or as a result of providing information.

Please feel free to reach out to a union representative if you have questions.

Your Association

LCC Faculty Colleagues —

We are writing with good news — inflation and our cost of living adjustment are higher than anticipated. The federal government released inflation data today, and the official figure for January 2023 to January 2024 is 3.09%. 

This 3.09% is the Cost of Living Adjustment (i.e. COLA) that will be added to all faculty salary schedules for the 24-25 year. 

In addition, faculty who are eligible for steps will advance one full step on the schedule (i.e., 3.75%) This will equate to a year-over-year increase for step-eligible faculty of approx. 6.95%.

More details about the contract rollover can be found in our email below from last week.

Your LCCEA Bargaining Team

Adrienne Mitchell

April Myler

Peggy Oberstaller

Russell Shitabata

Sarah Erickson

LCC Faculty Colleagues, 

The Administration did not provide notice to LCCEA of its intent to modify the Collective Bargaining Agreement (i.e., contract), and your LCCEA Faculty Bargaining Team elected to roll the contract over. 

This means that the new expiration date for the contract is June 30, 2025 instead of 2024. 

For the 24-25 year, faculty can count on:

• Steps in the amount of 3.75% for all step-eligible faculty;
• A COLA (i.e., cost of living adjustment) that is based on the official inflation index;
• Maintaining College contributions to insurance based on current language that provides excellent protection for faculty; 
• Maintaining workload protections, such as class sizes; and
• Maintaining all other benefits and rights.

As for the COLA, our inflationary index is the US CPI-U All Cities (CUUR0000SA0) for January to January. The January 2024 figures won’t be available until later this month, but for reference, the figure for the most recent 11-month period is 2.532%. We anticipate that the full-year inflation data, once available, will be reasonable but will differ from the 11-month figure we note. 

If we apply the preliminary inflationary data based on 11 months rather than the full year, for step-eligible faculty, increases from this year to next year would be approximately 6.28%. Please note: this is arough estimate only and will be updated and finalized after the federal government publishes the January data.

This rollover of the contract meets faculty top priorities based on the All Faculty survey and will provide stability and predictability for faculty over the next year. In addition, we believe this is in the best interest of the campus and community at-large.

We will provide more information as soon as the inflation data is published and will hold a hybrid Q & A session for faculty from noon to 1 p.m. Friday, February 9.

Your LCCEA Bargaining Team

Adrienne Mitchell

April Myler

Peggy Oberstaller

Russell Shitabata

Sarah Erickson

LCC Faculty Colleagues,

We hope this message finds you warm and safe during the ongoing ice storm and with hope that, if you are without power, it will be restored soon!

Emergency Funds for LCCEA members

Emergency funds are available for LCCEA members, who may request up to $300. These are available to meet members’ financial needs, which could be due a class cancellation, an unanticipated medical expense, or other one-time needs such as unanticipated expenses due to the ice storm. 

The form to request funds can be found here.

GTFF Update

Our union cousins at the GTFF have reached a tentative agreement with UO, averting a strike which was set to begin tomorrow. Learn more about their historic agreement here. Solidarity works! 

On behalf of your Association officers,

Warmly,

Adrienne