Cayuga Community College and its faculty association are now two-thirds of the way to completing a new contract for faculty members.
The college board of trustees voted unanimously Wednesday to ratify a tentative contract for faculty derived last month following an impasse. The faculty association voted April 4 to ratify the contract, and now the matter will proceed to the county Legislature in May for approval.
“I thank the members of the faculty for being patient, four years without a contract,” Trustee John Camardo said. “I hope we can make a policy of this board that trustees are involved in negotiations in the future, and second, I also hope we can make a policy that this doesn't happen again, that four years pass without a contract.”
College faculty have been operating without a contract since 2004 and internal efforts to negotiate a new contract had ended at an impasse. To break the stalemate, both parties turned to the state Public Employment Relations Board to have an impartial arbitrator mediate a solution that might lead to a contractual agreement.
A relations board report released to parties in December outlined causes of the impasse - from salary to fringe benefits - and proposed several recommendations.
A major cause of friction between the college and the association was employee contributions to health insurance premiums. Faculty members were contributing 15 percent in the final year of the contract, spanning from 1997 to 2004, and have continued contributing that amount since the contract's expiration date.
The college had maintained that faculty members' contributions should eventually increase to 30 percent, given the skyrocketing cost of health care.
Following the release of the fact finder report - which proposed a contribution cap of 20 percent for 2009-10, among other things - both parties went back to the bargaining table.
“John and I have spent many hours, enjoyable hours talking back and forth, understanding back and forth,” Vice Chair Jeff Edwards said. “I think there is a better understanding now between the board and the faculty association. ... It was a learning experience.”
Trustees publicly commended many key people in helping establish the accord: Camardo thanked the faculty association and the bargaining committee and Chair Joseph Michaud applauded the efforts of Human Resources Director Mel Brown and college Treasurer Brenda Holland.
“I think you all went the extra mile to get this done,” Michaud said.
Staff writer Alyssa Sunkin can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 239 or alyssa.sunkin@lee.net
“I thank the members of the faculty for being patient, four years without a contract,” Trustee John Camardo said. “I hope we can make a policy of this board that trustees are involved in negotiations in the future, and second, I also hope we can make a policy that this doesn't happen again, that four years pass without a contract.”
College faculty have been operating without a contract since 2004 and internal efforts to negotiate a new contract had ended at an impasse. To break the stalemate, both parties turned to the state Public Employment Relations Board to have an impartial arbitrator mediate a solution that might lead to a contractual agreement.
A relations board report released to parties in December outlined causes of the impasse - from salary to fringe benefits - and proposed several recommendations.
A major cause of friction between the college and the association was employee contributions to health insurance premiums. Faculty members were contributing 15 percent in the final year of the contract, spanning from 1997 to 2004, and have continued contributing that amount since the contract's expiration date.
The college had maintained that faculty members' contributions should eventually increase to 30 percent, given the skyrocketing cost of health care.
Following the release of the fact finder report - which proposed a contribution cap of 20 percent for 2009-10, among other things - both parties went back to the bargaining table.
“John and I have spent many hours, enjoyable hours talking back and forth, understanding back and forth,” Vice Chair Jeff Edwards said. “I think there is a better understanding now between the board and the faculty association. ... It was a learning experience.”
Trustees publicly commended many key people in helping establish the accord: Camardo thanked the faculty association and the bargaining committee and Chair Joseph Michaud applauded the efforts of Human Resources Director Mel Brown and college Treasurer Brenda Holland.
“I think you all went the extra mile to get this done,” Michaud said.
Staff writer Alyssa Sunkin can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 239 or alyssa.sunkin@lee.net
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