The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Lakeland, teachers union reach agreement
After months of negotiating, the union representing full-time faculty at Lakeland Community College and the school’s administration on Aug. 28 agreed on terms for the teachers’ next three-year contract.
The Lakeland Faculty A ssociation released a statement Monday evening to confirm the body ratified a “tentative agreement” at 4:30 that afternoon.
The LFA 12 days earlier gave notice of its intent to strike and picket Aug. 26 if an agreement was not reached by Aug. 25. However, despite negotiators’ failure to strike a deal by the deadline, the teachers’ union moved late Friday not to strike and fall semester started as scheduled on Saturday.
“The Lakeland Faculty Association and Lakeland Community College were in negotiations with a federal mediator for more than 10 hours, on Friday, Aug. 25, 2017,” the Aug. 28 LFA statement reads. “The result of the negotiations was a tentative agreement between the two negotiations team(s) that represents compromise from both parties.”
The statement confirms the LFA “has been working hard since the beginning of summer to negotiate a fair and equitable contract.”
At an Aug. 24 “clap-in” organized by the LFA to support its six negotiators, spokesman Carl Stitz said contract negotiations are an arduous process and often come down to the 11th hour, in terms of whether a strike and picketing will take place.
Later that day, Lakeland Community College President Morris W. Beverage said the college and the union have the same goal and agreed both parties had been working together for a long time to come to an agreement.
“We’ve been in negotiations for quite a while,” Beverage said in an Aug. 24 phone interview. “Certainly, we share their desire to reach an agreement before tomorrow.”
He also said he knew better than to offer conjecture regarding the likelihood of a strike.
“One thing I’ve learned over the years I’ve been involved with the Lakeland Faculty Association, and I’ve been here for more than half of them, is that you can’t predict the results of negotiations,” he said. “My belief is that both sides are committed to reaching an agreement. So, if that’s optimism, I’m optimistic.”
In its Aug. 28 statement, the LFA writes that, although it “was unable to achieve all (it) wanted in this contract, (it was) pleased to note that the college made some movement in attempting to address inequitable pay for more recent staff.”
“As in the past, the contracts that the LFA negotiates protect the high quality of instruction, maintains student suppor t systems, and continue to create superior courses of study that provide our students with the best employment and transfer opportunities. Our students are our top concern,” the LFA statement reads. “This contract represents a compromise, but there are still many items the LFA hopes to achieve in future negotiations.”
Lakeland Faculty Association President Jason Thomas echoed the sentiments expressed in the release.
“We are pleased we have reached an agreement and we are looking forward to working with our students, and starting a new school year on a positive note,” he writes.
Lakeland’s administration expressed similar sentiments in an e-mailed statement Tuesday evening.
“While the negotiating process can be challenging at times, we are unified in our pursuit of student success,” the statement reads. “Now we’re looking forward to another great year, preparing students for good jobs and strengthening our community.”