SSCC, faculty reach tentative agreement
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A tentative agreement between Southern State Community College and the Southern Education Association regarding faculty contract negotiations.
The Highland County Press attempted to contact SSCC President Dr. Kevin Boys July 18 regarding the negotiations, and July 19, a press release was issued in response the those comments.
“This is my fourth experience negotiating and I am very pleased with the way things went,” said Tom Stroup, SSEA president and associate professor of engineering.
SSCC President, Dr. Kevin Boys, concurred: “I am pleased with the dedication that both teams exemplified in attempting to reach a fair and equitable agreement. They were diligent in doing the work necessary to bargain in good faith and reach a solid deal.”
The current contract was scheduled to expire in August 2010.
Bargaining commenced in May 2010 and continued nearly each Friday until July 16. The contract addresses compensation and benefits as well as other items such as scheduling, faculty workload, and delivery of distance education and a host of other items. Of particular importance during this negotiation process were contract revisions that address the college’s transition from a quarter calendar system to a semester system in fall 2012.
“We were fortunate to have a strong combination of analytical minds on both teams that were able to sort through the myriad details to make sure the contract language properly addressed this enormous organizational change” said Stroup. Once approved, the new contract is effective August 2010-13.
While both parties await ratification from the SSEA membership and the SSCC Board of Trustees, both bargaining units are pleased to have reached this point. Details of the contract will be released once both parties have ratified the agreement. A vote from the SSEA is expected later this summer and the SSCC Board of Trustees will be called for a special meeting to approve the contract following the SSEA’s ratification vote.
A tentative agreement has been reached between Southern State Community College and the Southern State Education Association regarding faculty contract negotiations.
The Highland County Press attempted to contact SSCC President Dr. Kevin Boys July 19 regarding the negotiations, and July 20 he issued a press release in response the HCP's questions.
“This is my fourth experience negotiating and I am very pleased with the way things went,” said Tom Stroup, SSEA president and associate professor of engineering.
SSCC President, Dr. Kevin Boys, concurred: “I am pleased with the dedication that both teams exemplified in attempting to reach a fair and equitable agreement. They were diligent in doing the work necessary to bargain in good faith and reach a solid deal.”
The current contract was scheduled to expire in August 2010. The last contract was signed in November 2008 by the SSEA and Jim Ward, who was then the president of the college board of trustees. The matter did not go before the full board for a vote.
Bargaining commenced in May 2010 and continued nearly each Friday until July 16, according to the press release. The contract addresses compensation and benefits as well as other items such as scheduling, faculty workload, and delivery of distance education and a host of other items. Of particular importance during this negotiation process were contract revisions that address the college’s transition from a quarter calendar system to a semester system in fall 2012.
“We were fortunate to have a strong combination of analytical minds on both teams that were able to sort through the myriad details to make sure the contract language properly addressed this enormous organizational change” said Stroup. Once approved, the new contract is effective August 2010-13.
While both parties await ratification from the SSEA membership and the SSCC Board of Trustees, both bargaining units are pleased to have reached this point. Details of the contract will be released once both parties have ratified the agreement. A vote from the SSEA is expected later this summer and the SSCC Board of Trustees will be called for a special meeting to approve the contract following the SSEA’s ratification vote.
In a follow-up phone call, Boys told The Highland County Press that no further information was available for release, other than the content of the press release.
Board President Kay Ayres said she was unaware that an agreement had been reached, and declined to comment.
[[In-content Ad]]In a follow-up phone call, Boys told The Highland County Press that no further information was available for release, other than the content of the press release.
Board President Kay Ayres said she was unaware that an agreement had been reached, and declined to comment.