Heading into the new year, contracts remain undecided

Classified Association

The Classified Association and MHCC administration met for a mediation session on Nov. 21. Their next session will be held Monday at 9 a.m. in the Board Room.

“We made no headway,” said Cathy Nichols, classified association president, of their 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. session.

“They (administrative team) don’t seem to bargaining the same way they did three years ago when Randy NAME was in charge, so, I think they want an agreement to this as bad as we do.”

Nichols said they were not able to tentatively agree on any articles, but, “We’re still trying to make progress.”

Janet Gillman is the new mediator for both the full-time and classified contracts still on the table.

“I think she’s fair and I think she’s honest, so that’s a big plus. And she’s impartial, so that’s big… She just wants a contract,” said Nichols.

Classified members gathered outside the Board Room during the meeting to chant and were moved to the Main Mall.

“It was nice to see members. This was the first time we have had to ask members to step up like this. It was good to see a group come forward,” said Nichols.

“We have to get done. It’s just a matter of what’s going to happen,” she said. “If we don’t get resolution on this one, I don’t know when our next mediation will be.”

 

Full-time Faculty Association

Full-time faculty is also in mediation. They were able to tentatively agree on two articles, their professional development article which will reinstate a teaching and learning center, and the faculty evaluation article.

“We feel good about those being done,” said Sara Williams, full-time faculty association president. She said, “The administration and faculty together agreed that this is a good thing,” about the professional development article.

The full-time team and the administration has also met once on Wednesday without a mediator, but in a similar format. They plan to meet again next week, before their next mediation session in mid-January.

“I think it was productive, but we didn’t finish anything,” said Williams.

Conversations about health care, safety, advising workloads, temporary management assignments for faculty took place Wednesday.

“Faculty are hoping that if we are work really hard next week, we could finish the contract before Christmas.

“I feel like we’re balanced on this precipice and we could tip either way pretty easy. I’m not feeling reassured. I’m not feeling more concerned. All I can do is wait and see,” said Williams.