Update: Mediation session between LCC, faculty union postponed a week

This story has been updated with new information from Lane Community College officials.

A mediation session scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 12, between Lane Community College negotiators and the union representing faculty members was postponed when the mediator was unable to attend.

LCC officials said the mediator scheduled to preside over Thursday’s session had to respond to an urgent matter at another institution.

The college and the Lane Community College Education Association have been negotiating a new contract for months. Mediation is now scheduled Feb. 19, the day that had been reserved for follow-up work after the now-postponed Thursday session.

In mediation, both sides work with a labor relations professional assigned by the state to informally explore settlement options. The mediator cannot impose a settlement.

Bargainers from both sides took advantage of the postponement Thursday and were able to reach tentative agreement on three issues, according to a news release from the college:

• Establishing training and preparation time for faculty as LCC manages a transition to the Canvas learning management system.
• Crafting language around insurance benefits for faculty. The news release from LCC said the language “maintains stability and predictability for faculty.”
• Clarifying “budget exigency” language to outline how economic challenges would be addressed in the event of significant budget constraints.

The exigency language has been a point of concern for union officials, who have said in the past that a “large volume” of issues remain unresolved in the negotiations.

In addition to economic issues, union officials say they’re worried about contract language that would result in mandatory “overloads” for full-time faculty members — situations in which a faculty member teaches an extra class, but at a lower pay rate.

LCC officials say some of the union proposals would require spending that the college cannot afford. But they said they seek an agreement that supports employees and maintains “long-term fiscal stability.”

The college has reached a tentative agreement with its other major union, the Lane Community College Education Federation, which represents about 500 classified employees. That agreement includes a 3% cost-of-living adjustment.

Tami Hill, president of the federation, said classified employees are voting on the contract through Thursday, Feb. 26, with the intent of presenting the contract to the Board of Education at its March meeting.