BCCC Reaches Contract Agreement With Faculty

has reached a four-year contract agreement with its faculty union, the American Federation of Teachers Local 2238. The agreement covers the period from the end of the last contract in August 2010 through August 2014.

The settlement was approved at the Board of Trustees Oct. 13 meeting. The board’s approval authorizes College President Dr. James Linksz and board chairman J. Peter Dominick to sign the agreement after final review by counsel. 

According to information provided by the college, contract provisions include:

increasing starting salaries for academic ranks; taking steps to assure continued hiring of high quality faculty; recognizing longtime service by part-time faculty;

managing growing healthcare costs while maintaining quality coverage; providing added funding to encourage advanced education  and providing for annual adjustments to faculty salaries based on rank, experience, and credentials. 

The contract covers 178 full-time and 450 part-time faculty members who teach at the college’s Newtown Campus, the Upper Bucks Campus in Perkasie, the Lower Bucks Campus in Bristol, and the Virtual Campus, also known as online learning.

“We’re really appreciative of what we have here at Bucks,” said Federation president Professor John Strauss. “We managed to put together a contract that increases fairness for both full- and part-time faculty, maintains academic quality, and takes into account the college’s – and students’ – positions under current economic circumstances.”

College President Linksz said the contract was a good compromise.

“Both parties recognize that these are difficult economic times and both parties compromised to come up with a mutually beneficial resolution, which is good for students, the faculty, and the college community,” said Linksz.

Board chairman Dominick said the contract agreement helps to ensure costs don’t rise.

“All agreed that keeping student costs down was an important goal guiding the discussions,” Dominick said.  “The impact of the settlement on the total college budget will be less than one percent a year.”