SALINAS — Hartnell Community College District and the Hartnell College Faculty Association (HCFA) have reached a tentative agreement. The announcement was made on Dec. 8 after months of negotiation and entering an impasse in early October.
An impasse refers to a request for a mediator’s services to facilitate agreement between parties.
The agreement provides an overall base salary increase of 10.45% over two years and also restructures the current salary schedule, creating a competitive salary structure for faculty.
The tentative agreement also includes healthcare benefits for part-time faculty consistent with the state-funded program. The state program provides the same healthcare benefits for part-time faculty that full-time faculty enjoy.
Based on the state program, the district expects to be reimbursed for the total cost of healthcare premiums for part-time faculty.
The next steps include approval from the Hartnell Community College District Governing Board of Trustees followed by the ratification by HCFA members.
“We are happy to announce that we are one step closer to settling on a beneficial agreement for both sides,” said Michael Gutierrez, president/superintendent of Hartnell Community College District. “We thank everyone who dedicated countless hours to be in the position we are today.”
To keep the public informed, Hartnell Community College District provides updates on the status of negotiations between itself and HCFA at this link.
