In today’s bargaining meeting with management, LCCEF presented a proposal that reflected our efforts to get closer to an agreement with LCC. In their last proposal, LCC increased their COLA offer to 2.5% effective July 1 of this year and 2.75% effective July 1 of next year. We included that piece in our offer and retracted our ask to get three step increases over the next two years for all bargaining unit members.
Our latest offer asked that all step-eligible bargaining unit members receive a one-step increase in each of the next two years and that those who are topped out also receive a one-step increase this year. We proposed that this last part would be implemented by removing the bottom step of each pay range and adding a step to the top.
Shane Turner, the lone management representative in the bargaining session, asked a few questions about the top step increase, and we told him we would entertain any response. We anticipate meeting again with LCC again in the next couple weeks.
After today, the two sides are much closer to an agreement than we have been at any point in the bargaining. The LCCEF bargaining team will continue to work to get you the best deal possible. If you have any comments or questions please contact a member of the LCCEF leadership, as we rely on your feedback to guide us through this process.
- The proposed COLA for 2021 remained 2.5 %
- (LCCEF had proposed 2%, College countered with 2.5%)
- The proposed COLA for 2022 remained 2.75%
- (LCCEF had proposed a 2022 COLA that is equal to the Consumer Price Index for the West region, with a minimum of 2.5% and a maximum of 4%, College countered with 2.75%)
- LCCEF proposed One full step for all bargaining unit members for 2021, and one full step for step-eligible members for 2022
- (LCCEF had proposed one and a half steps for all bargaining unit members each year, for a total of three steps; College countered one step to all step-eligible each each year for a total of two steps for all step-eligible employees )
- Retained the College proposed Classified Salary Schedule changes “The addition of range 18 to the Classified Salary Schedule to accommodate a lead designation for current range 17 employees.”
- (LCCEF had proposed deleting the bottom step of each pay range and adding a new step to the top of each pay range each year, for a total of two new top steps on each range, and two removed bottom steps from each range. Additionally, we proposed that all employees at the top step of their range be moved to the new top step on July 1 of each year.)
- Retained the College original plus one proposing edits to LCCEF Contract Article 11.4.2.3 but tightened the proposed change in language by replacing “externally-funded” with “bond-funded” in all instances.
- (LCCEF had not changed the original language in our proposal, but we did discuss this item in a bargaining session and ask that the College make this language change to more accurately reflect their intent.)
- Retained the College additional “Plus One” naming Juneteenth as a paid Holiday; the board had approved adding Juneteenth to the College’s list of paid holidays in the June BOE meeting.
- Adding this as a “Plus One” is beneficial to our members and saves us the step of creating another MOA, so we are considering this a mutually-beneficial change and not a true “Plus One”.
- Retained the College proposed changes to the LCCEF “Plus One”, shown below:
- The College shall provide classified employees with appropriate opportunities and support for professional growth and development. The supervisor will work with employees in budgeted positions to develop a written professional development plan that the employee would like to pursue and would allow them to professionally advance within the College. With an approved plan, the College will allow staff members to schedule up to a total of ten percent release time from the job for any combination of approved professional development opportunities. These opportunities include, but aren’t limited to: participating in job or career-related development programs or activities, job shadowing, facilitating College-sponsored learning activities for other College employees for which they are not otherwise compensated, or taking college courses as outlined in article 13.2 of the Lane Community College Employee Federation Collective Bargaining Agreement. Available release time is limited to the time in instruction or active synchronous participation in selected programs (i.e. not for completing out of class assignments or study that has no set meeting times). In departments where there is high employee interest in participation or low staffing levels, employees and their managers will need to work collaboratively to find solutions to accommodate this professional development program. Such solutions might include, but aren’t limited to: staggering participation schedules so release doesn’t fall largely on the same days per week, or limiting the number of employees participating during a particular term, but shall work to accommodate plans as much as possible. Employees who feel that they are being treated unfairly in manager determinations about participation may file a grievance under the provisions of the Lane Community College Employee Federation Collective Bargaining Agreement.