Part-time faculty voted to join SEIU Local 1 last year
St. Charles – St. Charles Community College (SCC) part-time faculty members have overwhelmingly ratified their first contract, which was unanimously approved by the Board of Trustees on July 17.
The four-year agreement, covering more than 300 adjunct professors, will increase wages, stabilize scheduling and allow part-time faculty equal academic freedom with full-time faculty.
More than 250 part-time faculty had voted to join Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 1 in March 2016.
Local 1 has been working with college and university professors throughout the Midwest to give them a voice on the job, address the low compensation for their work and ensure greater benefits and job security.
NATIONAL MOVEMENT
Lisa Decarli, a part-time sociology professor, said she was thrilled to be part of the national movement to make higher education more fair.
“This ratification is a really big moment for SCC adjuncts in gaining respect and recognition on campus,” Decarli said. “Through this contract, not only will we get pay raises, but we’ll also have increased job security, a formal grievance process and a respected and powerful voice on campus.”
The agreement demonstrates the vital role part-time faculty play in the innovative learning environment the college provides.
“Part-time faculty are an important part of the SCC community,” SCC President Barbara Kavalier said. “We are pleased that continued collaboration between the team has resulted in an agreement that demonstrates their value and improves the student experience.”
SEIU Local 1 represents 50,000 workers throughout the Midwest including janitors, security officers, higher education faculty, food service workers and others. For more information on the union, go online to seiu1.org.
Established in 1986, St. Charles Community College is a two-year community college offering associate degrees and certificate programs in the arts, business, sciences and career-technical fields. The college, located at 4601 Mid Rivers Mall Drive in Cottleville, MO, provides workforce training and community-based personal and professional development opportunities
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