(Photo courtesy Facebook/Heartland Community College)
By Eric Stock
NORMAL – Faculty at Heartland Community College have a new contract after working the last five months without one.
The Heartland Board of Trustees approved the three-year deal at a special meeting on Tuesday night after the Heartland Faculty Association ratified the contract. The contract includes 1 percent pay raises in the first year, and full-time faculty will get a one-time payment that’s 0.5 percent of their salary. The second year calls for a 2.25 percent raise and 2.5 percent in the final year.
Faculty also get increased compensation rates for summer and overload pay to 2.75 percent. The deal also calls for increased compensation for lab instruction.
Heartland President Rob Widmer issued a joint statement with HFA Co-Presidents Glen Bush and John Ernst saying the contract balances the needs of students, employees and the community. The pact is retroactive to July 1.
Faculty had been working without a contract since June and had recently filed an intent to strike notice. A federal mediator assisted in negotiations.
Eric Stock can be reached at eric.stock@cumulus.com.
