The union representing college and employees at Neighborhood Faculty of Philadelphia has set a strike deadline for 7 a.m. this Wednesday, March 26, if a brand new contract settlement isn’t reached.
The union, AFT Native 2026, represents roughly 1,200 members, together with full-time college, adjunct professors and employees. A latest strike authorization vote noticed 97% of collaborating members in favor of the motion.
This choice comes after greater than a yr of negotiations and over 100 hours on the bargaining desk, in response to the union, which has been working and not using a contract since final August.
CCP administration says they’ve been persistently negotiating and are dedicated to reaching an settlement.
“The Faculty is dissatisfied that the federation has introduced the potential of a strike Wednesday morning,” a spokesperson for CCP mentioned in a press release. “The school bargained all weekend with the Federation and appears ahead to the mutually agreed-upon bargaining session scheduled for tomorrow [Tuesday]. The school stays dedicated to negotiating in good religion with the Federation to keep away from the hurt that will come to college students from a strike.”
The school has proposed a 5% wage improve within the first yr, adopted by 4% will increase in every of the subsequent two years.
The union’s key calls for embrace:
- Wage will increase: The union is in search of 9% pay will increase within the first two years and 6% within the remaining two years of a four-year contract. They argue that adjuncts at CCP earn 25% lower than their counterparts at Temple College.
- Improved staffing ranges: The union claims that CCP has misplaced professors, counselors, advisors, librarians and different important employees, and needs to make sure elevated staffing ranges.
- Free SEPTA passes for college students: The union is advocating for CCP to affix SEPTA’s Key Benefit program to supply college students with free public transit entry. The school says it doesn’t find the money for it.
- Different points: Smaller class sizes, higher advantages, and the reopening of a kid care heart on campus.
A possible complication within the strike plan is the continued fact-finding course of initiated by the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board on the school’s request. State labor legislation prohibits putting throughout fact-finding, however the union disputes the legitimacy of this course of, claiming that the faculty missed the appliance deadline.
“Administration’s request for fact-finding is a blatant try and undermine staff’ rights that parallels the assaults on labor we’re seeing nationally. The Faculty’s administration and board of trustees try to cease the bargaining course of and ignore the important calls for of CCP’s devoted college and employees for actual raises, full staffing and the assist that college students must succeed.” union Co-President Junior Brainard mentioned Monday.
If the strike proceeds, it can influence greater than 12,000 credit score college students and nearly 1,400 noncredit college students enrolled at CCP this spring. The school has mentioned that buildings would stay open for registration and monetary assist providers, however college students can be notified if courses are canceled.
The final college strike at CCP occurred in 2007, leading to a two-week class cancellation.