After a long but productive bargaining session, we have a tentative agreement!

Next Steps

In order to meet all of the deadlines for the state AND get our stipend, voting will in the next day or two. Because of the short time frame, all voting will be online.

1. Look for an email from WPEA in the coming days with a link and instructions on how to vote, which you can see below:
   Voting will be conducted online through Election Runner.
   Voting Period: Today, September 4^th @ 5:00pm  – September 8^th at 11:59pm
   Eligible (dues paying) members will receive an email with your Voter ID, Voter Key, and a voting link.
   Emails will come from noreply@electionrunner.com
2. We will have the results of the vote on Sept. 9, and will share with the membership.
3. From here, the contract will go to the Board of Trustees, who will review the ratified contract. Their vote will be at the Sept. 17 meeting, so be sure to attend or watch online–and wear blue! The more member support we have in the audience, the more pressure they will be under to approve the contract.

What’s different about this contract?

The email from WPEA will include a full summary of changes, but I’ll give you the Cliff’s Notes of the Cliff’s Notes here:

1. We will be receiving a $500 signing incentive, payable on or before Aug 10, 2027.
   Yes, a lot less than what we got for the last contract. There are several reasons for this, and I can go into more detail in a future post if you want, but the short version is that they offered $0, so $500 is in fact an improvement.
2. Added a $5.00 Graveyard shift differential
   This applies to all employees working 10pm-6am.
3. The professional development process for classified staff has been simplified and clarified.
   Did you know hourly staff qualify for professional development funds? I know most of us didn’t! I was on the subcommittee for this one, so I can do an expanded explanation in the future. These funds are good for classes, books, supplies, certificates, training–even if they are not directly tied to your current position, so make sure to check out the website for updates on the new process and use those funds!
4. The Emergency Assistance Fund is now open.
   Funds can be requested and are available now–no need to wait for the 2027 contract to go into effect.
5. Training for Supervisors of Classified Staff
   That’s right, your supervisor must receive annual training/updates on what it means to work with classified staff. This will help limit working out of class as well as communication issues and other problems. But never fear, your stewards are always here if an issue arises anyway.
6. Disability Accommodations
   The contract strengthens protections for employees with temporary or permanent disabilities, and provides a timeline the college must follow through the approval and support process so you aren’t left in limbo for months on end.
7. Reclassification Backpay
   A timeline has been added should you be re-classed and deserve backpay on when you should receive those funds.
8. Temporary Assignment Pay
   Provides additional compensation up to 7.5% when covering vacant positions for extended periods.
9. Mandatory Subjects bargaining
   When bargaining for classified staff contracts, there are certain subjects we can’t bargain for (like hourly wages) and some that MUST be bargained. We worked on clarifying what those subjects are to protect our members and prevent future problems.

TL; DR

Overall, we got most of what we asked for in this bargaining cycle. There was obviously more that we wanted, but time constraints meant our asks had to be limited. Nothing was taken away, and I think we have somewhat improved our relationship with the college, as least in terms of bargaining. Having witnessed some of the last bargaining cycle, I can tell you my blood pressure is a lot lower this time around!

If you are interested in the bargaining process, or dissatisfied with how it shook out, then please consider volunteering for the next bargaining cycle. We always need people on our team, and if you are passionate about a subject then you are the best person to advocate for it.

See you on the 17th!