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NEWS
SANTA ANA COLLEGE el Don / eldonnews . org • MONDAY , APRIL 3 , 2017
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Faculty association and district tentatively agree to new contract
STORY BY LAURA O . GARCIA AND NATALIE JAMES
A fter twenty-one months of negotiations , the Faculty Association of Rancho Santiago Community College District and the District Board of Trustees came to a tentative agreement over the faculty ’ s contract , in spite of rising contention . At a mediation session Tuesday , faculty and the board agreed to settle the faculty ’ s 2015-2016 contract , as well as their 2016-2017 contract . Members of both FARSCCD and the District Board have expressed relief at the resolution of this nearly two-year-long process .
“ I wish we could have concluded it for less money , but I am happy that we ’ ve resolved these two years and hopefully we can get back to the kind of good relationship that we have historically had with our faculty unit ,” President of the Board of Trustees John Hanna said . In December , for the first time in Santa Ana College ’ s 100-year history , the board of trustees declared an impasse , forcing the two groups to enter a mediation process assigned by the Public Employment Relations Board . “ It ’ s not just about what we get paid or if we get raises , it ’ s that we have a position of being respected and being a team player with the district , and we think that this agreement really shows that ,” VP and Chief Negotiator for
FARSCCD Kristen Guzman said . “ The mediator really helped us craft a new language in which to discuss the issues in front of us and to get a resolution ,” Trustee member Arianna Barrios said .
A closed mediation session was held Feb . 10 . No conclusion was reached , and details of what occurred are not available , because those involved signed a statement of confidentiality . As tensions continued to rise leading up to the March 28 resolution , members of both the FARSCCD board and the board of trustees leveled various accusations at one another . In addition to claiming that faculty members made purposefully deceptive statements and distributed misinformation , the District , in a statement released on March 20 , accused FARSCCD members of violating the statement of confidentiality . “ Such comments make one think [ Chancellor Raul Rodriguez ] is trying to do everything he can to make sure the mediation is not successful , despite his claims that he is ‘ steadfastly committed to [ the ] mediation process ,’” FARSCCD President Narges Rabii-Rakin responded to the board ’ s allegations in a letter to the RSCCD community . Both sides have accused each other of being unwilling to compromise . “ We ’ re trying to move forward , but we feel that the district hasn ’ t been open to that ,” FARSCCD Treasurer Morrie Barembaum said . “ When you ’ re an elected official people are going to take shots at you , and sometimes those shots are unfair and sometimes fair , that comes with the job . I think people are entitled to their opinion ,” Hannah said . In a statement released Dec . 14 , the board listed their most recent contract offers to the faculty , all of which FARSCCD rejected . Two major concerns that have delayed settlement are the health care benefits and salary increases included in the faculty ’ s contract .
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DISTRICTWATCH
2015 : The Public Employment Relations Board assigned a mediator to help resolve an impasse between FARSCCD and the Board of Trustees , after 21 months of negotiations over the 2015- 2016 faculty contract .
2016 : District faculty attended a board meeting last year wearing all black to mourn the loss of a fair contract , after working for a year and a half without a new contract .
2017 : FARSCCD and the Board of Trustees declared an impasse in December for the first time in Santa Ana College ’ s 100-year history , after reaching a deadlock in negotiations over salaries and health care .