Harper College approves two union contracts, close on third

Harper College recently agreed to new contracts with two of its unions and reached a tentative deal with a third.

The Palatine community college's professional/technical union, which encompasses about 145 employees from multiple departments, signed a four-year contract calling for 3 percent raises in the first and final years.

In the second and third years, the salary increase will tie in with the cost-of-living index known as the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, with a minimum increase of 2 percent and a maximum of 5 percent.

The physical plant union, which includes 90 buildings and grounds employees, signed a three-year deal with 3 percent raises in the first and last year. The second year is tied to the index with the same 2 percent floor and 5 percent ceiling.

Harper spokeswoman Erin Brooks said the physical plant deal eliminates step movement, which provides additional raises based on seniority, in an effort to be more fiscally responsible.

Both contracts are retroactive to July 1 and were ratified by Harper's board of trustees. They vary in length to stagger contract talks.

Brooks said that for the first time, the agreements were negotiated using “interspace bargaining” to focus on common interests as opposed to the more traditional and adversarial style of position bargaining.

Last week, Harper reached a tentative four-year agreement with its adjunct faculty union, which typically includes between 600 and 700 employees. Details aren't available yet, but union members are scheduled to vote next month to ratify the deal. Harper's board will then consider approving the contract in September.

Last year, the contract for Harper's full-time faculty was extended to 2015. The 230 members are receiving 3.5 percent annual salary inclusive of step increases.