Teachers at Kishwaukee Community College in Malta have a new 3-year contract today.
The proposal was ratified by both the Education Association along with the College Board of Trustees on Wednesday.
Chairman of the Board, Bob Johnson, said that the pay increase will be 2 percent in each year of the contract for the employees which equates to an average annual increase of 4.5 percent. He said that the board recognizes that this pay increase is higher than normal, but the college is committed to making the faculty's salaries more competitive with other institutions.
Kish will also pay up to $450 per month toward a retiree's health insurance for 7 years after retirement. The previous contract was for 10 years.
81 full-time employees belong to the union.
Kish Education Association President Matt Read said that he was disappointed by comments made by the board chairman implying the faculty only cares about pay and benefits. He said that the union intentionally proposed an offer that included more than 1.5 million dollars in savings for the college to ensure there was no need for future tuition or tax hikes.
A tentative agreement was reached on January 19th by the bargaining teams that prevented a teachers' strike on January 21st at Kishwaukee Community College in Malta.