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Updated: 2:26 PM Feb 14, 2012
RVC Labor Negotiations Continue, Strike Looms
Just days after Rock Valley College's faculty union decides to strike over labor negotiations, both sides are giving another shot at a compromise.
Posted: 5:20 PM Feb 13, 2012Reporter: Faran Fronczak |
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15 Comments 
ROCKFORD (WIFR) -- Just days after Rock Valley College's faculty union decides to strike over labor negotiations, both sides are giving another shot at a compromise.
23 News talked with both organizations and how they plan to handle a meeting slated for tomorrow
The hallways and classrooms could turn lifeless if no decisions are made and the faculty decides to go on strike.
Faculty Union President Tom Alisankus said, "Both sides are starting to get caught up in the rhetoric, and we can't lose sight of the fact that we really just need to sit across the table from each other and just say 'We're so close. Can't you give a little; we'll give a little, and let's just go home."
The Rock Valley College faculty will file their ability to strike notice Tuesday after the faculty voted 134:10 in favor of the ability to strike.
Joe Perkoski said, "They have to wait 10 days before they can actually strike and the reason why you have that 10 day time period is to encourage the parties to go back to the table and continue talking."
Tuesday at 5:30 is the first planned meeting. The RVC Board has the authority to implement a contract Feb. 21st and the earliest the faculty can strike is February 24th.
Perkoski said, "We're willing to talk with the faculty about a compromise. You know, we went back to the table in January, and had what appeared to be some productive conversations. So we're going to try to go back to those concepts we had exchanged back in January."
Both sides are aware of the timeline and how sour the situation can turn--especially for students.
The RVC Board and faculty are confident they can come to a compromise if not by Tuesday before Feb. 21--hopefully avoiding the potential cancellation of spring classes.
Again both sides will meet tomorrow at 5:30 to try and work out a last minute deal.
If no compromise is reached and classes do get cancelled because of a strike we're told RVC will not refund tuition costs.
Latest Comments
what i'm gathering from what my math teacher has been telling us, the likelihood of the strike (if there even is one) lasting long enough for there to be a need to refund our tuitions is highly unlikely. i just hope that they can come to an agreement before anything has to happen.
While I see all the faculty bashing here I am reminded of four years ago today when I heard the news about the shooting at NIU and how terrified I was. My husband was teaching on the NIU campus that day as an adjunct professor. His full time position has been at RVC for 21 years. I challenge all of you who seem to think faculty don't deserve a fair contract to spend a day in faculty shoes. Sure, there are going to be better professors than others just like there are better workers than others in every other workplace. Many professors have spent their entire life in school, reading books, preparing tests, writing homework assignments, grading papers, tutoring, mentoring, answering emails, writing letters of recommendations, serving on campus committees, serving as advisors to student groups, attending and presenting papers at conferences to further develop their knowledge in their chosen field, and the list goes on and on. Then when they are done with that, they spend time with their families, sometimes coaching, taking kids to music lessons and even volunteering at their favorite charity, church or school. Then sometimes they even have a little bit of time left for themselves.
Alot of people on here obviously only know what is going on through the media, then there are other morons like Nick who are completely selfish. Why should these instructors be subjected to what they have? MOST of them can be teaching elsewhere which would be a better place for them because they would be making more money, however with their love for the community they choose to work at RVC and should be paid for what their worth is. RVC isn't a complete dump like Rockford College and people need to wake up and realize that there presently are great teachers at RVC and an AWFUL dispicable board that will drag the teachers through the mud of the media because there are people out there that believe everything that little black box tells them. You can't put students first if you put teachers last.
