The University of Akron and the Akron chapter of the American Association of University Professors announced Friday that they have reached a tentative four-year contract agreement.
Details of the deal have not been released.
It now must be ratified by the university’s board of trustees and Akron AAUP members. Leaders of both groups are recommending ratification of the proposal.
They hammered out an agreement late Thursday.
The chapter membership will begin voting after an informational meeting Wednesday. Members will have a week to vote. It will be an electronic vote. The board has not set a date on when trustees will vote on the contract. University officials said management usually votes after the membership vote.
“We’re on the same page,” said trustees chairman Jonathan Pavloff. “We spent a lot of time on it and I think it will work for all us. I’m hopeful we can put this behind us and focus on those things that are important for student success.”
The leadership of the union said it’s a fair contract.
“In every negotiation, you prioritize some things and one side wants something they really want and the other side has something they really want, and you hope you can come to an agreement. I think it’s a good contract for both sides,” said John Zipp, president of the Akron AAUP. “It lends stability to the university for the next four years and I think there are certain provisions in it that have important ways to move forward.”
The previous two-year contract expired June 30, 2015.
Members of the 600-plus full-time faculty union have been working on a day-to-day extension of the contract. The two sides have been negotiating since December 2014.
A federal mediator was brought in last December.
Last week, the union voted and approved a strike authorization vote, giving union leadership authority to call a strike if needed.
“We only have one more step to take and then we can put this behind us,” Zipp said. “Both sides have shown the willingness and understanding if something comes to us that people didn’t anticipate, there may be things we have to tweak in the future as circumstances change.”
Marilyn Miller can be reached at 330-996-3098 or mmiller@thebeaconjournal.com.