MPC faculty and administration are back at the negotiating table.

Negotiations between the Monterey Peninsula College faculty and administration are back on, and talk of a looming strike appears to be on hold—for now.

Contract talks came to a halt on May 5, when the administration presented faculty with a "last, best and final offer"—a labor law term—that included only a 1-percent increase in pay. 

Faculty called the offer unacceptable. They've been working without a contract for four years, and during that time wrestled with the administration through a state mediator to collect on past promises for small incremental raises.

They warned the MPC Board of Trustees at a contentious May 31 meeting that they could strike this fall.

The board voted in closed session that day for one more attempt at negotiating on June 28. If no movement toward an agreement was made by 5pm that day, the administration said it would file with the state Public Employment Relations Board to declare an impasse.

The two sides did meet on June 28, and the next morning, during Thursday's board meeting, it quickly became apparent that progress had been made. 

Alan Haffa, a representative for the Monterey Peninsula College Teachers Association, told the board during the public comment period he was "glad the district has come back to the negotiating table," adding he would not make further comment "now that we're back in negotiations." (Haffa is also a Monterey City Council member.)

After the meeting MPCTA President Lauren Blanchard confirmed the news. She says the two sides agreed to meet again on Aug. 29.

"We seem to be back in the process of offering each other proposals for a contract, which hopefully we'll achieve in the very near future," she says.

As for talks of a strike she says, "We came close to the brink and we've dialed it back."

Blanchard credited the dozens of people who implored the board on May 31 to listen to faculty concerns with bringing about the change of direction.

"It's pretty clear evidence that turning out large numbers of our community and students had a real effect on the decision-making of the college board," she says.

MPC President and Superintendent Walt Tribley issued a written statement that he is pleased negotiations are underway again.

"We are committed to working to reach an agreement so that we can continue to serve our students and community as we have for the past 70 years," he said.

The board met in closed session most of Thursday afternoon to discuss the negotiations, but announced they had no report.

During the meeting the board approved a tentative balanced budget of $40 million. It includes a previously negotiated 2-percent raise for all employees that goes into effect July 1. 

Blanchard reminded the board that raise wasn't new, but rather the result of the faculty filing a grievance with the state when the administration failed to make good on a previous contract agreement for a raise. A settlement agreement requires the college to begin paying those previously negotiated raises effective July 1.

"Our trajectory is still a downward trajectory," she told the board, noting that MPC faculty are "fast approaching the lowest-paid faculty in California."

The board will discuss the budget again on Aug. 10 during a workshop, and will approve a final budget on Aug. 23.