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Back To Class Tuesday For RVC Students

Susan Stephens
/
WNIJ

Monday, 9:00 pm

The strike is suspended and Rock Valley College faculty and students will be back in class Tuesday. The RVC Faculty Association approved a mediator's contract proposal that had been negotiated last Friday. It appears the wrong contract was voted on and rejected at a faculty meeting Sunday night. The discrepancy was discovered today during negotiations between the two sides. A corrected version was presented to members of the union Monday night and approved.

Teachers at the community college in Rockford went on strike last Wednesday after a contract agreement with school officials couldn't be reached.

Kenzo Shibata is with the Illinois Federation of Teachers, which is assisting the faculty association. He says the contract language the union approved is "not substantively different than the proposal" presented to them last night.

The RVC Board of Trustees will vote on the proposal at its meeting Tuesday night. The school released a  statement on behalf of the board and administrators:

We know everyone is pleased to be moving forward with the semester and, most importantly, we are all looking forward to having our students return to the classroom.

Monday, 5:45 pm

Striking faculty members at Rock Valley College voted on the wrong contract offer last night. That's what RVC Board Chair Frank Haney told the Rockford Register Star this afternoon.

Credit Susan Stephens / WNIJ
/
WNIJ

Haney says the contract members of the RVC Faculty Association reviewed and rejected at their meeting Sunday night was less than a mediator intended to offer the union. The mistake was discovered during negotiations that have been going on all day. 

A corrected offer is being drafted and will be taken up by striking teachers tonight. A fourth day of classes was canceled after last night's vote to reject the latest contract offer. 

The Rock Valley College Faculty Association confirms it will meet again tonight at 7:00 to vote on a corrected version of the contract.

Susan is an award-winning reporter/writer at her favorite radio station. She's also WNIJ's Perspectives editor, Under Rocks contributor, and local host of All Things Considered.
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