Since unionizing in April 2022, HACC faculty have been working without a contract. Three years worth of negotiations have left the process stalled on key areas of importance related to working conditions, student success, and community interest.

HACC faculty members dedicate themselves to teaching, mentoring, and service. They directly shape the academic experience. Fair working conditions help ensure high-quality instruction, availability of classes, and continued academic excellence.

Recently, the faculty union (HACCEA) voted in favor of a strike authorization. They did not come to this point quickly or lightly. They exhausted every formal step available to reach a fair agreement. They tried to reach a fair contract by:

• mediation, working with a neutral party to seek compromise.
• using a state-appointed fact finder to create a reasonable middle ground contract, which 97% of faculty supported.
• binding arbitration, in which a neutral third party would have the final word, and both sides would be bound by the outcome. 

The administration refused every step of the way. 

A strike would disrupt classes and campus life. Interruptions to instruction could delay student progress, create financial and academic stress, and harm the reputation of our college. We are further concerned that the college solution is to quickly replace faculty rather than negotiate a fair contract.

This is the direct result of the administration’s refusal—after three years of negotiation—to provide faculty with a fair and equitable contract.

This is not about money alone. HACC faculty pursue stability, quality, and respect for the work that happens in classrooms, labs, libraries, and offices across every campus. The administration’s proposals would increase class sizes, reduce standards for instructional hiring, and allow the college to take ownership of faculty-created course materials indefinitely, even after faculty leave the institution. These policies threaten the quality of education students receive, the conditions that allow faculty and staff to do their jobs well, and our local community. 

Support HACC faculty and demand administration negotiate a fair, equitable contract that respects the vital role faculty play in the success of their students, the college, and our community in Central Pennsylvania.

To learn more, please visit haccea.org

Media inquires: externalpr@haccea.org