Thirty-five full-time employees and 11 part-time employees across five different campus locations of Butler County Community College are asking the school’s trustees to accept the terms for base salaries, raises and starting salaries listed in a fact-finding report amid a labor dispute.

On April 10, the board rejected the terms listed in a report issued by a third-party arbitrator. On Wednesday, the board of trustees will again vote on the report as required by labor law.

If board members decide to accept the terms of the report, which include pay raises, the labor dispute could be put to rest. If not, chief negotiator Brooke Witt, who is the Midwestern region field director for the Pennsylvania State Education Association, said the next steps for the Butler County Community College Education Support Professionals could include revisiting what the college referred to as its best offer — which BC3 issued in October — or authorizing a strike.

According to Witt, the union has been attempting to reach a new contract since January 2023.

“The employees covered by the agreement have been working without a contract or raise since the previous agreement expired on June 30, 2023,” a union news release stated.

In October, BC3 issued a final contract proposal, which the union rejected.

“Overall compensation didn’t feel where it should be,” Witt said.

According to BC3 representatives, a three-year offer made to employees in October featured a first-year $500 increase to base salaries for full-time employees; a 25 cents-per-hour increase for part-time workers; 3% percent annual raises for all employees; and increases to starting salaries for new full-time employees.

The college’s offer includes starting hourly rates for full-time secretarial and clerical employees of $20.30 for a 37.5-hour workweek.

It also increased personal days to three for part-time employees while the union sought two, college representatives stated, as well a retirement incentive option.

Personal days and retirement incentives are reflected in the fact-finding report, which trustees ultimately voted against because of disagreements over wage increases and overall costs.

The college’s offer is retroactive to July 1, 2023, and would expire June 30, 2026, costing $415,615 over three years, which is the least expensive of the three proposals. College representatives stated the union’s proposal would cost $630,636. Costs associated with the arbitrator’s recommendations would be $470,971.

Witt said union members say the pay increases in BC3’s contract offer were minimal in light of a number of factors, including inflation, comparable wages and additional duties taken on by staff.

“Since we started negotiating this contract last January, $120,000 in salaries haven’t been filled,” Witt said. “People left positions through retirement, resignation, and the college has not replaced them.”

“Job duties don’t go away,” she said.

According to BC3 representatives, some positions were eliminated due to budgetary deficits.

Witt said that in other support staff contracts she has helped negotiate, pay raises were around 3% to 4%, with increases “in the double digits.” Last year, Witt said, support staff accepted a 1.5% increase in pay.

“If you drive around Butler County, Sheetz is hiring for $18 an hour,” Witt said.

Witt said union members initially accepted minimal pay raises as the college discussed financial uncertainty and looked to “stabilize its financial condition” due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In January 2021, Witt said the college received $12.2 million in COVID emergency funds. She said members hoped to be compensated accordingly, with a 4% pay increase and a $500 payment to offset inflation and smaller raises.

“With unexpected funds, now that they know the reality, they’re looking to get higher increases,” Witt said.

In its news release, the union said administrators and BC3’s president, Nick Neupauer, received large pay increases, with Neupauer’s pay increasing by 41.5% in the past four years from $283,317 to $400,849.

The college said Neupauer’s base salary in 2018-19 was $236,412, which increased to $265,203 in 2022-23.

“BC3’s board annually evaluates the president on goals it develops, the college achieving objectives within its strategic plan, the college accomplishing its mission and working toward its vision,” the college stated. “The board has also prioritized the retention of BC3’s eighth president.”

In raising Neupauer’s pay, BC3 representatives said the board considered Neupauer’s leadership as the longest-serving president in BC3 history, fundraising success and performance, as well as oversight of capital projects.

“With the exception of last year, administrators and professional/technical employees, as well as the president, have received the same pay raises as the union since 2017-18,” the college stated. “Administrators and professional/technical employees received 2%. In addition, employees making $75,000 or less received a one-time payment of $1,000.”

Currently, the starting rate for full-time support staff is $35,825 while the starting rate for part-time workers is $16.14 an hour.

The fact-finding report indicates a starting rate of $37,778 for full-time workers during the 2023-24 school year. The starting rate for part-time staff would be $17.29 per hour.

The report also indicates a $500 payment and 4% pay raise for the 2023-24 year, with a 4% increase each year through the contract’s end in July 2026.

According to BC3 representatives, the fact-finding report can only be accepted or rejected in its entirety.

While the report includes BC3 proposals regarding personal leave and retirement incentives, the dispute between the college and support staff continues on wages and pay raises.

Trustees rejected the report in light of a credit enrollment decline of 37% since 2014, BC3 representatives stated, which “is similar to that of other community colleges in Pennsylvania” and rising health insurance costs through the college’s health insurance consortium.

According to Witt, support staff workers are not required to have degrees and are not on a tenure track.

“They are secretaries, people who work in bookstores ... people with a whole variety of job descriptions, but are generally clerical or administrative,” she said.

“In a perfect world,” Witt said. “The board tomorrow (Wednesday) would vote to accept the report.”