Community College of Philadelphia strike averted after tentative deal reached

This story originally appeared on 6abc.

A tentative agreement has been reached for the faculty and staff contract at the Community College of Philadelphia averting a strike Wednesday, according to union reps.

Faculty and staff initially planned to walk off the job Wednesday at 7 a.m. if a deal was not reached, but union leaders said they worked through the night to reach a tentative deal.

Union officials said in a statement:

“We believe we reached a tentative agreement that will significantly improve the lives of our faculty and staff members and will improve the learning conditions of CCP’s students. CCP is the heart of Philly.”

This is a big step after faculty and staff held a protest earlier this week at the Community College of Philadelphia.

School officials said everyone was on edge about whether a deal could be reached.

The faculty and staff union represents 1,200 employees who have been working without a contract since August.

Both sides were negotiating even longer than that, but 97% of union members voted recently to authorize a strike.

They initially threatened to walk off the job Wednesday morning in the dispute over higher wages, smaller class sizes and SEPTA passes for students, which college officials initially said the school was not able to afford.

Union officials said they will meet Wednesday morning and provide more details about what made both sides satisfied enough to reach a tentative agreement.

“There is some hope, I would say,” says Rainah Chambliss, co-president of the Faculty and Staff Federation of CCP.

Depending on how many, if any, staff arrive for work, by 11 a.m., the institution will notify students if they have to press pause on classes.