Administrators and faculty at Jackson College have agreed on a new contract that changes how faculty can earn pay increases.
Instead of so-called "step increases" in pay based on time on staff, Jackson College will pay faculty in part based on job-performance.
"It's a big shift," said Alana Tuckey, president of the Jackson Community College Education Association faculty union. "It's a little bit scary to be on the leading edge of this shift. I mean no faculty in any community college in Michigan right now is facing a contract like this."
According to Tuckey, the way in which performance-pay is built into the contract appears to be somewhat unique for a higher-ed institution.
In addition to their salary, faculty will be able to earn $1,500 in merit pay annually.
Tuckey concedes $1,500 may not be significant for senior faculty members, but she says faculty were willing to agree to the performance-pay deal because previously wages had been stagnating.
Mlive reports Jackson College administration and support staff are already working under the merit-based pay system.
Tuckey says representatives for both the administration and faculty agreed on a relatively short, three-year contract to see how well performance-based pay system works for both sides without making a long-term commitment.
