LBCC Announces 55 Layoffs — Tensions High as Faculty Union Prepares Jobs Actions and Protests

There's considerable turmoil on campus.

The faculty union is also in the middle of acrimonious contract negotiations --- and job actions, including picketing, are being planned.

More on that later. Meanwhile, at the Long Beach Press Telegram, "Long Beach City College board votes to lay off 55":

LONG BEACH — In one of the largest reductions in Long Beach City College's recent history, its board on Tuesday unanimously approved a plan to lay off 55 employees and reduce contracts for 96 positions for a savings of $5.1 million.

More than 200 students, faculty and staff attended the Board of Trustees meeting to protest the college's latest plan for budget cuts.

Holding signs that read "stop the war on education," students voiced their concerns about staff layoffs, tuition hikes and reductions to summer courses.

"These faculty and staff have been critical in helping students achieve," said student Patrick Harper. "We don't want to see any more layoffs. It's hard enough to get classes."

The latest layoffs will largely affect the college's classified staff.

Classified staff are employees who aren't required to hold teaching credentials, such as secretaries, custodians, maintenance workers and instructional aids.

The cuts include eliminating 43 classified positions and reducing an additional 96 positions from 12-month contracts to 11- or 10-month contracts. Many of the 96 positions include instructional aides, whose contracts will be scaled back due to cuts in the number of courses offered in the summer and winter sessions.

Management will lose 12 positions.

More later...