Pennsylvania State Education Association

A new contract for faculty at Luzerne County Community College provides yearly raises, while also providing savings to assist in closing a $4 million budget deficit this year.

Members of the faculty union at Luzerne County Community College had planned to strike on Wednesday. After a two days of negotiations, the sides have reached a tentative agreement.

Luzerne County Community College's Association of Higher Education sent a strike notice to school leadership on Monday. The union plans to strike beginning Nov. 5.

The absence of a Pennsylvania budget — which means a lack of state money flowing to school districts — has educators considering loans and contemplating what bills to let sit unpaid.

In separate federal lawsuits filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, three union members say Pennsylvania State Education Association failed to protect their data then waited more than eight months to let them know about the breach.

With President Donald Trump wanting to abolish the department, it announced a nearly 50% reduction in its workforce this week.