Napa Valley College Approves 3% Raises, One-Time Payments for Faculty

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

After more than a year of tense negotiations, Napa Valley College faculty will receive 3% annual raises retroactive to 2024-25 and continuing through 2026-27, as well as one-time payments of $4,426 to union members. The Board of Trustees approved the new three-year contract on the same day it voted to lay off nearly three dozen workers as a cost-saving measure.

Why it matters

The new contract represents a hard-fought victory for the faculty union, which had been working under an expired contract since June 2024 and had sought annual raises of at least 6%. The agreement comes as the college faces budget pressures, having spent only 47.13% of its educational expenses on instructor pay in 2024-25, below the state-mandated 50% requirement.

The details

The new three-year contract includes 3% annual raises for faculty, as well as one-time payments of $4,426 to union members. The agreement was approved by 97% of union members. Faculty may also receive additional raises if the college's property tax revenues exceed budget projections in the next two years. The contract also allows eligible faculty to reduce their workload from full-time to part-time while continuing to receive full-time retirement service credit.

• The Board of Trustees ratified the contract on February 12, 2026.
• The new contract covers the 2024-2027 period, with the next contract to be negotiated for 2027-2030.

What’s next

The next contract for Napa Valley College faculty will be negotiated for the 2027-2030 period.