A lengthy labor dispute ended last week at Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges after the faculty union and the district reached a salary agreement.

Negotiations had stalled for more than a year.

In March, faculty members stopped volunteering for campus activities, including advising student clubs and serving on certain committees. The Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District responded by filing an unfair-labor-practice complaint with the state, which hasn't been resolved.

Both sides declared labor peace last week after the district's governing board voted 5-0 to accept a state fact-finder's settlement recommendation.

The United Faculty, which represents more than 1,300 full-time and part-time faculty members, approved the proposal two weeks ago.

The three-member fact-finding panel included a state-appointed arbitrator and examined arguments presented by both parties.

The panel concluded that the district has the ability to pay more than it had proposed. However, the panel recommended less than what the faculty had proposed.

United Faculty President Zoe Close said she was pleased with the salary agreement and other concessions.

Dana Quittner, district spokeswoman, said neither side got everything it wanted. Quittner said the salary increases will cost the district about $1.4 million.

For 2006-2007, full-time faculty members will receive a 5.36 percent salary increase retroactive to July 1, 2006; part-time faculty will receive a 7.36 percent increase.

For 2007-2008, faculty members will receive a 3 percent salary increase retroactive to July 1, 2007; effective Jan. 1, 2008, the increase becomes 3.8 percent for full-time faculty members and 4.6 percent for part-time faculty.

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Leonel Sanchez: (619) 542-4568; leonel.sanchez@uniontrib.com