Part-time faculty members at Columbia College hold a rally on Oct. 30, 2023. (WTTW News)

The longest work stoppage of its kind for adjunct faculty members is officially over after hundreds of part-time employees at Columbia College voted to ratify a tentative contract agreement.

The Columbia College Faculty Union (CFAC), which represents nearly 600 part-time faculty members at the Chicago school, announced Thursday its members had officially approved the contract, which put an end to a record-long 49-day strike.

“Our members, who are the most marginalized faculty, spoke out powerfully for our students and the integrity of our disciplines by voting to strike, and they have done so again by voting overwhelmingly to accept the negotiated agreement that reflects a shared commitment to the institution and the caliber of instruction it provides,” CFAC President Diana Vallera said in a statement.

According to the union, ​​more than 85% of its members participated in the vote, and of those, 99.7% voted in favor of the contract agreement, which was reached Sunday.

Tensions between the sides escalated weeks before the academic year began, when Columbia College eliminated more than 50 class sections for the fall semester and 317 class sections for the upcoming spring semester — courses typically taught by part-time faculty.

The union demanded “significant course restorations” for the spring semester, appropriate class sizes and job security for part-time employees, who typically work on semester-to-semester contracts.

According to college administration, the new contract restores “some spring semester course sections” and will allow the 2024 spring semester to proceed. The union said the deal also includes improvements in job security, seniority, and the addition of a health care benefit for many adjuncts.

CFAC officials said the contract also includes a provision aimed at addressing student and adjunct faculty concerns about class size increases at Columbia.

“The new contract includes provisions designed to more fully affirm the value that our adjunct professors of instruction bring to the college, including a guarantee of instruction for CFAC members and a health care benefit,” Vallera and Columbia College President and CEO Kwang-Wu Kim said in a joint statement.