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The University of Florida's faculty union and UF's board of trustees finalized a contract agreement late last night ending five years of negotiation. The new deal allows faculty members to take two-semester sabbaticals at full pay for the first time but the union gave up on the fight for salary increases. UF's president of the United Faculty of Florida Union John Biro says reaching an agreement is in the university's best interest.
Last month, the faculty union and the board of trustees reached a tenative agreement and hearings were scheduled before a special magistrate to discuss negotiations made. Those hearings never actually happened due to ongoing discussion. Biro says some of the benefits are what they wanted but the faculty is still underpaid.
The University's Board of Trustees were not available for an interview today but they released this statement:

"We are very pleased to announce that the University of Florida and the United Faculty of Florida have reached an agreement on a new contract, thereby avoiding an impasse hearing. We will now move to the next steps in the collective bargaining process which would include the ratification of the contract terms by the U-F-F members and the U-F Board of Trustees."

Ratification of the new contract is expected some time next month.