Curley said rising health coverage costs is out of Spartan College’s control and is a national issue that affects private corporations, publicly traded companies and government entities alike.

“These are things that have only been discussed, and terms of an agreement have never been reached to be submitted to corporate or leadership for approval or denial,” Curley said. “Because it simply never reached terms for consideration, the terms are still unknown at this point.”

Curley said the strike involves faculty of the aerospace maintenance and non-destructive testing programs, not the pilot faculty. She said the school has 55 maintenance instructors, with some who are continuing to teach despite the strike. Online courses are unaffected, she said.

However, Curley added, certified instructors from other Spartan College campuses are on their way now to Tulsa to resume the interrupted classes. Spartan College, headquartered in Dallas, has campuses in Los Angeles and Denver.

Neal said at this point the union won’t rejoin discussions until it receives a contract that members feel is worthy of a vote.