A federally contracted mediator helped make some headway in the faculty contract negotiations Monday.

Both, Bob Wayland, chief negotiator for the administration and John Allison, chief negotiator for Eastern’s chapter of the University Professionals of Illinois, said they were optimistic about reaching a settlement.

“I feel more confident that an agreement will be reached than I did before the mediator got here,” Allison said. “Like Bob Wayland, I am hopeful that the mediation process will be successful.”

After 15 team negotiation sessions over the summer plus sidebars between Wayland and Allison, both sides agreed to a mediator to help the parties find a compromise.

Monday’s meeting lasted for five-and-a-half hours, which is normal, Wayland said.

“You have to be patient. We came out of the meeting with a better understanding of what the real interests are for each party,” he said.

Neither side wanted to comment on the content of the proposals, but Bob Wayland did say that clarification of language in the administration’s proposal had been addressed at the negotiation table.

Allison and UPI president Charles Delman previously said they were unhappy with vague language in the administrations proposal, which made it hard to develop a counter-proposal.

“There have been some discussions at the table to clarify what we mean,” Wayland said. “There are some things that are very vague on their part too. You have to make sure everyone is clear in understanding what you propose.”

He said both parties have the responsibility to communicate and ask for clarification if it is needed, and that the mediator is helping to find that clarification.

Wayland said he hasn’t received any direct negative feedback from the faculty about the administration’s proposal, but he had this to say to those who currently unhappy with the negotiations.

“I’d like for them to really understand that the mediation process is an attempt to sort through our differences and have a better understanding of the interests that both parties have,” he said. “I genuinely want to have a settlement that both parties are happy with and that’s my goal.”

Allison said he has the same goal.

“So far mediation has been productive because the bargaining process has begun once again. Real progress is occurring, although we still have a long way to go.”

The next mediation meeting will be Wednesday, Sept. 6.