Faculty at HACC have voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike after rejecting the college administration’s latest contract proposal, ratcheting up the stakes of the now three-and-half-year battle for the faculty union to get its first contract. Members of the HACC Education Association voted 93% in favor of allowing a strike, granting the union’s leadership committee the power to call for a walk-out at any time as contract negotiations drag on. Two more negotiation meetings with HACC management are scheduled for this month, according to the union. Faculty voted last week to reject the deal. Talks on an initial union contract ground to a halt, however.