Members of SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania at Mount Nittany Medical Center in State College, Pa., are set to vote July 8 on the date and duration of what would be their first strike since 2004, according to union and hospital statements shared with Becker’s.
The union represents about 940 workers at Mount Nittany Medical Center, a 260-bed acute care hospital that is part of Mount Nittany Health. The bargaining unit includes registered nurses, emergency department technicians, lab technicians, pharmacists, certified nurse aides, environmental services workers, radiology technologists, dietary aides and maintenance workers, according to SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania.
Union members voted 99% on July 2 to authorize a strike if contract negotiations do not result in an agreement, according to SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania. Negotiations for a new labor contract began April 29, and the previous contract expired June 30.
The union said negotiations remain focused on wages, criticizing Mount Nittany’s latest proposal of annual wage increases of 3% in the first year of the contract followed by 2% increases in each of the next two years.
Throughout negotiations, Mount Nittany said its proposals have included “significant investments in our employees, and our goal is to reach a fair and sustainable agreement that recognizes the contributions of our employees while ensuring we can continue serving our community as an independent health system.”
“We know these negotiations affect more than just the language in a contract — they affect our employees, their families and the important work they do every day,” the health system said. “We understand this is an important decision for them and respect our employees’ right to participate in this process.”
If the union issues a strike notice, Mount Nittany said it has contingency plans in place to maintain normal operations at the hospital, emergency department, physician practices and outpatient clinics while negotiations continue.
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