Press Releases
Penn State Workers Ratify New Contract
(STATE COLLEGE, Pa.) – Teamsters at Pennsylvania State University voted to ratify their most recent contract by over 80 percent on Monday. The three-year agreement covers more than 2,600 workers in hospitality, maintenance, landscaping and various other support roles for the university.
“This is a solid contract and we are all extremely pleased with what we have accomplished,” said Jonathan Light, President of Local 8. “It sets a strong precedent that puts more money back into our members’ pockets.”
After three months of negotiations, an agreement was reached that is retroactive to July 1. It includes wage increases across the board, but the most significant achievement is the preservation of the workers’ health care plans.
During collective bargaining, the university put forth a number of proposals that increased health care costs to the membership dramatically. Local 8 hired an actuary to analyze numbers that the university provided in negotiations, and they were able to talk down Penn State to an agreement where the workers would be able keep their current health care without paying significantly more for deductibles, premiums or coverage for dependents.
“We heard from our members during our bargaining survey that health care was the important issue, and it was important that we negotiated an agreement that reflected that,” Light said.
Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Visit www.teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and “like” us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/teamsters.