Westmoreland County union workers vote to authorize strike
GREENSBURG (KDKA) - Westmoreland County workers unionized through SEIU Local 668 and Healthcare PA have rejected the county's latest offer and authorized a strike.
According to SEIU, on Thursday they rejected the proposal and sent the county a 10-day notice of an intent to strike.
"Members are understandably frustrated and getting angrier," said SEIU 668 Business Agent Michelle Jenkins. "Their offer doesn't bring our County into a competitive wage zone or fix the stagnant wages. In 2021, County Commissioners gave themselves a 17% raise over the next three years, significantly more than what they have offered to our members."
SEIU and Healthcare PA represent public sector workers in the county, including 911, the Area Agency on Aging, Westmoreland County Courthouse, the Department of Public Works, the Juvenile Detention Center, and the Westmoreland Manor nursing home.
"We're hoping that services won't have to be interrupted, but our county's had a staffing crisis for too long, and we are demanding a real solution," said Tammy Steban, a nurse at Westmoreland Manor. "That means making these jobs and wages competitive enough."
The union and the county have been bargaining since May 2023.