Steelworkers union files unfair labor practice charges against Pitt

PITTSBURGH — The United Steelworkers union (USW) filed unfair labor practice charges against the University of Pittsburgh administration on Monday.

The charges were filed with the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board (PLRB) and come after the University of Pittsburgh administration failed to respond to the union’s requests of information for their contract bargaining, according to a press release.

The union has represented about 3,400 members of the Pitt facility since they unionized in 2021. Union members and the administration have been bargaining for more than a year to reach a first contract, but the union says they have been dealing with delayed responses from the administration.

“The faculty union could have a contract agreement in place already, if it were not for the administration’s repeated delay tactics,” Bernie Hall said, director of USW District 10, which includes more than 50,000 Steelworkers union members across the state of Pennsylvania. “In fact, we’ve reached the point where we are in agreement on every point, aside from one section that would give the administration the unilateral authority to withhold pay increases in the event of a loss of enrollment or funding.”

The information the union has been asking for is related to contract proposals for pay and benefits. The union filed charges with PLRB against the administration last fall for similar issues.

“The University of Pittsburgh is a world-class institution precisely because of the hard-working faculty and staff,” said Hall. “It’s past time for the administration to stop drawing out the bargaining process with unnecessary delays and return to the bargaining table to finalize an agreement that is fair to both sides.”

The University of Pittsburgh says they have been responsive to the Steelworkers union.

“While the University has not yet received the unfair labor practice charge and cannot comment on the specific filing,” Jared Stonesifer, Senior Director of External Communications, said. “We have continued to work with the union to provide all responsive information in a timely fashion, and regularly communicated with the union regarding the status of their requests.”

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