PITTSBURGH — University of Pittsburgh workers have agreed to a new one-year contract.
Over 400 cleaners, housekeepers, groundskeepers and moves will receive a $1.25 raise with an additional 3% increase in pay that is retroactive to Jan. 1.
Their contract ended on Dec. 31 and the workers have worked with the SEIU to negotiate with the university since then.
“We are excited that we were able to get a deal done and that these hard-working people will be paid a wage more closely aligned with what workers at other large Pittsburgh Universities make,” said Pete Schmidt, Western PA District Leader. “However, it is frustrating that the University and the members will have to head back to the table again in a year because of the federal government’s warpath against education funding. This is a clear example of how the early stages of the current administration are directly impacting our working class.”
The union said the contract also focused on:
- Simplifying and cleaning up the grievance process.
- Establishing better mandatory overtime language to alleviate burnout.
- Winning an additional bonus personal holiday; it was at 3 days; now it’s at four.
- Much-needed wage increases that more closely reflect the industry standard.
Officials said the vote was overwhelmingly ratified.
The union is now concerned about cuts announced by the National Institutes of Health in February. They are worried the proposed cuts will threaten the jobs of higher education service workers. They also emphasized that funding from the NIH is essential to helping colleges carry out groundbreaking research on deadly or life-changing diseases.
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