November 22, 2023
The SEIU 668 State Contract Negotiating Team signed our agreement with the Commonwealth last Month. The pay increase will be showing up in your check pay periods soon, and the actual pay dates will be December 8 and December 15. You will receive your pay increase retroactive to July 1, 2023. We have compiled a Frequently Asked Questions document and a Retro Pay Calculator for your reference. Please note you may also be eligible for additional back pay for expenses incurred that were impacted by increases in reimbursements in this contract.
Frequently Asked Questions - 2023 State Contract Implementation
SEIU 668 Retro-Pay Calculator - CORRECTED
The 2023-2027 State Contract will be available on the SEIU 668 website shortly. We will update you with the expected availability of printed copies in the coming weeks. If you have specific questions on healthcare and the Pennsylvania Employees Benefit Trust Fund (PEBTF), please send them to pebtf@seiu668.org. For other questions, please contact us at local668@seiu668.org.
In Solidarity,
SEIU Local 668
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On Monday, October 23, the SEIU Local 668 State Contract Negotiations Team met in Harrisburg to sign our 2023-2027 State Contract with the Commonwealth and celebrate our historic win!
Commonwealth members stood in solidarity and won a contract that will protect members and their families for years to come! We will post the new contract pdf on our website as soon as it is available, and we will notify you when printed copies are available.
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July 17, 2023
Today, after continued negotiations, SEIU Local 668 has come to a tentative agreement with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for a new, four-year contract. Your State Contract Negotiation Team members have voted unanimously to recommend ratification of this tentative agreement, which includes historic wage increases.
The State Contract Negotiation Team is deeply proud of the work everyone has done – from the team to the members in the shops participating in breakouts, Purple Wednesdays, and our petition drive – to bring the highest contractual wage increases we have seen in decades, and we truly believe this contract will improve the lives of our members.
Members of the negotiation team and union leadership will hold briefing meetings in the near future to discuss further specifics of the tentative agreement and outline the ratification process. Please check your email in the coming days for complete meeting information. All dues-paying members will receive voting information and a complete Summary of Changes outlining all changes to our 2023-2027 contract via USPS.
Please Note: YOUR VOTING INSTRUCTIONS AND SUMMARY OF CHANGES WILL GO TO THE HOME ADDRESS THE COMMONWEALTH HAS ON RECORD. If you have moved or changed addresses and have not updated with the Commonwealth HR, you will NOT receive your Summary of Changes or voting information.
In Solidarity–
SEIU 668 State Contract Negotiation Team
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July 14, 2023
Today, your SEIU Local 668 State Contract Negotiations Team met again with the Commonwealth for twelve hours to continue discussions for our next contract. While progress was made, no tentative agreement was achieved.
Please check your email within the coming days for additional updates.
In Solidarity,
SEIU 668 State Contract Negotiations Team
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June 30, 2023
At midnight tonight, the SEIU Local 668 State Contract and Memorandum of Understanding will both expire. Your SEIU 668 Negotiation Team has been bargaining with the Commonwealth for months, but thus far, the Employer has not presented an economic package that meets our members’ needs and expectations.
At this point, the Commonwealth’s economic proposal does not amount to what was achieved in our last contract – lower raises and higher healthcare contributions.
There are serious issues that must be addressed at the bargaining table – since the last contract, the pandemic has impacted our work while high inflation and rising healthcare costs have challenged each of us and our families. Our team is committed to bringing a serious contract back to our membership that recognizes these challenges.
Our members need a fair contract, and they need it now. And we’re asking you to help.
Your Contract Negotiation Team asks every SEIU 668 Commonwealth member to sign this virtual petition asking Governor Shapiro to get involved and help us achieve a fair contract.
We’re asking Governor Shapiro to direct the Office of Administration to present an economic package with good wage increases now! Be sure to share this petition with all members you work with. We will provide an update after we return to the table in July.
https://act.seiu.org/a/seiu-668-members-need-fair-contract-now
We hope to go back to the bargaining table with the Employer after the Fourth of July holiday. Until an agreement is reached, the 2019-2023 collective bargaining agreement remains in effect at work. This means SEIU 668 members are still working under “status quo” conditions as in our previous contract until an agreement is reached with the Commonwealth.
In Solidarity–
Your SEIU 668 State Contract Negotiation Team
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June 21, 2023
Today, your SEIU 668 State Contract Negotiations team met for the ninth time with the Commonwealth. Though our current contract expires on June 30th, we continue to make slow progress in negotiations. SEIU 668 members deserve a fair contract that respects the work we do and fairly compensates us for doing it.
We will meet with the Commonwealth again for several days next week and are calling on every SEIU 668 Commonwealth member to participate in an in-person breakout over your lunch break on Wednesday, June 28th.
Please wear your SEIU purple on Wednesday and gather with your coworkers to take photos in solidarity with your negotiations team. Teleworkers are encouraged to take photos wearing your SEIU purple, post them to your social media feeds, and share solidarity posts with the following hashtags: #668UnitedWeWin #668PurpleWednesday.
President Catanese will hold a livestream at 5PM Friday, June 23rd to discuss negotiations and next steps with the membership in the private Together We Rise Facebook page–request membership to the TWR page now.
We will send an update to members next week once the team is back at the table.
In Solidarity,
SEIU Local 668 State Contract Negotiations Team
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June 16, 2023
This week, your SEIU 668 State Contract Negotiations team met with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on June 14th and 15th to continue discussions for our next collective bargaining agreement.
We’ve continued to make progress on non-economic issues. During this week’s bargaining sessions, we exchanged initial economic proposals. We are working hard to secure the best wage package possible.
We have several bargaining sessions scheduled in the coming weeks. Next week, we will be launching a digital action to demonstrate that we are united for a fair contract. As we approach the expiration of our current contract, we encourage everyone to continue wearing purple on Wednesdays and showing solidarity on social media with the tag #668UnitedWeWin.
In Solidarity,
Your SEIU 668 State Contract Negotiations Team
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June 2, 2023
This week your State Contract Negotiations Team met with the Commonwealth to continue bargaining our next contract. We made more progress today than we have in the last many weeks, though we still have a way to go. We’re hopeful this movement will continue when we meet with the employer again on June 14th and 15th.
We’ve reached tentative agreements on several points, including substantial increases in meal reimbursements.
Be on the lookout for upcoming opportunities to take action to support a strong contract. Until then, please continue to show your solidarity in-person and online. We have secured multiple bargaining dates throughout the rest of June and will continue to provide updates as we get closer to a tentative agreement with the employer.
In Solidarity,
Your 2023 State Contract Negotiations Team
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May 18, 2023
This week your State Contract Negotiations Team met with the Commonwealth for our fourth and fifth bargaining sessions. We continue to build on our initial proposals. While the bargaining process has moved slowly, dialogue with the employer has been constructive.
We had presentations on the current status of pension and healthcare benefits as well as PEBTF. Presentations also included benefits, services, and discounts available to members, and we will work to bring these resources into our shops.
Working groups met to continue discussions addressing workplace concerns and potential policy solutions. We are hopeful these conversations will lead to action and resolve problems members have identified. The team is fully committed to the bargaining process until we reach the finish line.
Our next meeting with the Commonwealth is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, June 1, 2023. We will continue to update you on any developments. Please show solidarity and wear your SEIU purple on Wednesdays! Take a picture to share on social media and our SEIU 668 Together We Rise! Facebook group with the tag #668PurpleWednesday.
In Solidarity,
Your 2023 State Contract Negotiations Team
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April 27, 2023
This week, your State Contract Negotiations Team met with the Commonwealth to continue bargaining our next state contract. We have had productive conversations with the employer and have set dates for future negotiations in the coming weeks. We were able to tentatively agree on a number of initial proposals.
We put forth additional proposals during these sessions that would establish workforce training programs and development opportunities aimed at addressing employee recruitment and retention. We are hopeful that when paired with a strong economic package, this will begin to alleviate our statewide recruitment and retention issues. Time was also dedicated to continuing dialogue around Telework and various Health and Safety issues.
Away from the bargaining table this week, the State House Labor and Industry Committee voted to advance HB 299, the Jake Schwab Worker Safety Bill, which would extend OSHA-style protections to public sector workers. More than half a million state, county, and municipal employees across Pennsylvania are not guaranteed the same safety and health protections as private sector workers. Please contact your State Representative and tell them to call for a floor vote on HB 299 as soon as possible and urge them to vote ‘Yes’ on the bill.
- Use this link to take action and send an email to your legislator.
- Call your legislator or visit their office to show your support.
This bill would create additional workplace protections that, in tandem with your contract, would greatly increase the safety of all our public sector members across Pennsylvania. Please continue wearing your purple on Wednesdays and show solidarity on social media by sharing your photo with the tag #668PurpleWednesday!
In Solidarity,
Your 2023 State Contract Negotiations Team
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April 7, 2023
This week, your State Contract Negotiations Team met with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for our first bargaining session and exchanged initial proposals.
We discussed the need for a robust economic package and a strong contract that addresses issues with recruiting and retaining new workers to begin alleviating statewide staffing shortages.
Our team is set to meet with the employer again on April 26 and 27.
In the meantime, the team asks that shops show solidarity and hold a Purple Wednesday every week– wear your SEIU 668 or purple gear to the shop, take a picture to share on social media and our Together We Rise! Facebook page, and email it to legcomm@seiu668.org. If you post your photo on social media, please use some of the following hashtags:
#668PurpleWednesday
#SEIUnitedWeWin
Our team is fully committed and engaged in this negotiation process, and will continue to work until we reach a fair agreement.
In Solidarity–
Your 2023 State Contract Negotiations Team
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March 21, 2023
Dear Member,
Our SEIU Local 668 State Contract Negotiations Team has set up our first dates with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to begin bargaining for a new contract. Our team will sit down with the Commonwealth for the first time on April 6th, with additional dates already scheduled. Our goal is to bring a multi-faceted approach to the bargaining table that reflects the diversity of work our members engage in – whether you work from home or in the field; behind a fence or at a desk; and regardless of when you start your day, where it ends, or what zip code(s) you work in - this contract negotiation team is united in bargaining a strong contract for us all.
As negotiations progress, we will provide updates on the status of bargaining. We will need your support to win a strong contract that reflects the important work you and all of our members put in to ensure Pennsylvania’s government runs and its most vulnerable citizens are protected. There will be multiple occasions to show your solidarity in the shop with days of action and other opportunities to demonstrate the strength of our union.
Our team is composed of the following member-leaders and staff:
Christine Bolen, BDD Committee
Jason Harvey, BHSL Committee
Lori Mutchler, BVS Committee
Amanda Baker, CAO Rank + File Committee
Amy Kanas, CAO Rank + File Committee
Bryan Churchill, CAO Rank + File Committee
Nina Coffey, CAO Rank + File Committee
Rachel Gall, CAO Supervisors Committee
Andy Woll, SCI Committee
John Hoffman, IDD Committee
Essex Christie, MH Committee
Christian Yetter, OCDEL Committee
John Spence, OES Committee
Brad Mengel, OUC Committee
Andrea Merrick, OVR Committee
Sabrina Harrell, State Misc. Committee (PHRC)
Patti Defibaugh, Retiree Committee
David Foor, YDC/YFC Committee
Jenn Edmonds, DHS Health + Safety Committee // CAO R+F
Amy Varner, L&I Health + Safety Committee // OVR
Steve Catanese, President
JoAnne Sessa, Secretary-Treasurer
Randall Bacon, Chief of Staff
Kieran Kenny, General Counsel
Karmella Sams, Internal Organizing Staff Director
Al Smith, Internal Organizing Staff Director
Jenn Gilmour, Strategic Engagement Coordinator
Samantha Shewmaker, Communication + Policy Liaison
United, we can win. United, we will win.
In Solidarity,
SEIU 668 State Contract Negotiation Team
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December 22, 2022
In preparation for the 2023 State Contract Negotiations, we’re asking all of our members employed by the Commonwealth to set aside a few minutes and complete this Member Survey.
SEIU 668 2023 Commonwealth Member Survey
Information collected from this survey will be used to help drive our proposals at the table when we begin to negotiate the next collective bargaining agreement for our Commonwealth members.
As a reminder, both the State Contract and the Memorandum of Understanding will expire on June 30, 2023. We anticipate negotiations to begin in the early Spring of next year, and we’ll begin releasing updates to our members as soon as we meet with the employer.
SEIU 668 State Contract (Rank + File Members)
