Today, SEIU members in Westmoreland County went back to the ballot box and cast their votes on a new tentative agreement from the County, which includes a significant wage increase. Union members overwhelmingly approved the historic new contract.

Members have taken action like never before, and their solidarity has made all the difference. For months, public service and healthcare workers have made signs, stood on picket lines in freezing weather, and made their voices heard. With the assistance of a federal mediator, union members and County Commissioners were able to reach an agreement to invest in public services.

“Members have fought hard for months to win a contract that reflects the value of our work and what we deserve. After years of struggling to retain qualified workers, we hope this contract demonstrates that we can have good, family-sustaining jobs in Westmoreland County,” stated Michelle Jenkins, Inspector 2 at Westmoreland County Weights and Measures and SEIU Local 668 Business Agent.

“This is a great contract that gets these county jobs to where they should have been years ago,” said Holly Hall, a certified nursing assistant at Westmoreland Manor. “We were ready to fight for our residents and for our county, who deserve access to timely services and quality care provided by their own. These wage increases are a good start. We're glad that the Commissioners saw the importance of improving these essential services, too.”

SEIU Local 668 and Healthcare PA represent hundreds of public sector workers across Westmoreland County, including at 911, the Area Agency on Aging, the County Courthouse, the Department of Public Workers, Juvenile Detention and Center, and the Westmoreland Manor nursing home.