(MERCER) Under threat of lockout, workers at Mercer County Children and Youth Services, represented by SEIU Local 668, are ready to strike on Wednesday, April 9th, 2025.

“We’re fighting to keep the existing language in our contract that gives us a say in our healthcare,” says Shelley Dorfi, Chief Shop Steward. “A strong motivating factor for workers to stay at the agency is having a quality healthcare plan with affordable co-pays that allows them to utilize the doctors and specialists they are comfortable with.”

Children and Youth Services workers, such as clerks, caseworkers, case aids, and fiscal staff, have been bargaining for a new contract for nine months. Despite the workers’ good faith bargaining efforts, the County’s chief negotiator, outside legal counsel, Stephanie Fera, demanded that workers surrender existing contractual language that ensured they had a voice in their healthcare. The workers authorized a one-day strike. In response, the County not only threatened to terminate workers’ healthcare but also threatened an indefinite lockout, an intimidation tactic that, if enacted, will assuredly put children at risk.

By locking out CYS workers indefinitely, children will suffer. Not only does this intimidation tactic show a complete lack of respect for the workforce, but it shows just how little the County prioritizes the safety of children. Further, the County faces real risks of falling out of compliance with state and federal regulations around child safety.

“We are always told by our County how appreciated we are for our work,” says Dorfi. “But the County first proposed to eliminate our existing right to negotiate our healthcare, then threatened our jobs and healthcare, which has left employees deeply unappreciated and frustrated.”

Along with many other Pennsylvania counties, Mercer County has struggled to recruit and retain qualified caseworkers. These recruitment and retention challenges mean caseworkers’ caseloads rise, which, in turn, can adversely affect service quality due to high caseloads. Those high caseloads lead to high stress levels, burnout, and turnover, putting the children we serve at greater risk.

Throughout the agency’s history, caseworkers and management came to decisions on healthcare by mutual agreement. Retaining a voice in healthcare negotiations can help ensure that healthcare quality and affordability are not a deterrent for recruitment and retention at Mercer County Children and Youth.

Beginning Wednesday morning, striking workers will picket at the Mercer County Courthouse, 125 S Diamond St, Mercer, PA.

Please contact Christopher Hundley with media inquiries at legcomm@seiu668.org, or 717-835-8591.

\