FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MEDIA CONTACT: Samantha Shewmaker, samantha.shewmaker@seiu668.org

Westmoreland County Workers Reject County’s Proposal, Vote To Authorize Strike

(GREENSBURG)  On Thursday, SEIU members cast their votes to reject Westmoreland County’s last best final offer which failed to sufficiently meet the members’ economic needs. By rejecting the proposal, SEIU members of Local 668 and Healthcare PA have authorized their Negotiating Team to send the County a 10-day notice of the intent to strike.

“Members are understandably frustrated and getting angrier. Their offer doesn’t bring our County into a competitive wage zone or fix the stagnant wages. In 2021, County Commissioners gave themselves a 17% raise over the next three years, significantly more than what they have offered to our members,” stated SEIU 668 Business Agent Michelle Jenkins.

“We’ve made progress, but we still haven’t gotten to where we need in order to provide the services and care Westmoreland County residents deserve,” said Tammy Steban, a licensed practical nurse at Westmoreland Manor for over 20 years. “We’re hoping that services won’t have to be interrupted, but our county’s had a staffing crisis for too long, and we are demanding a real solution. That means making these jobs and wages competitive enough.”

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 the Westmoreland Manor nursing home.

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