States with Collective Bargaining Have Better Wages and Benefits for Public Sector Workers
The Pennsylvania Public Employee Relations Act allows employees to join together form a union and collectively bargain for wages, benefits, and worker safety. In 2019, SEIU Local 668 members negotiated a four-year contract with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania that included a 16.75 % pay increase over four years.
However, this kind of pay raise is not common in many states across the country. Many states do not allow collective bargaining for state and local government workers. In Mississippi, state workers must lobby the state legislature to get raises. In 2019, the legislature approved a 3% pay increase but, only 80 % of workers qualified for the raise. Across Mississippi, there are about 1,000 full-time public employees who only make around $20’000 per year.
In 1955 North Carolina instituted a ban on collective bargaining for state and local employees. Workers can be part of a union, but they can’t negotiate contracts, similar to Mississippi public sector workers must lobby the legislature for wage increases and benefits.
In North Carolina, the legislature also makes decisions about employee healthcare. Before 2021 employees who retired from the state were eligible for state employee healthcare. In 2017, the state legislature eliminated retiree healthcare coverage for new employees hired after Jan. 1, 2021. In Pennsylvania, union members negotiate retiree healthcare at the bargaining table. Wages and benefits are not something that can be taken away by the passage of a bill.
Corporate-funded anti-labor groups in Pennsylvania are working trying to get public sector employees to drop out of their union. Their goal is to weaken public-sector collective bargaining in Pennsylvania and, by extension, private-sector collective bargaining.
Public sector workers are stronger together and sticking with their unions despite attempts by these groups. If you are a public sector worker and would like to stand with other state workers and exercise your rights to collectively bargain, complete this form, an organizer from SEIU Local 668 will contact you. The form is completely confidential, and your information will not be shared outside of SEIU Local 668. You can also email us at [email protected] or call us at 717-635-6729.
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