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🗞️ Penn State's Wake-Up Call: Faculty Union Filing

Penn State faculty filed with the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board to unionize approximately 6,000 faculty members with SEIU Local 668.

onthelaborfront

12 Dec 2025 — 2 min read

On December 9, 2025, the Penn State Faculty Alliance filed with the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board to unionize with SEIU Local 668, representing ~6,000 faculty members. The five-year organizing effort accelerated after the Board's 25-8 vote on May 22, 2025 to close seven campuses by 2027 (3.6% of enrollment). Faculty cite healthcare changes, budget restructuring, and lack of voice in major decisions. Chemistry Professor Julio Palma summarized the disconnect catalyzing union involvement well: "Big decisions impacting thousands were made by a small group far removed from classrooms." The vote for representation is expected to take place in 2026.

Potential Financial Impact: SEIU Local 668 dues typically run $800-1,200 annually—collectively $4.8-7.2 million yearly for 6,000 faculty. Individual members paying $1,000/year over 35 years contribute $35,000 total ($60,000 at 3% growth).

Context: Penn State is the only PA state-related university without faculty union; neighboring universitys like Temple, Pitt, and Lincoln are unionized. This follows November 2025's graduate student vote where 90% of Penn State graduate student workers 90% voted for UAW.

Alternatives: Non-union institutions typically implement enhanced shared governance with documented responses, transparent decision-making, direct communication forums, improved employment terms, and systematic climate surveys.

Key Points

Scale: 6,000 faculty filing—PA's largest public sector union election if conducted
Union: SEIU Local 668 (20,000 PA workers, 54,000+ faculty nationally)
Timeline: Five-year effort; public Feb 2025; election expected 2026
Catalyst: Filed six months after Board's 25-8 vote closing seven campuses by 2027
Dues: $800-1,200/year = $4.8-7.2M collective annually; $35,000 per member over 35 years
Contracts: Standardize promotions, salaries, workload across diverse disciplines
Recent: Follows Nov 2025 grad student union (90% approval, UAW)
PA Unique: Only state-related university without faculty union (Temple, Pitt, Lincoln unionized)
National: 27% U.S. faculty unionized (+4.5% over 12 years)
Next: PLRB determines eligibility and procedures; election in 2026