The votes have been counted: Pitt staff are now part of the USW

The United Steelworkers union has some new members.

A “strong majority” of staff members at the University of Pittsburgh have voted to join the USW, the union announced on Friday. Those workers, about 6,300 of them, include educators, counselors, advisers, scientists, researchers and administrative professionals at all five of Pitt’s campuses. 

“Staff at Pitt have finally achieved what all workers deserve — a collective voice and the ability to take part in decisions that affect our work,” said Emilee Ruhland, a global communications strategist in the University Center for International Studies. “It’s been a long road, but ultimately our solidarity carried us through to this historic moment.”

Over the past several weeks, the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board conducted a mail ballot election for the staff members. The union says it looks forward to bargaining its first contract with Pitt’s administrators.

“This will make Pitt a more secure workplace and a better place to get an education,” said Ruhland. “It’s a victory for the whole campus community.”

Ruhland’s comments came to us via a statement issued by the USW.

“This win belongs to every staff member who stood together for a stronger, more inclusive Pitt,” said USW District 10 Director Bernie Hall, who represents about 50,000 Steelworkers in Pennsylvania. “When workers have a voice, the entire university thrives — from the classrooms to the community that calls it home.”

The USW, headquartered in Downtown Pittsburgh, represents 850,000 workers, making it one of the largest labor unions in North America. Pitt’s faculty joined the USW in 2021. The university’s graduate workers this year filed for their own election and will vote once the state’s labor board sets a schedule.

An update: We received this statement from Pitt on Friday afternoon:

“On Friday, September 27, the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board (PLRB) concluded their count of mail-in ballots for the University of Pittsburgh staff union election. The resulting outcome is that Pitt staff members will have two bargaining units, one for professional staff and one for nonprofessional staff, both represented by the United Steelworkers.

“We have always maintained that this was a decision for staff to make. The University remains committed to maintaining an environment where all staff can thrive professionally. 

“In the coming weeks and months, we will begin preparing for collective bargaining negotiations with the staff union. While the bargaining process for first contracts can be complex, we remain committed to providing our staff and the Pitt community with current information. As the process moves forward, updates — including those regarding the collective bargaining process — will be posted here. We will also update our FAQs as appropriate.”