More than 100 state lawmakers are supporting a unionization attempt for Penn State University faculty, as a vote to unionize could come this spring.
Minority Leader Sen. Jay Costa, D-Forest Hills, sent a letter to Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi on behalf of 102 state legislators from both the House and Senate, asking university administrators to be neutral toward faculty unionization.
In their letter, the lawmakers ask Penn State to allow a free and fair process for faculty to form its union and bargain collectively. They asked Penn State to spend no state funds, taxpayer dollars or tuition dollars “on union-avoidance tactics” or engage with “union-avoidance firms.”
The letter calls on Penn State to begin negotiations in good faith without delay if a majority of faculty choose union representation.
“Faculty organizing and collective bargaining at Penn State will enable the university to join all other public institutions of higher education in the Commonwealth in providing a clear and transparent process for true shared governance,” said Sen. Lindsey Williams, D-West View. “Improved working conditions and opportunities for faculty to help charter the course of Penn State’s future will result in even stronger results for our students and our communities throughout Pennsylvania.”
The push for unionization comes after Penn State last spring decided to close seven commonwealth campuses — including New Kensington, Fayette and Shenango campuses locally — due to declines in enrollment, finances and demographic trends showing a major decline in college-aged adults.
“We continue to meet with Penn State’s administration and look to finalize an agreement for a mail-in ballot election later this spring,” said Andrea Adolph, an English professor at Penn State New Kensington and organizer of the Penn State Faculty Alliance, a group of Penn State faculty pushing for unionization. “Penn State faculty have been organizing for years, and we look forward to working with the members of the General Assembly to strengthen and preserve access to high-quality university education for students across Pennsylvania.”
The alliance in December said it turned in thousands of union authorization cards to the state’s Labor Relations Board. It petitioned to represent all faculty — including at its main campus, commonwealth campuses and university libraries.
Prior to that, Penn State offered a buyout program at the commonwealth campuses, which led to a 10% reduction in personnel. At Penn State New Kensington, for example, 40% of eligible staff took buyouts in 2024.
Penn State’s media team did not immediately return a request for comment Thursday.
Administrators established a website, unionfacts.psu, where it states administrators “recognize and respect the rights of employees to seek information, ask questions, and engage in lawful organizing and bargaining activities.”
The University of Pittsburgh and Temple University, also state-related institutions, have faculty unions, as do faculty in the state’s System of Higher Education, which locally includes Slippery Rock, Indiana and PennWest universities.