Penn Dining, Libraries workers continue negotiations after union contracts expire

Penn Dining and Penn Libraries union workers are continuing contract negotiations with the University after their collective bargaining agreements expired at the end of last month.

Since their contract expired on July 31, the workers — represented by the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees — have called for higher pay and stronger contracts in a series of social media posts over the past two weeks. The developments come months after Penn Libraries workers raised concerns about potential changes to employees’ benefits.

Requests for comment were left with Penn Dining and a University spokesperson.

In a statement to The Daily Pennsylvanian, AFSCME District Council 47 lead negotiator Sarah Shaw wrote that Penn Libraries United has reached an agreement “on maintaining health, retirement, and other benefits at their current levels.”

“Our proposals are reasonable, but Penn keeps falling short,” Shaw added. “We see the money being allocated for other priorities. The University has hundreds of millions to spend on construction and renovation projects, but we can’t reach agreement on reasonable raises for the humans who work in those buildings, many of whom live paycheck to paycheck?”

“Penn staff are united for fair pay NOW,” AFSCME District Council 47 wrote in an Aug. 3 social media post.

The union highlighted several Penn employees across recent posts, including Penn Dining Services cook Sharon Brown, who pointed to the rising cost of living as a concern during negotiations.

“With the time and effort we put in, we deserve a fair contract; especially with the cost of living so high right now,” Brown wrote in the post.

Penn Libraries catalog support librarian Jena Barnes similarly cited rising costs for gas, groceries, health insurance, and rest, writing that they have “far ​​outpaced the rate of annual raises that Penn Libraries are proposing to Union employees.”

Other employees emphasized their work at the University and the importance of securing a new agreement. Library account specialist Paulette Mitchell wrote that the workers “deserve a robust contract because we work hard and are committed to our work,” while Penn Dining employee Sidney Shuford added that he wanted a fair contract because he has “a family to support.”

In April, Shaw told the DP that Penn Libraries and Penn Museum staff were concerned about possible reductions to health care, retirement, and paid time off benefits. At the time, Shaw pointed to changes in Penn’s employee health benefits, including the introduction of a $100 monthly premium for employees covering a spouse or partner who is eligible for insurance through their own employer.

She also raised concerns about contract language governing whether Penn could reduce employee benefits during the term of an agreement. At the time, she said the University appeared to “want to keep the door open to literally making people’s benefits worse.” Penn later agreed to language stating it would not reduce benefits for the duration of the agreement.

The ongoing negotiations come amid continued labor activity across Penn. Earlier this year, the University reached its first contract with its graduate worker union, Graduate Employees Together — University of Pennsylvania, narrowly averting a strike by thousands of graduate workers. Research Associates and Postdocs United at Penn is also negotiating its first contract with the University, while Penn Live Arts production employees voted unanimously to unionize in April.

“I wonder, is this still a competitive workplace? Are my skills valued here?” Barnes wrote in the social media post. “Union members don’t just want to get by—we want to thrive.”

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