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STATE COLLEGE -- After continued and unsuccessful negotiations, Mount Nittany Medical Center and SEIU Healthcare staff were unable to reach an agreement, meaning a planned five-day strike will move forward beginning Monday, July 27.
Mount Nittany Medical Center released a statement Tuesday night after negotiations remained unmet, stating it tried to present a revised proposal that included:
-- A one-year contract extension.
-- A 3% across-the-board wage increase for all bargaining unit employees.
-- A $1,000 ratification bonus for every bargaining unit employee.
-- Wage scale upgrades for 18 job classifications.
-- Continued investments in workplace safety.
"The union did not accept the revised proposal, did not provide a counter proposal and, once again, ended the bargaining session without further discussion," the release said. "While we are disappointed that an agreement was not reached, we remain committed to bargaining in good faith and remain prepared to return to the negotiating table at any time."
Workers previously spoke about the proposed strike and continued negotiations at a press conference earlier in the month.
At the time, SEIU Healthcare PA said 950 union-represented workers approved the strike authorization by a 98% vote.
"The fourth most profitable hospital in Pennsylvania with a total profit margin over 30 percent, Mount Nittany has more than enough resources to reach an agreement that moves community care forward," the hospital workers union said in a statement.
Workers said they still hope to reach a fair agreement but were left with no choice but to authorize a strike after Mount Nittany executives offered annual raises during previous negotiations that they said do not keep pace with the 4.2% inflation rate.
"I chose Mount Nittany because I wanted to care for the community I love with the highest standards of care," said Jess Mulroy, a registered nurse at Mount Nittany for 10 years and a Vice President of the SEIU Healthcare PA union chapter at the medical center. "All of us, from patient-facing care to maintenance, lab and nutrition, take pride in the care we provide patients. But I'm getting more and more worried that the standards this hospital used to be known for will fall backward without a serious, fair investment in the workforce. While Mount Nittany focuses on new buildings, towers and expansions, many essential workers are struggling to keep up with rising costs and bills. We are calling on this hospital not to forget their roots -- the workforce who won them five stars. We are taking a stand for our priorities, which are our patients, our community and quality jobs."
"While workers have been struggling, Mount Nittany made $509 million in total revenue and $183 million in profits in fiscal year 2025," a SEIU Healthcare PA spokesperson said.
Mount Nittany Medical Center also controls 70 percent of inpatient market share and is the largest private employer in Centre County. Workers say that the hospital's conduct sets the standard for both healthcare and jobs in the region and feel that as a tax-exempt organization, Mount Nittany has a responsibility to make a fair investment in its workforce and the quality care they provide.
Almost all of the staff at Mount Nittany Medical Center throughout every department are represented by their union, SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania. The workers include registered nurses, emergency department technicians, lab technicians, skilled maintenance, pharmacists, certified nurse aides, environmental services aides (who clean and disinfect the hospital), radiology technologists and dietary aides, among many other essential job titles.
Negotiations for a new union contract began on April 29 and their contract expired on June 30.
With the strike set to begin in just a few days, Mount Nittany Medical Center says it has a plan in place to ensure little to no disruptions of care occur.
"We have comprehensive plans in place to ensure patients continue to receive safe, high-quality care with as little disruption as possible. The hospital, our emergency department, physician practices and outpatient clinics will continue to operate as normal, and patients should keep their scheduled appointments unless they are contacted directly by Mount Nittany Health," the release said.