PHOTO PROVIDED The main entrance at Mount Nittany Hospital is pictured.

STATE COLLEGE – Hospital workers at Mount Nittany Medical Center voted overwhelmingly to begin a five-day strike on July 27, arguing better working conditions are essential to quality patient care.

The workers spoke about the “difficult” decision at a press conference on Thursday afternoon, where they called on Mount Nittany executives to invest in all workers, patients and community care.

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%, 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 Monday’s 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.”

In a statement sent to The Express on Tuesday, a spokesperson for Mount Nittany said the health system has comprehensive plans in place to ensure patients continue to receive safe and high quality care with as little disruption as possible. They said the hospital, emergency department, physician practices and outpatient clinics will continue to operate as normal, and that patients should keep their scheduled appointments unless they are contacted directly by Mount Nittany Health.

“Our focus remains on caring for our community while remaining committed to reaching an agreement,” Mount Nittany said. “Throughout negotiations, our proposals have included significant investments in our employees, and our goal is to reach a fair and sustainable agreement that recognizes the contributions of our employees while ensuring we can continue serving our community as an independent health system.”

SEIU Healthcare PA says Mount Nittany Medical Center is very financially healthy and has the resources to invest in all workers who make the hospital run. The union said the rising cost of living in Centre County, including housing, gas, groceries and utilities, has forced many workers to live farther away and commute longer distances.

“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% 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 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. Workers say they are committed to continue bargaining in good faith and are hopeful that management returns to negotiations to reach an agreement that invests in all workers so they can provide the care their community depends on.