The University of Pittsburgh values our long-standing and cooperative engagement with our organized employee groups, and we respect the right of our employees to organize. This important distinction remains unmoved in relation to the staff union organizing committee. We share the committee’s commitment to a fair process that properly respects the rights of all staff members. 

The United Steelworkers have been on campus organizing staff employees for over 18 months. The University’s position has always been to respect an employee’s right to choose without influencing their decision. To ensure that managers and supervisors understand their legal obligations and the University’s position, the administration offered legal compliance trainings to provide individuals responsible for supervising staff employees with the knowledge they need to remain in compliance with all laws. 

As we understand from the union’s unfair labor practice filing, there is disagreement regarding whether all the individuals invited to the legal compliance trainings were managers and supervisors, as defined in the Pennsylvania Employe Relations Act (Act), and that the union believes that incorrect information may have been provided to individuals that may not be managers or supervisors under the Act. While the University believes that our legal compliance trainings were lawful and were provided to the appropriate management group, like the committee, the administration is interested in working collaboratively to resolve this issue. The administration is further exploring a potential resolution to this dispute with representatives for the committee through the process provided by the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board (Board).

As always, we are here to help. Please contact the Office of Human Resources with any questions.