Duquesne University police and workers at PNC Park both voted to strike over the weekend. Though the labor efforts are separate, unions representing both groups are petitioning for better wages.
Police at Duquesne University voted unanimously to strike Sunday after eight months of negotiations. In a statement, the university said it offered the union its highest guaranteed wage increase in nearly two decades.
But Keith Frank with Teamsters Local 249 — which represents 28 unionized police officers on the campus — said that offer didn’t offset concessions pushed by the university during bargaining.
“We're not looking for better health care. We're not looking for better retirement,” Keith said. “We just want to keep what we have, and the university is trying to strip it and take it.”
Keith said one of the options university officials put on the table would take union members off their current health care plan.
“We're just trying to maintain what we have. We want a fair wage,” he added. “We want to be competitive with these other departments for the work we do.”
In a statement, university Vice President of Marketing and Communications Gabriel Welsch said the total compensation package offered to campus police officers and security guards was “among the most generous in higher education in our region.”
“While the union has decided to strike, Duquesne remains committed to the negotiating process with commitment to reach a resolution with the union,” Welsch said.
The union will rally with students at 1:45 p.m. Tuesday on Duquesne’s campus near Locust Street.
Meanwhile, on the North Side, ushers, greeters and ticket sellers at PNC Park are planning to picket outside the stadium gates Thursday while fans gather to watch the Pittsburgh Pirates play the Cincinnati Reds.
Representatives with the Pittsburgh Stadium Independent Employees Union — which represents workers at both PNC Park and Acrisure Stadium — said online that members voted on and rejected the team’s latest contract offer at a bargaining meeting on Sunday. A successful strike vote followed.
PSIEU is encouraging members and supporters to bring homemade signs to the home game on Thursday. They say the union’s board will contact the Pirates’ management to “expedite next steps.”
Pirates spokesperson Brian Warecki said the team offered “unprecedented” wage increases and other economic benefits, including retroactive payments representing the wage increase for all hours worked during the 2022 season and a 32% wage increase for the 2023 season compared to 2021 wages.
“Under our latest proposal, ticket sellers will make $19 per hour and greeters $18.65 per hour in 2023,” Warecki wrote in a statement. “Ushers will make a base pay of $12.40 per hour in 2023 while continuing to be permitted to accept tips as they prefer.
“We were twice told by union leadership that they would take the proposed agreement back to its membership with their full support,” he continued. “It would be extremely disappointing if members of the union would choose to strike under these circumstances.”
PSIEU representatives could not be reached for comment.
