Penn State faculty members detail ongoing process to unionize
Union election set to take place during April, results announced in May
Rep. Tarik Khan March 25, 2026 | 12:46 PM
HARRISBURG, March 25 – Faculty members at Penn State University and its branch campuses have been in the process of unionizing as the Penn State Faculty Alliance (PSFA), an affiliate of Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Local 668. After faculty members say they’ve received pushback from Penn State administration, the House Majority Policy Committee convened a hearing to put both sides in the same room and learn more about the situation.
“Faculty should be able to decide whether to unionize freely, without pressure or interference. Strong unions help make life more affordable for working families. Penn State, like our other state-related universities, must honor its commitment not to influence that decision.,” said Rep. Tarik Khan (D-Philadelphia), House Majority Policy Subcommittee Chair.
Testifiers representing Penn State faculty included Dr. Julio Palma, a researcher and Professor of Chemistry at Penn State Fayette, and Marissa Baez, an adjunct lecturer of Art Foundations and Sculpture at Penn State University Park.
Palma testified that he began organizing for a faculty union in March 2020 after he felt faculty voices were not being heard during the pandemic. They detailed many reasons to organize, including more transparency and fairness, but wages are the central issue. According to federal salary data, Penn State ranks near the bottom of Big Ten universities in several faculty pay categories. At the same time, top administrators and athletics leadership have seen their compensation grow considerably, with some making more than $1 million. Faculty members say unionizing offers a path forward rooted in structure and partnership.
“Universities are pillars of a healthy, democratic country. What better way to practice democracy in our workplace, and the only way I see that happening is having a faculty union. Decisions about faculty shouldn’t be made without faculty,” said Dr. Palma. “A faculty union is about having a dialogue so that together, we can make decisions on the direction and betterment of the university.”
Approximately 5,600 Penn State faculty members are set to vote on unionization beginning in April. The Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board will begin mailing out ballots on April 1, and they must be returned by May 6. The outcome is determined by a majority of votes cast, not by a majority of eligible faculty.
Penn State officials have been accused by union organizers of using union-busting tactics to dissuade faculty from voting to unionize. Jennifer Wilkes, Vice President for Human Resources at Penn State University, testified at the hearing that since the beginning of faculty unionization efforts, the University has committed to an open and respectful dialogue.
“Penn State deeply values the contributions of our faculty, and the University’s success as a leading research institution depends on their talent, dedication and expertise. Decisions like this will help shape the future of our institution and how we support our academic mission and research enterprise in the years ahead,” Wilkes said. “Regardless of the outcome, we look forward to continuing to help our faculty thrive at Penn State.”
Testimony submitted for Wednesday’s hearing can be found here. A livestream of the hearing is available here, and photos will be available here.
Information about this and other House Democratic Policy Committee hearings can be found at pahouse.com/policy.