Hundreds of Bucks County employees hit the picket line for one-day strike

DOYLESTOWN, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- Hundreds of Bucks County employees hit the picket line Friday for a one-day strike.

About 300 members of SEIU Local 668 were striking outside the Bucks County Courthouse in Doylestown, Pa.

The workers are from various agencies including Children and Youth Services, the Area Agency on Aging, IT, Mental Health, Drug and Alcohol Support, Early Intervention, and Developmental Programs.

Union representatives say the biggest concern is potential cuts to parts of their benefits, including reductions to vision, dental, and prescriptions. Negotiations most recently collapsed last week.

"We put all our blood sweat and tears into the pandemic over the last three to four years. Inflation has driven prices up exponentially, and the county came back to us and said, 'Hey, we're gonna cut your healthcare,'" said union member Edward Berger.

Union workers say they've been without a contract for about nine months.

"The things that we are providing for our clients, whether it be in corrections, whether it be in children and youth, whether it be aging, whether it be the health department, the resources we are providing for our clients are not being provided for us," said union member Christine Galione.
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A county spokesperson says at this point there is no set date for negotiations to continue. He also said supervisors are filling in for striking staff on Friday to ensure services continue.

Part of a statement issued Thursday said:

"This administration stands ready to continue negotiating to reach a fair salary and benefits package for our valued employees."

Union negotiators also say they're ready to return to the table.

"If we got a phone call today that they were ready to meet without forcing cuts down the members' throats, we're like 50 feet from the building," said Steve Catanese, president of SEIU Local 668.

A union rep says workers plan to return to the job on Monday. However, if negotiations continue to go poorly, there could be more days like this - or longer strikes - in the future.