Temple University and 1199C—Clerical and PTEA have reached a new four-year agreement that includes annual pay increases and additional enhancements to the union members’ vacation leave, sick leave, and health and welfare benefits. 

1199C is the bargaining unit that represents the clerical employees at Temple’s Main Campus and the Health Sciences Center. In total, 196 Temple employees are represented through this union. 

“We are grateful to reach this mutually benefical deal with 1199C—Clerical and PTEA, and also are excited to be able to reward our employees for all of their hard work,” said Sharon Boyle, vice president for human resources.  

The sides came to terms on the agreement on Friday, Oct. 27, and the contract was ratified on Wednesday, Nov. 1. 

1199C is one of the 11 bargaining units Temple works with to ensure fair and sustainable terms of employment, and this agreement with the union was reached after just six sessions. 

“You will often hear how union negotiations can be a tense process, but more often than not, it truly is routine and methodical, and that was certainly the case in this instance,” said Monica Washington, assistant vice president of labor and employee relations, who has served as chief negotiator since 2005. “We applaud 1199C’s negotiating team for their work in coming together with the university to find middle ground, and we look forward to continuing to partner with them in the years to come.” 

As part of the new agreement, 1199C employees will now receive an annual raise of 3% every July 1 for the next four years, and the first increase is retroactive to July 1, 2023. Additional highlights include the following. 

• Employees will have the option to choose between Temple’s health plan and 1199C’s. 
• Employees will receive five weeks of vacation if they have 15 1/2 of service. 
• Employees with 100 sick days at retirement will receive payment for 30 of them. 
• Employees will be eligible for parental leave. 

The agreement is in effect through June 2027.