Geisinger Lewistown Hospital Workers Authorize Strike Over Unlivable Wages Amid Stalled Talks

LEWISTOWN, Pa. – In a resounding show of unity, healthcare workers at Geisinger-Lewistown Hospital have overwhelmingly authorized a potential strike, escalating a bitter dispute over low wages that union leaders say leave employees struggling to afford basic necessities like housing and groceries.

The union, SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania, announced the results of a vote on Wednesday where 96% of participating workers approved the strike authorization. This move comes after more than six months of stalled contract negotiations with Geisinger management, who have reportedly refused to offer wage increases commensurate with inflation and regional living costs. With a Thanksgiving rally slated for November 23 outside the hospital, the workers are ramping up pressure for fair pay in a sector plagued by staffing shortages.

“Our members are on the front lines saving lives every day, yet Geisinger pays them wages that force impossible choices between putting food on the table and paying rent,” said Maria Gonzalez, president of SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania. “This vote sends a clear message: enough is enough.”

96% Strike Vote Reflects Deep Frustrations Among Geisinger Staff

The strike authorization vote, which saw nearly 85% turnout among the 450 affected healthcare workers—including nurses’ aides, dietary staff, housekeeping personnel, and lab technicians—underscores the severity of the wage crisis at Geisinger-Lewistown Hospital. Workers currently earn starting wages as low as $14.50 per hour, according to union data, which falls well below the $18.50 hourly living wage calculated by MIT’s Living Wage Calculator for Mifflin County, Pennsylvania.

One veteran employee, who spoke on condition of anonymity fearing retaliation, shared her plight: “I’ve worked here for 15 years, but my paycheck barely covers my mortgage and my daughter’s school supplies. With gas prices up 30% and groceries costing 25% more since the pandemic, I can’t keep doing this.” Her story echoes sentiments from dozens of workers who detailed similar hardships during union town halls leading up to the vote.

Geisinger, a major nonprofit health system serving central Pennsylvania with annual revenues exceeding $6 billion, has faced criticism for not prioritizing frontline staff compensation. Comparative data from the union shows that similar roles at neighboring hospitals like UPMC Lock Haven pay 20-25% more, exacerbating recruitment and retention issues amid a national healthcare worker shortage.

• Key Vote Stats: 96% approval rate; 384 yes votes out of 400 ballots cast.
• Affected Roles: Certified nursing assistants (CNAs), food service workers, maintenance staff, and phlebotomists.
• Average Tenure: 72% of voters have 5+ years at Geisinger.

This isn’t the first time Geisinger workers have pushed back. In 2022, a similar authorization at Geisinger Wyoming Valley led to a tentative agreement after public pressure, but Lewistown staff say lessons from that effort have only strengthened their resolve.

Six Months of Stalled Negotiations Push Geisinger Workers to Brink

Contract talks between SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania and Geisinger began in May 2023, aiming to replace an expired agreement from 2020. Initial demands included a 25% across-the-board wage hike over three years, improved health benefits, and guaranteed staffing ratios to prevent burnout. Geisinger’s counteroffers, however, topped out at 10% over the same period—far below what the union deems necessary to combat 22% cumulative inflation since negotiations started.

“We’ve met 18 times, presented data on living costs, turnover rates at 28% last year alone, and even offered compromises,” Gonzalez told reporters. “Geisinger responds with take-it-or-leave-it proposals that ignore our reality.”

Geisinger spokesperson Sarah Jenkins issued a statement acknowledging the vote but urging calm: “We value our Lewistown team immensely and remain committed to reaching a fair agreement. A strike would disrupt care for our community, which we want to avoid at all costs.” The system has hired temporary agency staff as a precaution, a move the union calls a “scab” tactic that undermines negotiations.

Broader context reveals a pattern: Pennsylvania’s healthcare sector has seen 12 major work stoppages since 2021, per state labor records, driven by post-COVID wage stagnation. At Geisinger specifically, a 2023 internal audit leaked to the union showed executive bonuses averaging $500,000 amid claims of financial strain, fueling accusations of misplaced priorities.

Thanksgiving Rally Set to Amplify Demands for Livable Geisinger Wages

To coincide with the holiday season—a time when family financial stresses peak—the union has organized a high-visibility rally on November 23 at 11 a.m. outside Geisinger-Lewistown Hospital’s main entrance. Expected to draw 300 participants, including supporters from allied unions like Teamsters Local 229, the event will feature speeches, music, and petition drives targeting Geisinger CEO David Feinberg.

“Thanksgiving should be about gratitude, not going hungry,” said rally organizer Jamal Rivera, a 10-year hospital dietary worker earning $16.20 hourly. “We’re inviting the community to join us because these low wages affect patient care—exhausted workers make mistakes.”

Logistics include peaceful picketing, media availability, and a “Wage Truth Wall” displaying anonymized pay stubs versus local cost-of-living breakdowns. Social media amplification under #GeisingerStrikeNow has already garnered 5,000 shares, boosting visibility ahead of Black Friday shopping pressures on hospital visitors.

1. 9 a.m.: Worker testimonies and warm-up chants.
2. 11 a.m.: Keynote addresses from union leaders and elected officials.
3. 1 p.m.: March to Geisinger administrative offices.

Local leaders, including State Rep. Frank Ryan (R-Lebanon), have voiced support, citing the hospital’s role as Mifflin County’s largest employer with 1,200 staff.

Patient Care Risks and Economic Ripples from Potential Geisinger Strike

A strike at Geisinger-Lewistown, a 142-bed facility handling 15,000 emergency visits annually, could strain Central Pennsylvania’s healthcare grid. Union data projects potential closures of non-critical units, diverting ambulances to facilities 30+ miles away in State College or Harrisburg.

“We’ve bent over backward to ensure continuity, training temps and cross-staffing,” Jenkins said. Yet experts like Dr. Emily Hargrove, a healthcare policy analyst at Penn State, warn: “Strikes in hospitals lead to 15-20% error spikes in the first week, per JAMA studies. This isn’t just about wages; it’s public safety.”

Economically, Lewistown—a town of 8,500 with 12% poverty—relies on the hospital for 10% of jobs. A prolonged action could cost the local economy $2.5 million monthly in lost wages and productivity, estimates the Greater Mifflin County Chamber of Commerce.

National trends amplify concerns: The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports healthcare support workers’ wages rose only 4.1% in 2023 versus 19.3% inflation since 2020, sparking 50+ union drives nationwide.

Path Forward: Mediation, Public Pressure, and Holiday Deadline Looms

With the current contract expired, workers continue under its terms but could walk out with 10 days’ notice under Pennsylvania law. The union has requested federal mediation through the National Labor Relations Board, a step Geisinger has not opposed.

Optimism persists for a deal before December 1, when holiday bonuses are traditionally paid—though frozen this year. “We’re ready to bargain around the clock if Geisinger steps up,” Gonzalez affirmed. Community forums planned for November 20 aim to bridge divides.

As winter sets in, the eyes of Pennsylvania’s labor movement turn to Lewistown. A resolution could set precedents for Geisinger’s 30,000 employees system-wide, while failure risks the first major healthcare strike in the region since 2019. Stakeholders urge swift action to safeguard both workers’ livelihoods and patient well-being.