PennWest workers urge reconsideration, offer partnership to mitigate furloughs
Pennsylvania Western University (PennWest) notified AFSCME Council 13 on October 17 of its intention to furlough more than a dozen employees at the California and Clarion campuses beginning on November 16.
In a letter to AFSCME from the office of the university president, PennWest claims this action is being taken because of a projected 2025-26 fiscal year budget deficit, increased personnel costs, and lower student enrollment. In the letter, PennWest stated there are “no projections of recovery in enrollment.”
AFSCME Council 13 will follow the process laid out in the collective bargaining agreement while taking every avenue to fight to save the jobs of these hardworking university employees who are vital to all campus operations.
Council 13 represents more than 2,500 maintenance, clerical, and administrative workers across all 10 Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) universities, including PennWest, which consists of campuses at California, Clarion, and Edinboro.
AFSCME Locals 2322 and 2326 represent about 270 workers between California and Clarion, the two campuses being impacted by these furloughs.
Local union leaders on those campuses are speaking out against what they view as a misguided decision that only threatens to worsen the enrollment crisis that university management cites as the cause of the furloughs. AFSCME members are also requesting to partner with PASSHE leadership to address enrollment issues head-on while protecting jobs.
Lydia Brown, AFSCME Local 2326 President and Clerical Assistant at Clarion campus
“Furloughs don’t just affect employees – they reduce essential public services, disrupt families, and weaken our communities. Together, we can take proactive, organized action to stop or minimize furloughs,” said Lydia Brown, AFSCME Local 2326 President and Clerical Assistant at Clarion campus.
“Our commitment is unwavering: protect jobs, enforce the contract, and fight for the best possible outcomes for every member.”
These furloughs come at a time when public funding is especially uncertain due to an ongoing state budget impasse and federal government shutdown. While a signed state budget would not immediately solve PennWest’s current fiscal struggles, it would give all parties a clearer path to plan for the future. The most recent budget proposal passed in the State House included a 6.5% ($40 million) increase for PASSHE, but that bill remains stagnant in the Republican-controlled State Senate.
CJ DeJuliis, AFSCME Local 2322 President and IT Generalist at California campus
“Furloughing AFSCME members at PennWest University is not a solution to the ongoing and deeply rooted budget challenges. These employees are the backbone of our regional campuses. Their commitment ensures that students, especially those who might not otherwise have access, can pursue affordable, high-quality education while commuting to or living on these beautiful campuses in western Pennsylvania,” said CJ DeJuliis, AFSCME Local 2322 President and IT Generalist at California campus.
“This decision will only further erode the mission of both PASSHE and PennWest while accelerating enrollment decline. I strongly urge our elected officials to pass a state budget that provides the necessary funding to avoid these types of disruptions not only to higher education – but to people’s livelihoods.”
AFSCME members are calling on PASSHE leadership to form a partnership to avoid devastating job losses and work together to improve enrollment.
We are also calling on local communities to support their university workers amid these difficult times. Contact your local officials and state legislators to express your opposition to these furloughs and budget cuts that threaten our universities. Post on social media and speak up about the importance of protecting these jobs. Support the local businesses that support our campuses and the workers who keep them running.
AFSCME Council 13 looks forward to continued communication on this matter with PennWest and PASSHE to ensure the best possible outcomes for all impacted employees. Our union also hopes to build an expanded partnership that allows us to resolve enrollment and budgetary issues so we can avoid the strain furloughs put on our campuses and the pain they cause our families.
AFSCME Council 13 Statewide PASSHE Committee, September 2025