About

SEIU Local 668 is Pennsylvania’s social service employees union representing 20,000 workers in all counties in the state.We work in state, county, and local government, as well as in the private sector. We deliver human services to the most vulnerable populations in the state, including children, the elderly, and people with mental illness and developmental disabilities. We are social workers, caseworkers, prison counselors, 911 operators, career and employment specialists, unemployment compensation examiners and interviewers, school psychologists, nutritionists, vocational counselors, youth counselors, and occupational therapists.

Together, we do more than represent public sector employees.
Local 668 unites public sector employees to secure better wages and benefits, to ensure fair treatment at work, and protect our rights in the Legislature. Our union is strong because our members are strong–and we continue to build strength and unity. We’re proud of what we do for the people of Pennsylvania, and we work hard to protect and improve these services.

Together, we bargain for better wages and benefits.
We negotiate for better wages and benefits and help shape workplace policies on a wide range of issues like working conditions, health and safety, discrimination, vacation, health benefits, representation, and career mobility. Members come together to discuss their needs. At the bargaining table, our elected member representatives speak for all members with one voice from a position of strength.

Together, we ensure fair treatment at work.
Through a network of workplace activists, shop stewards, trained representation staff (Business Agents), and legal staff, Local 668 provides representation for members who feel they have been treated unfairly or who are facing discipline.

Together, we impact legislation and politics affecting state workers.
As public sector employees, everything we do is about politics. The governor, county commissioners, Mayors, and the state Legislature are our bosses–and they appoint our managers. We provide a voice in the Legislature and defend member’s benefits and job security against legislative and political attacks.

Together, we protect your hard-earned contract rights and guarantees.
Our contracts protect our wages, benefits, job security, and working conditions. When your supervisor, department, or the state as a whole violates your rights guaranteed by our contract, Local 668 uses all means necessary to enforce the agreement negotiated and ratified by our membership.

Together we are stronger.
Our local has grown over the years to make our voice louder by combining a group of smaller unions, including Pennsylvania Social Services Union (PSSU), into one large and strong union. We are part of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), which is a union with over 2 million members in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico.

Learn about our statewide member leaders today!

Union Officers

The President and Secretary- Treasurer were democratically elected by membership for a three year term, which runs January 2018 – December 2020. These Officers are the leaders of our union, who are responsible for the daily operation of the union and resolution of all union business. They oversee all union staff and maintain a close working relationship with committee and chapter chairs.

Steve Catanese
President
Steve Catanese is the President of SEIU Local 668, a member-driven labor union representing 19,000 workers across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Elected to serve as President in October 2017, Steve launched his leadership tenure by initiating a statewide member-to-member internal organizing campaign to educate and inform union members about strengthening their collective power as workers. As a direct result of that campaign, SEIU 668 has more members today than it did before the Supreme Court’s anti-worker ruling in the Janus v. AFSCME case of 2018. Prior to his election as President, Steve worked as a Business Agent for SEIU 668 beginning in 2016, a role where he represented state and county employees in Central Pennsylvania. Prior to being a staff member, Steve was a rank and file member of SEIU 668 and worked as a caseworker at a County Assistance Office in Pittsburgh from 2011 until 2016. As an active member, Steve served as a Shop Steward and participated in numerous union activities. In 2014, he represented SEIU 668 as a fellow in SEIU’s Freedom Summer national millennial engagement and voter mobilization program. That year, he was also elected to serve SEIU 668 on its Statewide Executive Board to offer guidance to the Local’s governing body. In his current role, Steve continues to advocate on behalf of workers with employers and legislators across the Commonwealth. He’s also committed to developing and refining internal processes and operations to improve SEIU 668’s capacity to empower workers outside of our organization and across the nation. Steve holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Born and raised in Lower Burrell, a suburb of Pittsburgh, he currently resides in Central PA.
JoAnne Sessa
Secretary-Treasurer
JoAnne “Jo” Sessa is currently serving her second term as Secretary-Treasurer for SEIU Local 668, which represents more than 19,000 social service workers here in Pennsylvania. Jo began her Union leadership as a Chief Shop Steward in the Delaware County Assistance Office, Crosby District. She educated and mobilized new and seasoned members of both Delaware County DPW offices where she has worked as an Income Maintenance Caseworker for over 26 years. Jo served as a Member Political Organizer in four member-lead political campaigns including the 2008 Presidential Campaign. She was a key member organizer, mobilizer, and lobbyist for Chapter 10, which represents Delaware and Chester counties. She also served as Vice Chair of State Shops and Treasurer of Chapter 10. In 2011, Jo was elected to the County Assistance Office (CAO) Rank & File Committee and became a voting member of the Statewide Executive Board of SEIU Local 668. She became the Chair of this committee in 2014 and represented more than 4,300 members statewide. Her position as Chair of the largest work committee of Local 668 opened her eyes to the lack of respect given to union workers by the Commonwealth, counties and private employers statewide. This lack of respect and disregard of what our Union forefathers fought for convinced Jo to run for Secretary-Treasurer and fueled her ambition to rebuild SEIU Local 668. She’s proudly been serving as one of two statewide elected officers of the Local since January of 2015, and most recently assisted the State Contract Negotiation Team in ratifying the strongest four-year contract members have seen in decades. In addition to her many roles within SEIU Local 668, Jo has also been a long-time delegate for the Southeastern PA AFL-CIO, currently serves as Treasurer for the Delaware County Central Labor Council, and is an officer of the Executive Board of the Harrisburg Central Labor Council, Jo is committed to educating all union members and holding politicians that represent our members accountable for living up to their leadership roles. She believes that all unions throughout the Commonwealth and the United States need to come together to protect, maintain, and empower unions and expand union membership to help drive the middle class. Jo will continue to advocate and educate communities here in Pennsylvania about the importance of unions and the incredible work they do for thousands of workers here in the Keystone State. After all, we are ‘Stronger Together.’

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Union Officers

Steve Catanese

President

JoAnne Sessa

Secretary-Treasurer