Posts tagged Voluntary Early Retirement Program
Early retirement program in the works for union-represented employees, Staff Council hears
November 10, 2026 // Since a new Voluntary Early Retirement Program (VERP) was announced Oct. 21 for eligible non-represented faculty and staff, Human Resources has “got a ton” of inquiries from union-represented staff about a VERP plan for them, Staff Council member Mark Kotzin, an HR communications manager, told the group’s Oct. 28 meeting. Kotzin added that negotiations with the union are ongoing and said a VERP for union members would likely happen. “It's in the works – just nothing announced yet,” he said. The United Steelworkers (USW) represents both the faculty and staff unions at Pitt and is engaged with the University administration on the details of a VERP for represented employees. Tyler Bickford, professor of English and president of the Pitt faculty union, described the parties this week as “hopefully close” on a VERP agreement.