The Youngstown State University Board of Trustees, during a special meeting, Friday, Aug. 7, unanimously approved new three-year contracts with the university’s Faculty (YSU-OEA) and Association of Classified Employees (ACE) unions.
The unions and university administration recently reached the tentative agreements. The OEA ratified their contract Friday, July 17, with 97% voting in favor of the contract, and ACE ratified their contract on Thursday, Aug. 6, with 93% voting in favor of the contract.
“These agreements reflect what can be accomplished when everyone comes to the table with a shared commitment to Youngstown State University and the students we serve," said YSU President Bill Johnson. “Our faculty and staff are the foundation of the YSU experience, and these contracts recognize their important contributions while positioning the university to continue building on our momentum. I'm grateful to everyone involved in reaching agreements that support our employees, our students and the long-term success of the university.”
The previous three-year contract with OEA was due to expire Aug. 20, 2026 and ACE’s contract was due to expire Aug. 15, 2026.
“Reaching agreements that serve both our employees and the university is an important accomplishment,” stated Chuck George, chair of the Board of Trustees. “The Board appreciates the good-faith efforts of everyone involved in these negotiations and is confident these contracts provide a strong foundation for continued success at Youngstown State.”
The OEA agreement includes salary increases of 3% in the first year, 3% in the second year and 3% in the third year. The University also agreed to increase the starting salaries for faculty positions and promotional increases. These increases will contribute to the recruitment and retention of premier faculty teaching and conducting research at YSU for current and future generations of students.
The ACE agreement includes salary increases of 3% in the first year, 2.75% in the second year and 3% in the third year. Additionally, the university increased the starting salaries of strategic classifications in order to remain competitive in hiring and retention.
The new OEA contract will take effect as of Aug. 21, 2026 and will continue through Aug. 20, 2029. The new ACE contract will take effect as of Aug. 16, 2026 and will continue through Aug. 15, 2029.
The Board also passed a resolution to grant the benefits of some portions of the ACE contract to classified employees excluded from bargaining.
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