HARRISBURG — The State System of Higher Education has reached an agreement with one of its seven unions that covers mostly custodial, food service and administrative positions.

The four-year pact includes a pay freeze in the first year, 3.25 percent increases in each of the second and third years and a 4.25 percent increase in the fourth year. It covers 4,000 workers at the system’s 14 universities.

At Slippery Rock University, the contract covers about 315 workers.

The previous contract expired June 30.

Kenn Marshall, a state system spokesman, said the final bits of the negotiation between the state system and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees wrapped up recently.

“We just finished that within the last couple of weeks,” Marshall said.

Much of the negotiations concluded near the end of June.

The main agreement between the state system and the union includes health care savings totaling $25 million. This nearly will offset salary increases.

“That’s really significant,” Marshall said.

Pay increases during the next few years will equal $27.4 million.

The contract will expire June 30, 2015.

This is the first union to reach an agreement with the state system. The other six unions’ contracts also expired June 30.

“We’re still negotiating with the others,” Marshall said. “We’re still talking.”

There is no deadline for the contracts to be settled, but Marshall is hopeful they will be settled quickly.

Robert Smith, SRU president, said the contract is good for the state system, good for SRU, and good for AFSCME.

“We’re pleased that we’ve reached an agreement with AFSCME, and we’re excited to be under the new contract,” Smith said.

Representatives from AFSCME could not be reached for comment.