After a long haul, nursing home workers at The Manor at Guilderland Center signed a tentative contract agreement with their new employer. The nursing home has changed ownership four times in the past decade.

The contract includes wage increases for full-time employees, effective on the transfer of ownership date, and annual raises each year after, for the duration of the contract. Members also will have health benefits; and retirement security with the Service Employees Pension Fund of Upstate New York.

“We’re relieved to have reached this settlement. Among other things, we have been concerned about maintaining stability and continuity of care for our residents,” said Erin Lupumpala, LPN.

“We need to be able to take care of ourselves and our own health, while we take care of our residents and this contract would allow for that," said Pam Chettana, a worker in the dietary department.

Eleven years ago, the workers at what was then called “Northwoods at Guilderland Center” went on strike for three months in order to win a fair first contract.

This successor agreement is from “the date of transfer of ownership or receivership date to April 30, 2018 – or 4 years thereafter.”

The newest employer, Centers for Specialty Care Group, confirmed at the get-go that they would recognize 1199SEIU and agreed to bargain a new contract, with the intention of making much needed improvements to the facility, including critical structural upgrades to the building, better equipment and supplies.

Chettana said, “After all we have been through and with the upheaval in the nursing home industry, I’m relieved that we were able to negotiate a job security clause. This is very important not only to us, but also our residents and their families who know us and count on us.”

“It turned out better than we expected,” said Lumpumpala. “You never know what will happen when a new owner comes in. And the good thing about being union members is that we’ll have the opportunity to bargain for improvements the next time around.”

“We feel more hopeful today than we have before,” said Chettana.

The vote for all members to ratify the contract will be on April 17. The bargaining unit includes more than a hundred LPNs, CNAs, dietary and housekeeping nursing