Homecare Workers Launch Public Petition & Call-In Number To Demand University of Rochester Leaders Settle Fair Contract

Upstate, NY – Today, 1199SEIU filed an Unfair Labor Practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) against University of Rochester alleging the largest private sector employer in Upstate is bargaining in bad faith. Yesterday, University of Rochester leaders reluctantly returned to negotiations with workers, staying at the table for only ten minutes and without providing a counter proposal on any of the 16 outstanding economic issues while the Federal Mediator was present. It appears that management is doing the bare minimum and unwilling to negotiate an economic package to protect quality care for homecare patients. Both parties are scheduled to resume negotiations tomorrow at 9:00 AM. There are two more sessions planned for January 7th and January 9th, with an informational picket looming.

Today, Professional homecare workers at University of Rochester Medicine Homecare will launch a petitionand public website (StandWithURMC.Org) urging the Upstate community to call URMHC President & CEO Greg Hutton at 585-669-5100 in demand for a fair contract for workers in 7 Upstate counties. 

University of Rochester’s management team lacks healthcare experience and is unwilling to provide reasonable patient caseloads for workers after lengthy subcommittee meetings set up by the Federal Mediator. University of Rochester’s delay tactics on reasonable caseloads increase burnout of caregivers and creates an exit door for beleaguered providers. 

“Our caseloads are heavy and many times we travel many miles to get from home to home,” said Cynthia Lorenzetti, Physical Therapy Assistant. “We all want to do best practice and give 100% at each visit. We want to bring quality care to the patients we serve, but also need a better work life balance for all clinicians,” said Lorenzetti.

“The employer has not placed a high value on bargaining a fair contract for professional homecare workers who have taken pride in the work and care they have delivered for years,” said Tracey Harrison, 1199SEIU Vice-President. “Unfortunately, this employer has refused to recognize and respect their concerns, not only for them but for the patients in their care. The employer has repeatedly expressed that there is no financial burden regarding the economic proposals submitted on behalf of the workers and yet they failed to provide a counter proposal and continue with delay tactics that serve no purpose for anyone including the staff, patients, families and our Upstate community,” said Harrison. 

Several University of Rochester leaders at the negotiating table appear to lack any healthcare experience or background. Both Sarah Miller, VP^[1] of Human Resources^[2] and Christine Garcia, Human Resource Manager previously worked at LiDestri Foods and other non-healthcare employers. 

University of Rochester Medicine Home Care prides itself on providing manageable^[3] caseloads to ensure quality care yet remain at odds with homecare workers who say otherwise and do not have leaders at the table who understand needs of healthcare workers. High case loads and job demands result in workers leaving home care.^[4]

About 110 professional and clinical home care workers from University of Rochester Medicine Home Care (URMHC) are represented by 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East and have been negotiating their first labor contract with the largest private sector employer in Upstate, New York since early May 2024. 

University of Rochester Medicine Home Care (URMHC) workers provide professional home care services for patients in Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Seneca, Wayne, Wyoming, and Yates counties. Professional Home Care workers are Registered Nurses, Child Life Specialists, Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants, Dietitians, Licensed Practical Nurses, Medical Social Workers, Occupational Therapists, Pediatric Registered Nurses, Physical Therapists, Physical Therapy Assistants, and Speech Language Pathologists.

Professional and clinical home care workers from URMHC are the first and unique type of job category. Caregivers assist patients with the transition from the hospital back into their home and provide nursing care, physical, occupational, speech therapy, medical and social work services.^[5]

In December, University of Rochester Medicine Homecare Workers overwhelmingly voted to give their bargaining committee the authority to issue a 10-day notice for an informational picket, voting 91% in favor should talks continue to stall over economic issues. 

Homecare workers at the largest private sector employer in Upstate are fighting for reasonable patient caseloads to protect quality care and a comprehensive benefits package that includes competitive wages and affordable health insurance to recruit and retain staff.    

While there are 2 upcoming dates for negotiations on the books including this Saturday, it should not take this long to settle remaining economic items including caseloads, wages, and health insurance. To date, University of Rochester management has provided only some of their financial details related economic talks.  

After eight months, progress from University of Rochester management’s side continues to be sluggish following a change in negotiators. Peter Jones^[6] of Bond, Schoeneck, and King now negotiates on behalf of the employer at the table. A Federal Mediator from Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) has joined negotiations regularly. Non-economic items and nearly half of the economic items have been tentatively agreed upon by both sides.  

As the largest private employer in Upstate, URMHC is a non-profit organization^[7] with a Board of Directors including: Dallas Nelson, MD (Chair), Kate Ackerman, MD, Timothy Ashe, Taletha Best, Adam Cardina, Ann Marie Cook, James Dickinson II MD, Jason Feinberg, MD, Steven I Goldstein, MD, Barbara Gray, Ann Harrington, Diana Kurty, David Lipari, Mark Prunoske, Alan Resnick, Hazel Robertshaw, PHD, RN, Kathleen Whelehan, Walter Winiarczyk, and Jane Shukitis.^[8]

According to 2022 IRS Tax Filings, several companies tied to URMHC earned millions in profits, while URMHC has a $2.3 million dollar endowment and a $2.6 million dollar expansion fund. 

Leaders at URMHC are top earners with six figure salaries, while professional home care workers will fight for competitive wages at the bargaining table. Following a large turnover of homecare workers leaving URMHC, Interim President and CEO Jane Shukitis returned from retirement only to leave again.[9]URMHC recently announced that Greg Hutton would take over as President & CEO.^[10]

On background:

In September, more than two dozen professional home care workers marched through University of Rochester’s Strong Memorial Campus^[11] to call on University of Rochester CEO and President Kathy Parrinello to provide more dates for bargaining their first contract with longer hours for each session however, Parrinello was not on campus that day. Instead, workers delivered their message to Senior University of Rochester leaders including Vicky Hines, Chief Operating Officer for University of Rochester Medical Faculty Group.

Since the massive one-day strike held by bedside caregivers and service workers at University of Rochester Medical Center^[12] last year, more and more workers in Rochester are voting to join a union and secure a contract.   

Earlier this year, University of Rochester Graduate Students began forming a union to fight for living wages^[13] with the largest private sector employer in Upstate New York. 

More and more professional healthcare workers are voting to join or form unions. In May, more than 800 Resident Physicians at the University of Buffalo formed their union^[14] and held a 4-day strike earlier this year in Buffalo^[15]. Residents recently settled their contract fight^[16] over low pay, healthcare, and retirement benefits.^[17] 

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1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East is the largest and fastest-growing healthcare union in America. We represent over 400,000 nurses and caregivers throughout Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Florida. Our mission is to achieve quality care and good jobs for all.

https://www.1199seiu.org

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^[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rw9p_q_APUU
^[2] Sarah Miller - UR Medicine Home Care | LinkedIn
^[3] Careers - UR Medicine Home Care - University of Rochester Medical Center
^[4] Careers - UR Medicine Home Care - Current Opportunities - University of Rochester Medical Center (pageuppeople.com)
^[5] History - About UR Medicine Home Care - University of Rochester Medical Center
^[6] Peter Jones, labor and employment law lawyer, Bond, Schoeneck & King, Syracuse, New York (bsk.com)
^[7] Ur Medicine Home Care Certified Services Inc - Nonprofit Explorer - ProPublica
^[8] Board of Directors - About UR Medicine Home Care - University of Rochester Medical Center
^[9] UR Medicine Home Care CEO retires | News | fltimes.com
^[10] (1) Facebook
^[11] Home care workers march to office of URMC president as negotiations continue - WHEC.com
^[12] Over 1,000 URMC workers return to work following 1-day strike - WHEC.com
^[13] University of Rochester grad students looking to unionize (spectrumlocalnews.com)
^[14] Meet the doctors behind the UB resident physician union (buffalonews.com)
^[15] UB resident physicians begin strike | News 4 Buffalo (wivb.com)
^[16] UB resident physicians reach contract agreement with UMRS | News 4 Buffalo (wivb.com)
^[17] More than 800 UB resident doctors could go on strike (buffalonews.com)