Union members are thankful for abundant support from patients, community, and elected officials during three-day work stoppage.

Sixty-five workers at Anthony L. Jordan Health Center were back on the job delivering patient care and services this morning, after holding a 3-day job action. The workers, members of 1199SEIU, United Healthcare Workers East, have been trying to settle a contract that improves wages and maintains current benefits for 7 months, to no avail. On Tuesday, June 5, they walked off the job to protest the refusal of Jordan’s Board of Directors to accept a Federal Mediator’s settlement proposal.

“We are disappointed that the Jordan Board is refusing to compromise with us on an agreement that is fair to both sides,” said members of the employee committee. “It’s unfair for them to refuse to give us the wage increases we need to keep our health insurance funded while we are here willing to accept a wage freeze to help stabilize the Center."

The Federal Mediator’s proposal, unanimously accepted by the workers, affords the Center financial relief by freezing wages in 2018, modest wage improvements in 2019 and 2020, and includes an extra 1% increase in 2020 to ensure the workers’ health insurance plan is fully funded and secure.

The peaceful three-day strike generated abundant labor and community support with more than a dozen Anthony L. Jordan Health Center patients joining workers on the picket line. The strike also drew the attention of Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren, NYS Assembly Majority Leader Joseph Morelle, NYS Assembly Member Harry Bronson, City Council President Loretta Scott, City Council Vice-president Adam McFadden, City Council Member Michael Patterson, and Father Laurence Tracy, who came together to draft a letter to the Anthony L. Jordan Board of Directors encouraging them to accept the Federal Mediator’s proposal and “get back to your work of providing health care to your patients.”

“We appreciate all the support we have gotten so far. There is no way we are going to stop standing up for our patients and our families – That’s not who we are, not what we do,” said members of the employee committee. “Our fight is not over, now we will go back to the negotiating table to do whatever it takes to get a fair agreement that gives us the respect and justice we deserve.”

###

1199SEIU, United Healthcare Workers East represents over 200,000 hospital, nursing home, and homecare workers in New York State. Locally, the union also represents employees of the University of Rochester Medical Center and six nursing homes. Our mission is to achieve quality care and good jobs for all.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @1199SEIU & @1199UpstateNY