FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: April Ezzell, 1199SEIU Communications | (716)449-1620

Workers at McGuire Group Facilities Overwhelmingly Ratify Agreement including higher starting rates, 10-step wage scales, and increased pension contributions

Buffalo, NY – More than 600 Nursing Home Workers at four for-profit facilities overwhelmingly ratified a 3-year contract last week, while workers at 5 facilities overwhelmingly voted to authorize 5-day strikes in the fight for a fair contract. Caregivers are part of a joint campaign of more than 1,200 nursing home workers at 12 for-profit facilities across Western New York who held oneday strikes mid-July. Nursing Home workers are represented by 1199SEIU, United Healthcare Workers East.

Workers covered by the ratified agreement provide care at Autumn View Health Care Facility in Hamburg, Garden Gate Health Care Facility in Cheektowaga, North Gate Health Care Facility in North Tonawanda, and Seneca Health Care Facility in West Seneca work as Licensed Practical Nurses, Certified Nurse Assistants, Personal Care Attendants, Housekeeping, Dietary Aides, Cooks, Laundry Aides, and Maintenance Workers. “I’m glad to finally be recognized for my 7 years of dedication to Seneca Health Care with these new wages,” said Joseph Grotky, Dietary Aide. “I’m hopeful we’ll see less turnover and better care for residents. This is the best contract I’ve ever seen,” said Grotky.

The new three-year agreement includes a 10-step wage scale for all job titles, increased starting rates of pay for newly hired workers, retroactive bonus for all workers, and additional raises for long time caregivers. Workers will get a 3% pension increase each year of the agreement along with increased employer contributions to dental and optical. The for-profit employer also agreed to Juneteenth as a paid holiday.

The new three-year agreement with McGuire group runs through April 30, 2025. While the new contract with McGuire Group, which meets the demands of the campaign, ends the fight for some nursing home workers in the joint campaign, union members at remaining facilities have overwhelmingly voted to authorize 5-day strikes. Workers continue to fight for better staffing levels, wage scales for experienced workers, and $15 for service workers. If no agreement can be reached, union healthcare workers at Elderwood at Lockport, Elderwood at Williamsville, Fiddler’s Green Manor, Humboldt House, and Gowanda Nursing & Rehabilitation plan to hold 5-day strikes soon.

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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. www.1199seiu.org