1199SEIU Filed Unfair Labor Practice Charge Against UR Medicine Homecare for Bargaining in Bad Faith As 400 People Sign Public Petition Demanding That URMHC President & CEO Greg Hutton Settle Fair First Contract 

Upstate, NY – 1199SEIU postpones informational picket to protect professional and clinical homecare workers from frigid temperatures and associated exposure risks. 

Today, 1199SEIU issued URMHC a new 10-day notice to hold the informational picket instead on Monday, February 3, 2025 from 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM outside URMHC’s office at 2180 Empire Boulevard in Webster. 

This month, during contract talks, about 30 professional and clinical homecare workers from URMHC marched to President and CEO Greg Hutton’s office^[1] to deliver their petition with hundreds of signatures and a list of 14 outstanding economic issues they want settled.  

Frustration among homecare workers demanding affordable health insurance coverage is growing. “The agency changed our health insurance to a plan that costs over $14,000 per year with premiums and high deductibles not including medications that could cost over $1,000 per month – all with less than 2-month notice,” said Tara Petersen, Physical Therapist Assistant. “As healthcare professionals, we thought we could always count on affordable, quality, healthcare which makes it hard to recruit and retain workers,” said Petersen. 

Homecare workers say that current patient caseloads are unreasonable. But, University of Rochester Medicine Home Care prides itself on providing manageable^[2] caseloads to ensure quality care yet remain at odds with homecare workers who say otherwise. High caseloads and job demands result in workers leaving home care.^[3]

“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.

Homecare workers and URMHC management are set to resume economic talks on January 29 and January 31.  

1199SEIU filed an unfair labor practice against URMHC alleging they bargained in bad faith when they failed to return a counter proposal on outstanding economic issues with a Federal Mediator from Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) present at talks. 

In December 2024, 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. There are 14 outstanding economic issues on the table including: affordable health insurance coverage for workers, reasonable patient caseloads, wages, and more. URMHC currently has 25 job openings^[4] and has asked workers to cover additional shifts. 

This month, in a letter from President & CEO of University of Rochester Medicine Homecare declined meeting with 1199SEIU leaders regarding contract talks, deferring questions to inexperienced leaders and hired attorney. 1199SEIU filed an Unfair Labor Practice charge^[5] with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) against URMHC alleging the affiliate of the largest private sector employer in Upstate is bargaining in bad faith^[6]. University of Rochester Medicine Homecare leaders continue stall tactics often leaving after 4 hours and unprepared to respond which is customary in negotiations. URMHC management continues to do the bare minimum and is still unwilling to provide financial details needed to negotiate major outstanding economic items to protect quality care for its homecare patients. 

Earlier this month, Professional homecare workers at University of Rochester Medicine Homecare launched a petition and 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 and to sign off a petition to leaders. Currently, more than 400 people have signed the public petition urging URMHC leaders and its Board of Directors to settle a fair contract. 

URMHC’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. 

“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 fail to negotiate major economic issues needed to reach an agreement that protects patient care and recruits and retains more staff across 7 counties in Upstate,” said Harrison. 

Several University of Rochester leaders at the negotiating table appear to lack any healthcare experience or background. Both Sarah Miller, VP^[7] of Human Resources^[8] and Christine Garcia, Human Resource Manager previously worked at LiDestri Foods and other non-healthcare employers. 

After eight months, progress from University of Rochester management’s side continues to be sluggish following a change in negotiators. Peter Jones^[9] 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^[10] 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.^[11]

On background:

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 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.^[12]URMHC recently announced that Greg Hutton would take over as President & CEO.^[13]

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.^[14]

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.    

In September, more than two dozen professional home care workers marched through University of Rochester’s Strong Memorial Campus^[15] 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^[16] 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^[17] 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^[18] and held a 4-day strike earlier this year in Buffalo^[19]. Residents recently settled their contract fight^[20] over low pay, healthcare, and retirement benefits.^[21] 

 

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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] Workers Hold March on President & CEO footage here: https://www.facebook.com/share/r/18QXaSFQpS/
^[2] Careers - UR Medicine Home Care - University of Rochester Medical Center
^[3] Careers - UR Medicine Home Care - Current Opportunities - University of Rochester Medical Center (pageuppeople.com
^[4] UR Medicine Home Care Licensed Inc Jobs (appone.com)
^[5] Contract negotiations turn contentious at URMHC (rbj.net)

^[7] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rw9p_q_APUU
^[8] Sarah Miller - UR Medicine Home Care | LinkedIn
^[9] Peter Jones, labor and employment law lawyer, Bond, Schoeneck & King, Syracuse, New York (bsk.com)
^[10] Ur Medicine Home Care Certified Services Inc - Nonprofit Explorer - ProPublica
^[11] Board of Directors - About UR Medicine Home Care - University of Rochester Medical Center
^[12] UR Medicine Home Care CEO retires | News | fltimes.com
^[13] (1) Facebook
^[14] History - About UR Medicine Home Care - University of Rochester Medical Center
^[15] Home care workers march to office of URMC president as negotiations continue - WHEC.com
^[16] Over 1,000 URMC workers return to work following 1-day strike - WHEC.com
^[17] University of Rochester grad students looking to unionize (spectrumlocalnews.com)
^[18] Meet the doctors behind the UB resident physician union (buffalonews.com)
^[19] UB resident physicians begin strike | News 4 Buffalo (wivb.com)
^[20] UB resident physicians reach contract agreement with UMRS | News 4 Buffalo (wivb.com)
^[21] More than 800 UB resident doctors could go on strike (buffalonews.com)