Contact: AprilE@1199.org | Cell: (716)449-1620

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Union Healthcare Workers at Alba de Vida and Safepoint Lighthouse met with management to address clinic safety weeks before incident

Buffalo, NY – Last month, union members at the Alba de Vida clinic participated in Labor Management Meetings to address safety planning at the lower west side clinic. The clinic is run by Promesa, Inc, an affiliate of Acacia Network. Healthcare workers felt increasing concern over providing care to patients without added security protections in place and worked with management to add security and safety plans at clinic sites in Buffalo and Dunkirk. Clinic staff are represented by 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East.

“It seemed like the temperature (amongst the clients) was rising, rising, rising, where something needed to be done before something like this happened,” said Dionne Brown, Licensed Practical Nurse. The two security guards who helped save the day today are new. They just hired them,” said Brown.

Workers at the Buffalo and Dunkirk clinic recently organized to join the union and now have a voice in the workplace. In the Labor Management process, workers come forward to identify issues and offer management solutions needed in the workplace to allow them to better serve their patients and the community.

Through the Labor Management process, workers and management agreed to add additional security staff and were able to negotiate safety planning at the clinics. The purpose of Labor Management process is to efficiently resolve worker concerns. The next Labor Management meeting between 1199SEIU members and Promesa, Inc will be on Friday, November 18.

Clinic staff at Promesa Inc, a subsidiary of Acacia Network facilities at Alba de Vida and Safepoint Lighthouse Treatment Center in Dunkirk work as Admission Intake Workers, Licensed Practical Nurses, Certified Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC), and Nurse Practitioners. Acacia Network is the largest Hispanic-led nonprofit human services agency in New York State.

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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