FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: April Ezzell, 1199SEIU Communications (716) 449-1620

 

More than 300 nursing home workers at Weinberg Campus will vote on the 18-month agreement calling off a planned strike, but union still calls on highest paid non-profit leader in WNY and all board of directors to be replaced

Getzville, NY – Nursing home workers at one of the last non-profit facilities in Western New York averted a two-day strike after reaching an 18-month agreement just hours before they were set to hit the picket line. Caregivers at Weinberg Campus planned to protest a poorly managed facility, unpaid benefits, low wages, and staffing levels.  

Their previous labor contract expired October 31, 2023 and caregivers had been working without a contract ever since. Nursing home workers are represented by 1199SEIU, the largest healthcare workers union in the country. 

“We need a fair contract and leadership we can trust will do right by us and the residents we serve,” said Annie Marie Przbysz, Patient Care Assistant/Med Tech, a 26-year employee at the Amherst facility.  

“This tentative agreement with Weinberg is only a small part of the changes needed to ensure long-term viability of the nursing home,” said Grace Bogdanove, 1199SEIU Vice-President for WNY Nursing Homes.  “In recent years, 1199SEIU has advocated for millions of dollars in state funding to ensure the future of this facility in our community. Now, we must continue to call on Weinberg Campus leadership to do right by the healthcare workers, residents, and the broader WNY community by stepping aside to allow Weinberg Campus to take a new direction forward and to restore its reputation as one of the best Senior Living communities in WNY,” said Bogdanove. 
Over the last year, caregivers have fought hard to lobby state officials to secure millions in Vital Access Provider Funding¹ and significant increases to Medicaid Reimbursement² rates for the struggling facility.  “We’ve helped Weinberg win funding from the state and now we won’t accept less than what we deserve,” said John Raczynski, Cook at the facility for more than 23 years. 

Despite additional state funding, Weinberg Campus is behind on payments for employee benefits such as healthcare, pension, and other earned entitlements.Payments to vendors providing these benefits to workers are delinquent.   
A contract ratification vote will be held soon to give workers a chance to review the agreement. If ratified by union members, details of the agreement will be made public. 

Caregivers at Weinberg Campus are Food Service Workers, Maintenance Workers, Cooks, Environmental Service Workers, Housekeeping, Certified Nurse Assistants, Licensed Practical Nurses, Personal Care Aides, Clerical Workers, Home Health Aides, and Community Home Health Aides. 

On background:

CEO Bob Mayer is one of the highest paid leaders in Western New York. In 2022, Robert T. Mayer, President and CEO of Weinberg Campus earned more than $353,000 including salary, pension, and other benefits,³ while some caregivers live paycheck to paycheck. 

As a non-profit, Weinberg Campus is led by a Board of Directors including: Board President Kenneth A. Rogers, Lawrence Cohen, John Craik, Ryan Gellman, Robert Mayer, Monica Neuwirt, and Orrin Tobbe. This is the same board of directors that decided to put a halt to a potential sale to a for-profit ownership group back in 2017.⁴ 

 

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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 Vital Access Providers (ny.gov)

² Tentative deal would raise Medicaid spending in New York (spectrumlocalnews.com)

³ Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service, 2022 Form 990, Rosa Coplon Jewish Home and Infirmary, EIN # 16-0743145, at Schedule J, Part II, Officers, Directors, Trustees, Key Employees, and Highest Compensated Employees, last accessed on 7/22/24 and available online at:  https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/160743145/202430959349300033/full

⁴ How Weinberg Campus plans to remain a nonprofit senior care provider after terminated sale | WBFO