MEDIA ADVISORY

CONTACT: Mindy Berman | 518.229.0486
Stuart Marques | 917.273.6194 (Queens
Allison Krause | 315.679.6032
Cara Noel | 646.617.7844 (Brooklyn)

WHAT: Frontline nursing home workers at 36 long term care facilities across the state will hold silent and solemn vigils, expressing their grief and concern. Members of 1199SEIU, who work for some of the biggest for-profit nursing home networks on the East coast and beyond, are facing similar challenges whether they are upstate, in the Hudson Valley or the metropolitan region. They include:

• Short-staffing
• Lack of appropriate PPE
• Refusal by their corporate employers to acknowledge the risks and sacrifices that are being made during the COVID-19 crisis, the failure to recognize the grief and loss being experienced by caregivers, and the unwillingness to provide crisis pay

WHEN/WHERE: THURSDAY, MAY 21

Photo opportunites and interviews will be available at these locations

New York City

1 PM: Holliswood Center for Rehabilitation and Healthcare, 195-44 Woodhull Avenue, Hollis, Queens

3 PM: Downtown Brooklyn Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, 727 Classon Ave, Brooklyn

Long Island

3:30 PM: Luxor Nursing and Rehabilitation at Mills Pond, 273 Moriches Road, St. James

3:30 PM: St. James Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center, 275 Moriches Road, St. James

3:30 PM: The Grand Pavilion For Rehab & Nursing, 41 Maine Avenue, Rockville Center

3:30 PM: Rockville Skilled Nursing & Rehab Center, 50 Maine Avenue, Rockville Center

Hudson Valley

3 PM Northern Riverview, 87 South Route 9W, Haverstraw

3 PM Sapphire at Goshen, 46 Harriman Drive, Goshen

3:30 PM: The Grand at River Valley, 140 Main Street, Poughkeepsie

Capital Region

3 PM: Glens Falls Center, 152 Upper Sherman Ave, Queensbury

Utica

2:30 PM: Oneida Center for Rehab and Nursing, 1445 Kemble St, Utica

Rochester

3:30 PM: Brighton Manor, 989 Blossom Rd, Rochester

This is a silent vigil. There will be no chanting and no milling around. Photo opportunities are available within the first 30 minutes of the start. The vigil will follow all public health laws that have been instituted during the pandemic. All participants will be wearing masks and will be standing at least 6 ft to 10 ft apart.

Under these circumstances, it may not be possible to interview the participants face to face. However, 1199SEIU can arrange phone/Zoom/etc. interviews by request, either before or after the vigil. (518.229.0486 or 917.273.6194)

1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East is the largest and fastest-growing healthcare union in America. We represent over 450,000 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. For more information: http://www.1199seiu.org/ Please check out https://1199onthefrontlines.org/