NEWS ADVISORY
FOR WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2023

WHEN: Picketing from 2-4PM on Wednesday, August 9, 2023.
Media Avail 3:15 to 4 p.m (one-on-one interviews, photos and video ops)

WHERE: The Pines at Poughkeepsie Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation, 100 Franklin St, Poughkeepsie WHO: Healthcare workers, members of 1199SEIU, who work as certified nursing assistants, licensed practical nurses, housekeepers, dietary aides, recreation assistants, and other titles.

WHY: Caregivers at The Pines at Poughkeepsie are picketing to call on their employer to agree to a fair contract that will enhance jobs and improve staffing at the nursing home. Workers at the institution are paid as little as minimum wage, despite the vital role they play in caring for many of the community’s most vulnerable people. Of particular concern are the wholly insufficient 401k benefits which have resulted in many workers being unable to save for a dignified retirement. Picketers will be demanding a real pension similar to what 1199SEIU caregivers enjoy at other area nursing homes and hospitals.

Malcolm Olaker, one of a handful of long-time C.N.A.s at the nursing home said, “Residents can’t receive the continuity and quality of care they deserve, when there is a revolving door of caregivers. And the nursing home can’t retain and recruit a stable workforce, unless they provide retirement benefits that encourage workers to stay. It’s that simple.”

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1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East is the largest and fastest-growing healthcare union in New York and nationwide. We represent over 450,000 total members throughout New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maryland, Florida, and Washington, D.C. Our mission is to achieve quality care and good jobs for all.