1199SEIU Filed Unfair Labor Practice Against University of Rochester for Bargaining in Bad Faith As Hundreds Of People Sign Public Petition Demanding That URMHC President & CEO Greg Hutton Settle Fair First Contract 

Upstate, NY – President & CEO of University of Rochester Medicine Homecare declines meeting with 1199SEIU leaders regarding contract talks, deferring questions to inexperienced leaders and hired attorney at bargaining table. 1199SEIU filed an Unfair Labor Practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) against University of Rochester alleging the largest private sector employer in Upstate is bargaining in bad faith. University of Rochester Medicine Homecare leaders reluctantly returned to negotiations Saturday communicating with workers only through the federal mediator and not across the table as customary during contract talks.   

University of Rochester Medicine Homecare 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. Both parties are scheduled to resume talks Tuesday and Thursday at 3:30 PM on 14 outstanding economic issues. URMHC did not offer any dates for contract talks next week citing scheduling issues, which is highly unusual at this stage of negotiations - yet another example of this employer’s stall tactics.

Last week, 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. Since its launch just days ago, nearly 250 people have signed the public petition urging University of Rochester leaders and its Board of Directors to settle a fair contract. 

University of Rochester’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. 

“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.

“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^[1] of Human Resources^[2] and Christine Garcia, Human Resource Manager previously worked at LiDestri Foods and other non-healthcare employers. 

University of Rochester Medicine Home Care prides itself on providing manageable^[3] caseloads to ensure quality care yet remain at odds with homecare workers who say otherwise and do not have leaders at the table who understand needs of healthcare workers. High case loads and job demands result in workers leaving home care.^[4]

After eight months, progress from University of Rochester management’s side continues to be sluggish following a change in negotiators. Peter Jones[5] 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^[6] 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.^[7]

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.[8]URMHC recently announced that Greg Hutton would take over as President & CEO.^[9]

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.^[10]

In December, 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 should talks continue to stall over economic issues. 

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.    

On background:

In September, more than two dozen professional home care workers marched through University of Rochester’s Strong Memorial Campus^[11] 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^[12] 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^[13] 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^[14] and held a 4-day strike earlier this year in Buffalo^[15]. Residents recently settled their contract fight^[16] over low pay, healthcare, and retirement benefits.^[17] 

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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] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rw9p_q_APUU
^[2] Sarah Miller - UR Medicine Home Care | LinkedIn
^[3] Careers - UR Medicine Home Care - University of Rochester Medical Center
^[4] Careers - UR Medicine Home Care - Current Opportunities - University of Rochester Medical Center (pageuppeople.com
^[5] Peter Jones, labor and employment law lawyer, Bond, Schoeneck & King, Syracuse, New York (bsk.com)
^[6] Ur Medicine Home Care Certified Services Inc - Nonprofit Explorer - ProPublica
^[7] Board of Directors - About UR Medicine Home Care - University of Rochester Medical Center
^[8] UR Medicine Home Care CEO retires | News | fltimes.com
^[9] (1) Facebook
^[10] History - About UR Medicine Home Care - University of Rochester Medical Center
^[11] Home care workers march to office of URMC president as negotiations continue - WHEC.com
^[12] Over 1,000 URMC workers return to work following 1-day strike - WHEC.com
^[13] University of Rochester grad students looking to unionize (spectrumlocalnews.com)
^[14] Meet the doctors behind the UB resident physician union (buffalonews.com)
^[15] UB resident physicians begin strike | News 4 Buffalo (wivb.com)
^[16] UB resident physicians reach contract agreement with UMRS | News 4 Buffalo (wivb.com)
^[17] More than 800 UB resident doctors could go on strike (buffalonews.com)