Last evening, Thursday, September 10, after hours of negotiations, the 1199SEIU members at Fiddlers Green Manor Nursing Home in Springville, NY reached a tentative contract settlement with the owner of the nursing home. This would be the workers’ first collective bargaining agreement. The contract cannot take effect until it is ratified by union members on Monday, September 14 and Tuesday, September 15. Details of the agreement will be made available after the final ratification vote on Tuesday.
“Quality standards for nursing home workers means quality care the residents. That’s what these negotiations have been about,” said 1199SEIU organizer Kim Gibson, who was at the table for all of the bargaining sessions.
Background: The workers are members of the powerful healthcare workers union, 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East. They are L.P.N.s, C.N.A.s, activities aides, housekeeping, dietary and maintenance workers and unit clerks. Their jobs entail the care of frail, elderly and vulnerable residents who live at the nursing home. The workers voted to become union members earlier this year on January 30 and the bargaining unit was certified by the NLRB on February 10.
Until last night, they had been trying to negotiate a contract since February, without a settlement in sight. At last week’s negotiations, union members voted to empower their bargaining committee to issue a strike notice, if there was no progress at the following session. The tentative agreement reached last night, on September 10, means that a strike has been averted.
Fiddlers Green was purchased by a group of downstate NY for-profit investors after the previous owner, Colin Hart, declared bankruptcy. That sale was approved in October, 2013. Hart continues to be the nursing home’s administrator and attended bargaining sessions. The new owners, related to the owners of the Absolut Care Nursing Chain, have been purchasing other nursing homes. The purchase of upstate NY nursing homes by downstate private investors and corporations appears to be a trend in the industry.
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.
“Quality standards for nursing home workers means quality care the residents. That’s what these negotiations have been about,” said 1199SEIU organizer Kim Gibson, who was at the table for all of the bargaining sessions.
Background: The workers are members of the powerful healthcare workers union, 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East. They are L.P.N.s, C.N.A.s, activities aides, housekeeping, dietary and maintenance workers and unit clerks. Their jobs entail the care of frail, elderly and vulnerable residents who live at the nursing home. The workers voted to become union members earlier this year on January 30 and the bargaining unit was certified by the NLRB on February 10.
Until last night, they had been trying to negotiate a contract since February, without a settlement in sight. At last week’s negotiations, union members voted to empower their bargaining committee to issue a strike notice, if there was no progress at the following session. The tentative agreement reached last night, on September 10, means that a strike has been averted.
Fiddlers Green was purchased by a group of downstate NY for-profit investors after the previous owner, Colin Hart, declared bankruptcy. That sale was approved in October, 2013. Hart continues to be the nursing home’s administrator and attended bargaining sessions. The new owners, related to the owners of the Absolut Care Nursing Chain, have been purchasing other nursing homes. The purchase of upstate NY nursing homes by downstate private investors and corporations appears to be a trend in the industry.
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.
