FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 30, 2022
Contact: Karen Gownley, 717-805-6070; karen.gownley@seiuhcpa.org
Nursing home workers at several homes reach agreements, but others vote to send strike notices
Workers at Guardian-owned nursing homes reach strong agreement, but 4 more Comprehensive and Priority-owned homes send strike notices for unfair labor practices, joining 14 homes set to still strike.
Pennsylvania: Workers at several Guardian-owned nursing homes in Pennsylvania reached a tentative contract agreement, ending unfair labor practice strike plans at those facilities and setting a precedent that collaboration between workers and employers benefits all. See the full joint release from Guardian and SEIU Healthcare PA here. 10 of the homes covered by the agreement had been scheduled to strike on September 2nd. More details about the agreement will be available in the coming days.
However, on the heels of that agreement four more nursing homes have sent Unfair Labor Practice strike notices. Those homes, owned by Comprehensive Healthcare and Priority Healthcare, are set to begin their strike September 9th. They will join the 14 homes beginning their strike on September 2nd.
Those workers continue to demand accountability for the $600M in public funds nursing homes received in the state budget, 70% of which is to be spent on staffing and bedside care.
Accountability to these companies in particular is significant. Despite civil and criminal investigations into facilities connected to Comprehensive, owners continue to acquire new nursing homes in Pennsylvania. 15 facilities linked to the ownership are subject to ongoing litigation over wage theft involving hundreds of employees, and some have been fined $8.7 million by regulators over quality violations and also been suspended from the Medicare or Medicaid programs 56 times over quality issues.
“Nursing home workers are doing whatever it takes to hold these employers accountable,” said Matthew Yarnell, President of SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania. “Workers came together with legislators, the Governor and the nursing home industry associations earlier this year to secure this investment into staffing and care to get a handle on the crisis and begin the reform we need. As the largest healthcare workers union in the state, we expect those funds to be used as intended, and know our communities and legislators expect the same.”
Click here for a map of Comprehensive and Priority-owned nursing homes starting their strike on September 2nd:
| The Grove at New Castle
The Grove at Irwin The Grove at Harmony The Grove at Washington Fairlane Gardens Rose City Health and Rehab The Gardens at East Mountain |
The Gardens at Easton
The Gardens at Wyoming Valley The Gardens at Blue Ridge The Gardens at West Shore The Meadows at York Terrace The Meadows at Stroud Shenandoah Heights |
Workers beginning their strikes on September 9th are from:
The Meadows at Camp Hill,
The Meadows at Gettysburg,
Murrysville Health and Rehab,
Meyersdale Health and Rehab
SAVE THE DATE:
Friday September 2nd, 11:00am
Nursing home workers rally on the picket lines with allies, supporters and elected leaders. (additional details to come):
| The Grove at New Castle
The Grove at Irwin The Grove at Harmony The Grove at Washington Fairlane Gardens Rose City Health and Rehab The Gardens at East Mountain |
The Gardens at Easton
The Gardens at Wyoming Valley The Gardens at Blue Ridge The Gardens at West Shore The Meadows at York Terrace The Meadows at Stroud Shenandoah Heights ### |