Health Care for All

Background: Nursing home workers at The Manor, members of 1199SEIU, United Healthcare Workers East, have a collective bargaining agreement with the employer, The Grand Healthcare System, effective December 1, 2014 through November 30, 2018. The workers care for frail and vulnerable nursing home residents. Many of the residents who call the facility home have no other family. A number of caregivers have been at this facility for decades, consistently providing the highest level of care and compassion despite a frequently changing ownership/management landscape at the facility. Several owners and administrators have come and gone over the years; the only constant at this facility has been the exemplary level of care provided to the residents.

Over the last several months, the current employer has violated the contract in several instances, despite many discussion and meetings. Among the more troubling concerns are:

• Workers have paid for long–term disability insurance and it’s not available when needed;

• Workers have paid for health insurance, and in several instances it has been unavailable;

• The employer has not been paying overtime according to the provisions of the contract;

• The employer’s time clock is inaccurately recording hours actually worked;

• The employer has not been paying for holiday work according to the provisions of the contract.

Erin Lupumpala, an LPN at the nursing home for more than 10 years said, “The cost of the premiums for health insurance on my end is taken out of my paycheck, per our contract. I went to the doctor and was told I didn’t have insurance, because the employer hadn’t paid the premiums to the insurance company. I couldn’t afford the out of pocket expense and I walked away without receiving the care I needed. The worst part is, I’m not alone in this experience—it has happened to my coworkers.”

“There is a direct connection between the livelihood of healthcare workers and quality care,” explained Vice President Rosa Lomuscio. “How can healthcare workers assist their residents if they are worried about making ends meet at home, or they are sick because they didn’t have insurance?

*Six Albany County legislators, Bryan Clenehan of Guilderland, Allison Lane and Joe O’Brien of Colonie and Raymond Joyce, Noelle Kinsch and Doug Bullock of Albany, have written a letter to the employer, in strong support of the nursing home workers.

1199SEIU represents about 110 healthcare workers at The Manor, including LPNs, CNAs, and dietary and housekeeping employees.

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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.

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