Nearly 175 people gathered at the corner of Delaware Avenue and Allen Street in downtown Buffalo, NY for an informational picket in support of the workers pursuing a fair labor agreement at McGuire Health Group.



“I’m out here picketing today because I’m disappointed with our lack of progress at the negotiation table and management always wants us to give up things,” said Patty Meckas, an LPN at Autumn View Nursing Home for over 26 years. “Caring for the sick and elderly is very hard work. The hours are long and the monetary rewards are few, but we do it because we care. New York State has given McGuire 5 star rating for excellent quality care. It's because of our hard work and long hours! It's because, we the workers always go above and beyond to care for our residents. We are the stars in McGuire’s five star rating.”







Duane Diggs, President of VOICE Buffalo, a coalition of faith based organizations dedicated to organizing around issues of economic and social injustices, said, “The work of providing care to the sick and elderly is difficult, stressful and requires a lot of responsibility. The folks that work in this field deserve to be paid an equitable wage, they deserve to be able to send their children to good schools, to have recreational time with their families, and they deserve to have health care benefits to take care of themselves. They serve the same things that the owners of this company expect!”







“The workers here take care of the most vulnerable in our community, yet McGuire wants to short change them by cutting wages and benefits,” said Andy Reynolds, Coalition for Economic Justice organizer. “We are ready to get more people in the community involved in this fight and inform the public of this injustice, and fight back until McGuire bargains a fair contract for these workers!”







Angela Blue, President of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, testified that, “I have an 87 year old aunt in the nursing home. I know for a fact that if wasn’t for the hard work of the workers who show up day in and day out, that she wouldn’t be doing as good as she is today, and I want to say thank you. You should be rewarded, not making more sacrifices.







Union members covered by the agreement work at Autumn View Health Care, Garden Gate Health Care, Northgate Health Care, and Seneca Health Care Center. Both parties will return to the bargaining table on Friday, June 1.