1199SEIU and Schoellkopf Health Center reach 3-Year Tentative Agreement
April 30, 2025
Contract talks for nearly 4,000 unionized workers at 26 different nursing homes in Allegany, Cattaraugus, Erie, and Niagara Counties Continue As Workers Around Region Began Strike Authorization Votes Today
WHO: Schoellkopf Health Center Nursing Home Workers, Nursing Home Administrator, Elected Officials
WHAT: Press Conference
WHEN: Wednesday, April 30, 2025 at 11:00 AM-11:15 AM
Schoellkopf Health Center, 621 10th St, Niagara Falls, NY 14301
WHY?: 1199SEIU and caregivers at Schoellkopf Health Center in Niagara Falls will celebrate reaching a 3-year Tentative Agreement, averting an informational picket set for tomorrow.
Both union members and management came to a tentative agreement late this afternoon. The agreement if ratified, could establish a new standard in the WNY nursing home industry. Union members will have a chance to review the agreement and a chance to vote tomorrow.
“We are proud to share that Schoellkopf Health Center was the first nursing home in the region to reach a settlement with 1199SEIU. This agreement was a deliberate step to demonstrate our continued commitment to delivering exceptional care and to supporting our valued staff who make that possible.
Our belief that investing in our Licensed Practical Nurses, Certified Nursing Assistants, and all members of our nursing home team is fundamental to the future of the Schoellkopf Health Center. By doing so, we are positioning ourselves as leaders in employee treatment and workplace culture locally in the long-term care sector.
We know that recruitment and retention of high-quality, compassionate staff are critical to the care we provide. This agreement strengthens our ability to attract dependable professionals and to retain those who already make a meaningful difference in our facility each day.
We are grateful for the collaboration with SEIU and to all those involved in reaching this agreement and proud to continue setting a standard that reflects the values of our organization,” said Marisa E. Prokop, LNHA, MHA, BSW, Administrator at Schoellkopf Health Center.
The 3-year agreement reached with Schoellkopf Health Center in Niagara Falls includes some of the best benefits to help recruit and retain staff in the region. The agreement includes newly negotiated weekend differential, increased shift differential and preceptor pay. Schoellkopf will offer service workers $16.75-$22.54 per hour, Certified Nurse Assistants (CNA), $20-$26.91 per hour and Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) $30-$40.36 per hour based on experience. In addition, if ratified nursing home workers will get a general wage increase of 4.5%-5.5% in years 2 and 3, resulting in an average wage increase of 28% over three years. In addition, Schoellkopf agreed to increased pension contributions and employer contributions towards dental and optical insurance coverage for caregivers.
Caregivers will also be able to take advantage of a newly added 1199SEIU Childcare Benefit Fund. The Childcare Fund is a union benefit to support members and their families by providing quality benefits, academic and personal development programs for children and youth up to age 17. The new benefit is the first of its kind offered outside of Rochester and New York City.
Caregivers across four counties of WNY continue the growing call for improved staffing levels, comprehensive benefits, and fair and living wages in long-term care facilities. This week’s new pickets come as workers across Western New York are shining a light on the dire need to improve staffing levels to protect quality care for the most vulnerable in our communities. Union members began strike authorization votes today.
More bedside caregivers and service workers at two different facilities in Buffalo and Tonawanda plan pickets this week as contracts for many expire April 30 at midnight. Caregivers will participate in informational picketing outside their facilities before/after work or during their lunch or break time next week. This week, caregivers in Salamanca, Eden, and Springville took to the picket lines in front of their long-term care facilities demanding improved staffing levels. Nearly 4,000 caregivers at 27 nursing homes in four counties are represented by 1199SEIU, the largest healthcare workers union in the country.
Nursing home worker unrest in the WNY region continues as caregivers call on nursing home owners, the NYS Department of Health, and elected officials to make changes to improve staffing levels. While, New York has a staffing law in place, it is very difficult to ascertain if fines are being issued and if changes are happening to improve staffing as many worker accounts dispute any staffing improvements as a result of the law[1].
This month, nursing home workers at Our Lady of Peace, Absolut Care at Gasport, Newfane Rehabilitation and Health Center, Comprehensive at Williamsville, Safire Care of North Towns, and Williamsville Suburban Care Center marched in front of their long-term care facilities this week to demand better from their employers.
Caregivers at every picket are drawing attention to staffing levels in area homes. Workers at Newfane Rehabilitation & Nursing held signs saying: “2 Aides for 52 residents,” as they marched and chanted in front of their rural Niagara County facility last week.
Protests over staffing levels have now taken place at 21 different homes across WNY. This week, caregivers at Eden Rehabilitation & Nursing[2], Salamanca Rehabilitation & Nursing, and Fiddlers Green Manor picketed in front of their long-term care facilities. Earlier this month, workers from Buffalo Center, Ellicott Center, Grand at Delaware Park, Elderwood at Lockport, Elderwood at Williamsville, Autumn View Manor, Seneca Manor, Garden Gate Manor, North Gate, Houghton Rehabilitation & Nursing Center, Dunkirk Rehabilitation & Nursing Center, and Gowanda Nursing Home participated in pickets calling on for-profit nursing home operators to improve staffing levels at the facilities by offering workers quality benefits and fair and living wages at the homes in Erie and Niagara counties.
Thousands of nursing home workers participating in the campaign are fighting for fair and living wages, quality affordable health insurance benefits, and pension improvements that will recruit and retain more workers to provide care for residents. Workers believe that a comprehensive benefits package including quality health insurance, training and education, and a childcare fund will improve staffing levels at area nursing homes.
Union members work as Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, Certified Nurse Assistants, Occupational Therapists, Speech/Language Pathologists, Physical Therapists, Dieticians, Social Workers, Occupational Therapy Assistants, Licensed Physical Therapy Assistants, Environmental Service Workers, Maintenance Workers, Dietary and Food Service Workers, Housekeeping & Laundry Workers, Clerical Workers, and Unit Clerks.
The pickets held this month signal the start of a bigger struggle for thousands of Western New York nursing home workers. Caregivers held marches on the boss at five different sites to demand better from their employers.[3] The video of workers marching on the boss at Ellicott Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing has now been viewed more than 52,000 times as workers put a face to the need for improved staffing in a Buffalo nursing home owned by Bronx-based Centers Healthcare.
“I enjoy interacting with my residents. We need more supplies and more staff to help care for them and that’s why we are picketing,” said Linda Fuller, Certified Nurse Assistant at Buffalo Center for Rehabilitation.
“I’m fighting for better insurance,” said Sean Turpin, Certified Nurse Assistant at Gowanda Nursing Home.
1199SEIU filed unfair labor practice charges against two of the largest for-profit WNY Nursing Home chains for bargaining in bad faith, with one refusing to negotiate at all.[4] 1199SEIU filed unfair labor practice charges against both Elderwood and McGuire group. Once McGuire Group agreed to negotiate with the union starting Monday, April 14, the charge was dismissed.
Nursing home workers are part of an historic campaign that includes 27 different long-term care facilities in Erie, Niagara, Allegany, and Cattaraugus Counties. Of the facilities in contract talks, 24 are for-profit and 3 are not-for profit. There are common owners at 15 long-term care facilities including: RCA Group, Centers Healthcare, Elderwood Group, McGuire Group, Personal Healthcare, and the Sherman Family.
Negotiations for most began late February. Union contracts covering a majority of the nursing homes are set to expire April 30, 2025, with the exception of the two Elderwood facilities whose contract already expired. For-profit owners of Elderwood implemented their last, best, and final offer. Elderwood cut daily overtime, threatening adequate staffing on evening and overnight shifts, and changed the workers’ health insurance coverage.
“Elderwood cut off our daily overtime. A lot of facilities don’t offer daily overtime to help with staffing and it attracted people to work here. When management took that away, some people quit – it was a perk and people were depending on it. It’s time for us to unite and stand together as one and that’s why we will picket,” said Lois Lovett, Certified Nurse Assistant at Elderwood at Williamsville.
“Elderwood has bargained in bad faith by implementing sub-par wages and benefits without a mutual agreement with workers and refusing to come to the table to engage in contract talks,” said Grace Bogdanove, 1199SEIU Vice-President for WNY Nursing Homes. “Until just earlier this month, the McGuire group was also refusing to bargain, further delaying much-needed wage and benefit increases that would provide for the recruitment and retention necessary to adequately staff these 4 homes,” said Bogdanove. “Just a couple years after the pandemic, these for-profit owners seem to have forgotten the sacrifice made by healthcare workers, and the continued sacrifices caregivers make on behalf of the residents they care for. These workers must also care for themselves and their families and need fair living wages and benefits to do so. As we proceed with contract negotiations at 27 facilities, we plan to engage in informational picketing at various locations to inform our communities about the critical issues that caregivers are fighting for," said Bogdanove.
Staffing levels are key sticking point in contract talks. According to CMS data reported January 1, 2025, Buffalo Center,[5] Ellicott Center[6], Elderwood at Lockport, and Elderwood Williamsville[7] all had total number of nurse staff hours rated below the national and state averages and workers are speaking out to demand improved staffing levels.
Informational pickets will be held at the following facilities from 1:30 PM-3:30 PM:
Wednesday, April 30th
• Schofield Residence, 3333 Elmwood Ave, Tonawanda, NY 14217
Thursday, May 1st
• Humboldt House, 64 Hager St, Buffalo, NY 14208
Nearly 4,000 union nursing home members participating in the campaign provide care at:
• Absolut Care of Allegany – Professional & Technical
• Absolut Care of Aurora Park - Professional & Technical
• Autumn View Manor
• Buffalo Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing
• Comprehensive Rehabilitation and Nursing Center at Williamsville
• Dunkirk Rehabilitation & Nursing Center
• Eden Rehabilitation & Nursing Center
• Elderwood at Lockport
• Elderwood at Williamsville
• Ellicott Center for Rehabilitation & Nursing
• Fiddlers Green Manor
• Garden Gate Manor
• Gowanda Nursing Home
• Houghton Rehabilitation & Nursing Center
• Humboldt House Rehabilitation & Nursing Center
• Newfane Rehabilitation & Health Center
• North Gate Manor
• Our Lady of Peace
• Safire Rehabilitation of Northtowns
• Salamanca Rehabilitation & Nursing Center
• Schoellkopf Health Center
• Schofield Residence
• Seneca Manor
• The Grand at Delaware Park
• Williamsville Suburban Care Center
On background:
The workers’ fight is part of a broader and more systemic problem facing many nursing homes in New York State. Most of the for-profit nursing home groups in WNY reported a loss in 2022[8] but at the same time many racked up millions and millions of dollars in related party transactions.
Related party transactions are a way for nursing homeowners to pay related companies they have ownership or interest in for services provided to the nursing home they own such as laundry, pharmaceuticals, and staffing.[9] The New York State Department of Health issued guidelines that owners must publicly disclose any related companies that provide services to a long-term care facility. Because the NYS DOH have not created a website to implement a standard uniform reporting system, some nursing homes are disclosing some of the required information on their websites.
According to 2022 NYS Cost Reports, Elderwood nursing homes reported a net loss of $2.6 million dollars while paying related companies they own $5.5 million dollars for services rendered at homes across WNY. Between 2020 to 2022, Elderwood at Williamsville withdrew $4.5 million dollars from nursing home operations.[10] The owners of 15 Elderwood facilities are Dr. Jeffrey Rubin and Warren Cole.[11] Both Rubin and Cole are also owners of Elderwood Administrative Services, Elderwood Development, LLC and Elderwood Staffing Solutions[12], a staffing agency.[13]
Centers Healthcare, a Bronx-based company is one of the largest nursing home operators in New York and New Jersey[14]. In 2024, New York Attorney General accused owners and related parties of intentionally understaffing facilities impacting quality of care for residents,[15]resulting in a $45 million settlement. Centers Healthcare is co-owned by Kenneth Rozenberg and Daryl Hagler. Buffalo Center[16] and Ellicott Center[17] are controlled and managed by Centers for Care LLC doing business as Centers Health Care.
Kenneth Rozenberg is majority owner of each facility’s operating entity.[18] The lawsuit brought by Attorney General James also alleged that Centers Healthcare owners withdrew $83 million dollars through related party transactions meant for patient care.[19]
In 2022, the owners of Gowanda Rehabilitation reported $1.2 million dollars in related party transactions to companies they own. According to NYS Department of Health, owners and operators of the southern tier facility are Esther Baarth, Batia Zagelbaum, Yoel Zagelbaum and Chaya Walden[20].
According to NYS Cost reports, the 4 McGuire Group nursing homes reported $17 million in financial losses but paid related party companies they own more than $25 million in services billed to facilities.[21] The sole owner of the McGuire Group is Long Island native, Edward Farbenblum[22].[23]
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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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[1] health.ny.gov/facilities/nursing/minimum_staffing/
[2] https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Gtuj7kB4Y/
[3] https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1AtsheFDfR/, https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1ACbJrwW5E/, https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1EKtFobVVP/, https://www.facebook.com/share/v/15hsKURWcx/, https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1BmFu9Hve6/
[4] Why one of WNY's largest nursing homes is only 66% full
[5] Find Healthcare Providers: Compare Care Near You | Medicare
[6] Find Healthcare Providers: Compare Care Near You | Medicare
[7] U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Care Compare, Nursing Homes Including Rehab Services, Staffing, Elderwood at Lockport and Elderwood at Williamsville, last visited on 4/8/2025 and available online at: https://www.medicare.gov/care-compare/
[8] New York State, Department of Health, 2022 RHCF Cost Reports
[9] Nursing homes will soon have to report deals with 'non-arms length' companies
[10] NYS DOH, 2018-2022 RHCF Cost Reports, search on 15 Elderwood Facilities, at Exhibit B, Statement of Changes in Fund Balances, Equity or Net Assets, at Unrestricted Withdrawals of Equity (column 1806, line 16).
[11] New York State Department of Health, Health.Data.NY.Gov, Nursing Home Profile, NH_Operator_members, Last Updated on 3/13/2025, last visited on 4/8/2025 and available online at: https://health.data.ny.gov/Health/Nursing-Home-Profile/dypu-nabu/about_data
[12] Elderwood Staffing Solutions Elderwood Careers
[13] Empire Center for Public Policy, Publications, Nursing Home Financial Reporting, Related Company ownership, last visited on 4/8/2025 and available online at: https://www.empirecenter.org/publications/nursing-home-database-salaries/
[14] Get in Touch with Centers Health Care | Centers Health Care
[15] Office of the New York State Attorney General, Press releases, Attorney General James Sues Owners and Operators of Four Nursing Homes for Financial Fraud and Resident Neglect, June 28, 2023, https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2023/attorney-general-james-sues-owners-and-operators-four-nursing-homes-financial
[16] NYS DOH Nursing Home Profiles, Buffalo Center: https://profiles.health.ny.gov/nursing_home/view/150794
[17] NYS DOH Nursing Home Profiles, Ellicott Center: https://profiles.health.ny.gov/nursing_home/view/150364
[18] NYS Health Profile: Buffalo Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing
[19] New York nursing home operator to pay $45 million over claims it stole funds, neglected care | Reuters
[20] NYS Health Profile: Gowanda Rehabilitation & Nursing Center
[21] New York State, Department of Health, 2022 RHCF Cost Reports
[22] NYS DOH, Public Health and Health Planning Council, Agenda, VS Servicer at Beacon LLC d/b/a
Taconic Rehabilitation and Nursing at Beacon, Project # 222053, at Program Analysis, March 27th, 2025, last visited on March 26, 2025 and available online at: https://health.ny.gov/facilities/public_health_and_health_planning_council/meetings/2025-03-27/docs/agenda.pdf
[23] New CEO named to oversee McGuire Group, Absolut Care, VestraCare networks - Buffalo Business First