Two new settlements reached late this evening just hours before pickets set to begin, leaving workers to strike in protest of unfair labor practices at major for-profit nursing home chains.

WHO: Nursing home workers at 5 Long-Term Care facilities 

WHAT: Weeklong nursing home strikes to protest unfair labor practices 

WHEN: Tuesday, May 20 at 6:00 AM to Tuesday, May 27 at 5:59 AM

WHERE: 5 for-profit nursing homes 

Media availability at the following locations and times:

• 9:00 AM at Absolut Care of Gasport, 4540 Lincoln Rd, Gasport, NY 14607
• 11:00 AM at Elderwood at Lockport, 104 Old Niagara Rd, Lockport, NY 14094
• 1:00 PM at North Gate Manor, 7624 Nash Rd, North Tonawanda, NY 14120
• 3:00 PM at Garden Gate Manor, 2365 Union Rd, Cheektowaga, NY 14227 

WHY?: Nursing home workers at 5 for-profit long-term care facilities in Western New York are set to begin a 7-day strike tomorrow at 6:00 AM to protest unfair labor practices. Caregivers will protest alleged bad faith bargaining and coercive tactics^[1] at several for-profit chains across Western New York.  Workers at the five area for-profit nursing homes are part of a larger campaign involving now twenty-one different facilities in the region.  Caregivers are represented by 1199SEIU, United Healthcare Workers East. 

Late this evening, 1199SEIU reached two 3-year tentative agreements for nursing home workers at Comprehensive Rehabilitation and Nursing Center at Williamsville and Schofield Residence, bringing the total number of settlements in this campaign to six. Strike notices at those two facilities are now withdrawn as workers will have a chance to review agreements and to vote in the coming days. 

1199SEIU continued to bargain throughout the weekend and today making progress with employers at multiple facilities. Late this evening, just hours before workers were scheduled to hit the strike lines, 1199SEIU withdrew strike notices at four facilities: Newfane Rehabilitation and Health Center, Buffalo Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing, Ellicott Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing, and also The Grand at Delaware Park.  

Nursing home workers participating in unfair labor practice strikes tomorrow will protest alleged bad faith bargaining by for-profit owners of the McGuire Group and Elderwood.  Caregivers will protest nursing homeowners’ refusal to allow union organizing staff access to facilities, threatening and intimidating workers who plan to strike, and implementing last best and final offer on workers without their agreement.

In one instance this week, workers at a McGuire group facility were told if they participated in the strikes, they would not be able to visit loved-ones inside the facility.  “I feel like my family rights are being stripped away from me because I am a union employee,” said Tiffany Mitchell, Certified Nurse Assistant at North Gate Manor in Niagara County.  

 “I feel that they are using our loved ones as a pawn to get us to cross the strike line,” said Carey Ziehm, Certified Nurse Assistant at North Gate Manor. 

“The largest for-profit nursing home chains are unwilling to negotiate contracts that will help to recruit and retain staff and it’s disrespectful to these workers who have sacrificed so much,” said Grace Bogdanove, 1199SEIU Vice-President for WNY Nursing Homes. 

“Some employers are threatening to stop health insurance coverage for employees who opt to strike and attempting to intimidate workers by monitoring those who participate in union meetings,” said Bogdanove. 

1199SEIU has filed Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) charges with National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) on behalf of workers against owners and operators of all five facilities participating in strikes tomorrow.  The 7-day unfair labor practice strikes begin Tuesday, May 20 from 6:00 AM until Tuesday, May 27 at 5:59 AM. Caregivers will not report to work, instead they will walk picket lines daily from 6AM until 6PM daily. Caregivers are participating in Unfair Labor Practice strikes at each facility. 

The following 5 bargaining units begin unfair labor practice strikes next week:

1. Absolut Care of Gasport*
2. Elderwood at Lockport*
3. Elderwood at Williamsville*
4. Garden Gate Manor*
5. North Gate Manor*

In addition to these unfair labor practice strikes, 1199SEIU has filed charges against owners and operators of Absolut Care of Aurora Park (Pros/Tech) and Absolut Care of Allegany (Pros/Tech) alleging bad faith bargaining.  

Union contracts covering a majority of the nursing homes expired 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.  

Nursing home workers are part of an historic campaign that began with 27 different long-term care facilities in Erie, Niagara, Allegany, and Cattaraugus Counties.  Earlier this month, settlements were reached at 4 facilities including:  Safire Care of Northtowns and Williamsville Suburban where as contracts were ratified at Schoellkopf Health Center and Ascension Living at Our Lady of Peace.  Of the facilities remaining in contract talks, 21 are 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.

Last week, 1199SEIU requested a mediator from Public Employee Relations Board (PERB) to join contract talks with the McGuire Group in advance of the strikes set to begin at Absolut Care of Gasport, North Gate, and Garden Gate. Last week, the McGuire Group agreed to the request and the mediator joined contract talks on Friday with Absolut Care of Gasport and then today with 4 McGuire facilities, just hours before strikes are set to begin.

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.

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^[1] The McGuire Group | National Labor Relations Board