Caregivers Win Childcare Fund Benefits, Up to 17.5% Wage Increases, And More To Help Recruit And Retain Healthcare Workers

 

Rochester, NY – After more than a year of contract talks, unionized nursing home workers at The Pearl Center for Nursing in Rochester overwhelmingly voted to ratify a three year labor deal last week.

 

In February, union workers, resident families, community advocates, and elected officials took to the streets outside of The Pearl Nursing Center in a demand for improved working conditions.  

 

The union contract covering more than 80 union workers at The Pearl Nursing Center expired last April.  Caregivers are represented by 1199SEIU, the largest healthcare workers union in the country. 

 

“This was a lengthy fight.  We finally won a contract that recognizes our years of dedication to the facility, stronger dignity and respect language, and improvements to on the job training. With the wage increases we won, we will retain experienced staff and recruit more staff to provide the best care to our residents,” said Lisa Moton, Certified Nurse Assistant.

 

All Pearl Center nursing home workers were given a 2.5% wage increase last year and with the new union contract they won an additional increase of 2.5% in both the 2^nd and 3^rd years, totaling 7.5%.  In addition to general wage increases, starting rates for newly hired and existing workers will increase from 2.5% to 10% depending on their job title and years of experience.  

 

Rehabilitation Aides were added to the existing bargaining unit of workers covered by the contract and Senior Certified Nurse Assistant positions were newly added with an additional $1.50/hour pay for experience to help streamline care for residents on the floors.  Union workers also won an increase to employer provided pension contributions as well as an increase in paid time off for sick, personal, and vacation.  Additional vacation days were added for long-term employees over 10 years.   

 

Caregivers fought hard to win childcare benefits and they succeeded.  In the third year of the new deal, nursing home workers will automatically join the 1199SEIU Childcare Fund.  The childcare fund is a financial benefit to support members and their families by providing quality benefits for children and youth.  

 

1199SEIU members at The Pearl Nursing Center in Rochester work as Certified Nurse Assistants, Licensed Practical Nurses, Rehabilitation Aides, Cooks, Secretaries, Activities Aides, Laundry Workers, Dietary Workers, Maintenance Workers, and Housekeepers. 

 

The new 3-year labor contract runs through April 30, 2028.
 

According to Medicare.gov, The Pearl Nursing Center of Rochester is owned by Jacob Abramczyk, Naftoli Abramczyk, Gabriel Platschek, Sima Shapiro, and Scott Wheeler.  However, the New York State Department of Health is reviewing a Certificate of Need filed by Brooklyn based Eminent Care Group^[1] to take over operations of the nursing home^[2] in Rochester.  The Certificate of Need cites Eminent Care Group owners as Efraim Siegfried, Yaakov Geldzahler, and Chaim Ausch. Workers report that Eminent Care has taken over day to day operations at the facility. 

 

The Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services notes that The Pearl Nursing Center is a 1 star facility.

 

 

 

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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.