Photos and video footage here and here.

Caregivers at 5 for-profit facilities braved heavy rains to protest alleged bad faith bargaining and threats and intimidation by employers

Upstate, NY - Nursing home workers at 5 for-profit long-term care facilities in Western New York continue their weeklong strike, protesting unfair labor practices at Elderwood and McGuire Group facilities. Caregivers alleged bad faith bargaining and coercive tactics^[1] by their employers.  Workers at the five area for-profit nursing homes are part of a larger campaign involving now twenty-one different facilities in Upstate Western New York. Caregivers are represented by 1199SEIU, United Healthcare Workers East. 

Despite rain and divisive employer tactics, caregivers continue picketing daily from 8AM-4PM as strikes enter day three at:

· Absolut Care of Gasport, 4540 Lincoln Rd, Gasport, NY 14607
· Elderwood at Lockport, 104 Old Niagara Rd, Lockport, NY 14094
· Elderwood at Williamsville, 200 Bassett Rd, Williamsville, NY 14223
· North Gate Manor, 7624 Nash Rd, North Tonawanda, NY 14120
· Garden Gate Manor, 2365 Union Rd, Cheektowaga, NY 14227 

Nursing home workers participating in unfair labor practice strikes are protesting 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.

“Management is intimidating people to not come out and strike. They’re making them think our jobs are in jeopardy,” said Sheila Nicholson, LPN at Garden Gate Manor in Cheektowaga. 

One caregiver in particular has a family member inside the facility and the employer has yet to allow her to visit. This caregiver is on the union negotiating committee. “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.

 Elderwood management allegedly texted bargaining unit employees telling them the strike ended, and they needed to return to work. 

 Dedicated caregivers can be seen outside of Elderwood at Lockport pleading for owner Dr. Jeffrey Rubin^[2] to speak with them while on strike. 

 “I would tell Dr. Rubin and them, they should probably try to trade places with us. See how they do in the conditions we deal with, the short staffing and the people that are getting taken care of. We’re in here day in and day out, taking care of them like they’re our own families,” said Angel Hillman, Housekeeping Aide at Elderwood at Lockport.

 “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.  The 7-day unfair labor practice strikes will end Tuesday, May 27 at 5:59 AM unless tentative agreements can be reached before that date. 

The following 5 bargaining units continue their strikes at:

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.

Caregivers are set to return to bargaining with the McGuire group tomorrow at 9:00 AM. 

Earlier this week, 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 this month. 

1199SEIU continued to bargain last week making progress with employers at multiple facilities. 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.

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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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.
https://www.1199seiu.org

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^[1] The McGuire Group | National Labor Relations Board
^[2] NYS Health Profile: Elderwood at Lockport