Caregivers Demand For-Profit Owners Negotiate A Fair Contract That Invests in Workers And Improves Working Conditions 

 

WHO:  The Pearl Nursing Center workers 

 

WHAT: Press Conference

 

WHEN: Wednesday, February 11, 2026 from 11:30 AM-11:45 AM only

 

WHERE: The Pearl Nursing Center at 1335 Portland Ave, Rochester, NY 14621

 

WHY?:  The union contract covering more than 80 union workers at The Pearl Nursing Center expired more than nine months ago on April 30, 2025.  Caregivers have been working without a contract ever since as negotiations between union and management stall. Caregivers are represented by 1199SEIU, the largest healthcare workers union in the country. 

 

“I want to provide the care my residents deserve but it’s hard to do that without enough staff and supplies we need to do our jobs properly. We want to help maintain the health and safety of our residents,” said Rondell Myles, Certified Nurse Assistant.

 

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

 

According to Medicare.gov, The Pearl Nursing Center of Rochester is owned by Jacob Abramczyk, Naftoli Abramczyk, Gabriel Platschek, Sima Shapiro, and Scott Wheeler but day to day management is done by We Care Centers. 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 the owners as Efraim Siegfried, Yaakov Geldzahler, and Chaim Ausch.

 

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

 

The Pearl Center for Nursing management has not offered a new date to resume bargaining at this time.

 

Other Rochester area nursing home workers are also fighting for union contracts. The contract covering 1199SEIU members at Rochester Regional’s Unity Living Center^[3] expired July 31, 2025. Last week, workers unanimously voted to authorize their committee to issue a 10-day notice to picket if settlement could not be reached soon. Unity Living Center workers are set to return to bargaining February 18th.  

 

Union nursing home workers at Unity Living Center in Rochester work as Certified Nursing Assistants, Licensed Practical Nurses, Activity Aides, Unit Secretaries and Physical Therapy Aides. 

 

 

 

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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.