For Immediate Release

Contact: Mindy Berman, 518.229.0486

MEDIA ADVISORY FOR: TUESDAY, MARCH 21

1199SEIU Healthcare Workers at Albany’s Hudson Park Nursing Home Take to the Streets for the 3rd Time in Five Months

For-Profit Owners and Investors, Upstate Services Group, LLC, Refuse to Provide Affordable Health Benefits to Healthcare Workers

What: Informational Picket*

Who: 1199SEIU healthcare workers, (C.N.A.s, recreation aides, dietary laundry and housekeeping workers), elected officials, clergy, community and labor allies

Where: 325 Northern Blvd, Albany

When: TODAY, Tuesday, March 21 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Interviews and photo opportunities available at the site throughout the day

Background:

In 2011, when Upstate Services Group (USG) took over the former Julie Blair Nursing Home, a financially struggling facility, the workers, members of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, sacrificed their comprehensive and affordable healthcare benefits for what they were told was the sake of keeping open the nursing home. USG, LLC is well known for taking over struggling financially strapped nursing homes in upstate New York and cutting staff benefits, as well as the total workforce to balance the budget. USG bid to take over the Albany County Nursing Home in 2013, but was ultimately rejected.

Six years later, the facility is in good financial health and the workers, who are in contract negotiations, have been trying, to no avail, to negotiate better health benefits. The employer has refused to even consider a more affordable health benefits package. Currently, only 37 workers can afford to purchase the insurance offered by the employer.

“We had good health insurance before new owners took over. It has been too long without affordable benefits. The deductibles and copays are so much, I just don’t go to the doctor when I need to. That’s not good for me or the residents.” Gena Ferguson, C.N.A.

“Just one illness can bankrupt your family. That is all it takes. I can’t afford the family health insurance benefits they offer here. Even if I we get a raise, the health benefits would just take it right out of my pocket.” Radcliffe McPherson, Cook

“I’ve worked here a long time and it is getting harder and harder to get by. If I didn’t have to pay so much for health insurance, I wouldn’t have to juggle my bills every month. Health benefits take up most of my spending.” Inell Edney, C.N.A.

“Before this owner, we were still Julie Blair Nursing Home and we had good health benefits. People did not leave as much then. Now people leave as soon as they can get a job with affordable health benefits.” Deborah Touzin, Housekeeping

“If we had the Greater New York Benefit Fund, I wouldn’t have to go to the Health Exchange to get health insurance. And what will happen to me if the Affordable Care Act is repealed and there is no exchange?” Marina Blackwood, Housekeeping

“I work hard here and I still have to be on my mother’s insurance, because I can’t afford what the employer has. As a healthcare worker, I deserve to have health benefits so that I can go to the doctor and get prescriptions. I need to stay healthy. What will happen to me when I can’t be on my mother’s insurance anymore?” Portia Depass, C.N.A.

Issues on the picket line:

Recent calculations indicate 46% staff turnover at Hudson Park this past year. It's well documented that staff turnover has a significant impact on continuity of care, which nursing home residents and their families depend on.

One of the reasons workers leave is because Hudson Park offers inadequate and unaffordable health benefits. All nursing home workers require good health benefits so that they are not sick when caring for residents, many who have weak immune systems.

The 1199SEIU negotiating committee has saidtime and again that a fair contract with affordable health benefits will go a long way in reducing staff turnover. But, there has been no contract settlement, health benefits remain too expensive, there are outstanding unfair labor practices, and staff continues to leave, aggravating the already high turnover rate.

*An informational picket is not a strike. No labor is withheld and no services are disrupted. An informational picket is intended to inform the public that an employer is being unfair. Workers participate on their own time, when they are not being paid by the employer, for instance, off-shift, at lunch or on a day off.

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.