MIAMI, FL – On the heels of strikes at 19 Consulate Health Care facilities, caregivers, represented by 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East – Florida (1199SEIU Florida), are back on the job but are still fighting to make their voices heard.
As a result, the union has launched a paid media campaign to shed light on Consulate’s dismal record in Florida and the low wages paid to healthcare workers who care for the elderly and those living with a disability. Ironically, Consulate posted banners offering to pay $18 an hour to temporary caregivers during the strike.
“If they have the money to pay temps more than we get paid, they have the money to meet our demands,” said Kim White, a certified nursing assistant at Lake Mary Health and Rehabilitation Center. “We have all the experience and the knowledge that new recruits do not have. It is unfortunate that Consulate does not care or value the loyal employees that take care of their residents every day.”
Caregivers have been advocating for better conditions for residents and fellow employees since last year, but Consulate executives have not addressed their concerns. Low wages can have serious consequences for nursing homes residents, because high rates of worker turnover can interrupt continuity of care and compromise quality of care, which can put residents at risk. More than 1,000 workers took to the strike line on April 14 to voice their concerns and displeasure with management, and they are ready to strike again, if needed.
Consulate executives are cutting vital corners on resident care. Sixty-five percent of Consulate’s nursing homes are rated “below average” or “much below average” by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, representing some of the lowest performance scores in the nation. More than one-third of Consulate homes were fined for neglecting to safely care for residents over the past three years. Read more in this report about Consulate.
Consulate is the sixth-largest long-term care provider in the nation and the largest in Florida. It is largely funded by tax dollars via Medicaid and Medicare, which is most often the case in the nursing home industry. While generating significant funds from taxpayer dollars, the nursing home industry has enjoyed five straight years of market growth with revenues exceeding $350 billion annually.
“Consulate is double-dipping from taxpayers’ pockets, primarily through Medicaid and Medicare, to get rich. They are cutting hours and staffing to increase their profits, forcing employees to apply for public assistance because they don’t pay enough,” says Clara Smith, Orlando area director for 1199SEIU Florida. “Consulate is not at the heart of caring as they claim to be, and they are prioritizing their profits, while compromising the quality of care provided to our loved ones. If providing quality care really mattered to Consulate, quality jobs for their caregivers should be a priority.”
LIST OF CONSULATE NURSING HOMES IN FLORIDA THAT HELD STRIKES ON APRIL 14 AND PHOTOS:
South Florida
Miami (photos) - Franco Nursing & Rehabilitation Center - 800 NW 95th Street, Miami, FL 33150
Hollywood (photos) - Hillcrest Health Care and Rehabilitation Center - 4200 Washington Street, Hollywood, FL 33021
West Palm Beach (Photos)
Consulate Healthcare of West Palm Beach - 1626 Davis Road, West Palm Beach, FL 33406
Renaissance Health and Rehabilitation - 5065 Wallis Road, West Palm Beach, FL 33415
Orlando and surroundings (Photos)
Consulate Health Care at West Altamonte - 1099 West Town Parkway, Altamonte Springs, FL 32714
Consulate Health Care of Kissimmee - 2511 John Young Parkway North, Kissimmee, FL 34741
Plantation Bay Rehabilitation Center - 4641 Canoe Creek Road, St. Cloud, FL 34769
Rio Pinar Health Care - 7950 Lake Underhill Road, Orlando, FL 32822
Lake Mary Health and Rehabilitation Center - 710 North Sun Drive, Lake Mary, FL 32746
Rosewood Health and Rehabilitation Center - 3920 Rosewood Way, Orlando, FL 32808
The Parks Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center - 9311 South Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando, FL 32837
Southwest Florida (Photos)
Coral Trace Health Care - 216 Santa Barbara Blvd. Cape Coral, FL 33991
Consulate Health Care of North Fort Myers - 991 Pondella Rd, North Fort Myers, FL 33903
Sarasota & Hillsborough (photos)
Spring Hill Health and Rehabilitation Center - 12170 Cortez Blvd., Brooksville, FL 34613
Bay Breeze Health and Rehabilitation Center - 1026 Albee Farm Rd, Venice, FL 34285
Space Coast
Oaktree Healthcare - 640 Reed Canal Road, South Daytona, FL 32119
Vista Manor - 1550 Jess Parrish Court, Titusville, FL 32796
Grand Oaks Health and Rehabilitation Center - 3001 Palm Coast Parkway SE, Palm Coast, FL 32137
Flagler
The Palms Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center - 5405 Babcock Street NE, Palm Bay, FL 32905
1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East Florida represents more than 25,000 nurses and healthcare workers throughout Florida and more than 400,000 workers across Massachusetts, New York, Maryland, New Jersey and Washington, D.C., 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East is the largest and fastest-growing healthcare union in America. Our mission is to achieve affordable, high quality healthcare for all. 1199SEIU is part of the 2.1 million-member Service Employees International Union. For more information, please visit www.1199seiu.org/florida.`
As a result, the union has launched a paid media campaign to shed light on Consulate’s dismal record in Florida and the low wages paid to healthcare workers who care for the elderly and those living with a disability. Ironically, Consulate posted banners offering to pay $18 an hour to temporary caregivers during the strike.
“If they have the money to pay temps more than we get paid, they have the money to meet our demands,” said Kim White, a certified nursing assistant at Lake Mary Health and Rehabilitation Center. “We have all the experience and the knowledge that new recruits do not have. It is unfortunate that Consulate does not care or value the loyal employees that take care of their residents every day.”
Caregivers have been advocating for better conditions for residents and fellow employees since last year, but Consulate executives have not addressed their concerns. Low wages can have serious consequences for nursing homes residents, because high rates of worker turnover can interrupt continuity of care and compromise quality of care, which can put residents at risk. More than 1,000 workers took to the strike line on April 14 to voice their concerns and displeasure with management, and they are ready to strike again, if needed.
Consulate executives are cutting vital corners on resident care. Sixty-five percent of Consulate’s nursing homes are rated “below average” or “much below average” by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, representing some of the lowest performance scores in the nation. More than one-third of Consulate homes were fined for neglecting to safely care for residents over the past three years. Read more in this report about Consulate.
Consulate is the sixth-largest long-term care provider in the nation and the largest in Florida. It is largely funded by tax dollars via Medicaid and Medicare, which is most often the case in the nursing home industry. While generating significant funds from taxpayer dollars, the nursing home industry has enjoyed five straight years of market growth with revenues exceeding $350 billion annually.
“Consulate is double-dipping from taxpayers’ pockets, primarily through Medicaid and Medicare, to get rich. They are cutting hours and staffing to increase their profits, forcing employees to apply for public assistance because they don’t pay enough,” says Clara Smith, Orlando area director for 1199SEIU Florida. “Consulate is not at the heart of caring as they claim to be, and they are prioritizing their profits, while compromising the quality of care provided to our loved ones. If providing quality care really mattered to Consulate, quality jobs for their caregivers should be a priority.”
LIST OF CONSULATE NURSING HOMES IN FLORIDA THAT HELD STRIKES ON APRIL 14 AND PHOTOS:
South Florida
Miami (photos) - Franco Nursing & Rehabilitation Center - 800 NW 95th Street, Miami, FL 33150
Hollywood (photos) - Hillcrest Health Care and Rehabilitation Center - 4200 Washington Street, Hollywood, FL 33021
West Palm Beach (Photos)
Consulate Healthcare of West Palm Beach - 1626 Davis Road, West Palm Beach, FL 33406
Renaissance Health and Rehabilitation - 5065 Wallis Road, West Palm Beach, FL 33415
Orlando and surroundings (Photos)
Consulate Health Care at West Altamonte - 1099 West Town Parkway, Altamonte Springs, FL 32714
Consulate Health Care of Kissimmee - 2511 John Young Parkway North, Kissimmee, FL 34741
Plantation Bay Rehabilitation Center - 4641 Canoe Creek Road, St. Cloud, FL 34769
Rio Pinar Health Care - 7950 Lake Underhill Road, Orlando, FL 32822
Lake Mary Health and Rehabilitation Center - 710 North Sun Drive, Lake Mary, FL 32746
Rosewood Health and Rehabilitation Center - 3920 Rosewood Way, Orlando, FL 32808
The Parks Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center - 9311 South Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando, FL 32837
Southwest Florida (Photos)
Coral Trace Health Care - 216 Santa Barbara Blvd. Cape Coral, FL 33991
Consulate Health Care of North Fort Myers - 991 Pondella Rd, North Fort Myers, FL 33903
Sarasota & Hillsborough (photos)
Spring Hill Health and Rehabilitation Center - 12170 Cortez Blvd., Brooksville, FL 34613
Bay Breeze Health and Rehabilitation Center - 1026 Albee Farm Rd, Venice, FL 34285
Space Coast
Oaktree Healthcare - 640 Reed Canal Road, South Daytona, FL 32119
Vista Manor - 1550 Jess Parrish Court, Titusville, FL 32796
Grand Oaks Health and Rehabilitation Center - 3001 Palm Coast Parkway SE, Palm Coast, FL 32137
Flagler
The Palms Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center - 5405 Babcock Street NE, Palm Bay, FL 32905
1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East Florida represents more than 25,000 nurses and healthcare workers throughout Florida and more than 400,000 workers across Massachusetts, New York, Maryland, New Jersey and Washington, D.C., 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East is the largest and fastest-growing healthcare union in America. Our mission is to achieve affordable, high quality healthcare for all. 1199SEIU is part of the 2.1 million-member Service Employees International Union. For more information, please visit www.1199seiu.org/florida.`
