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Strike threatened at nursing home

Saturday, August 20, 2005
Trenton Times

PLAINSBORO - Workers at the Pavilions at Forrestal plan to go on strike Aug. 30 if a new pact is not reached with nursing home management.

Service Employees Union 1199, which represents about 130 workers at the nursing home, formally notified management yesterday that its workers intend to go on strike, a union spokesman said. Workers have remained on the job without a contract since March 31.

The union represents nursing assistants, licensed practical nurses, dietary aides and clerical workers.
Union spokesman Roy Garcia said workers at the home seek a living wage and affordable heath insurance. The union is trying to negotiate a contract that would gradually increase the wage for certified nursing assistants to $11 per hour over a four-year period, he said.

"The nursing assistants provide 80 to 90 percent of the hands-on care, but they can't take care of their own families," Garcia said.

The union, which represents workers at 70 nursing homes across the state, is trying to standardize wages for nursing home workers. Of the 45 nursing homes the union has been in negotiations with this year, 38 have agreed to raise the minimum starting wage, Garcia said.

A spokesman for the nursing home could not be reached for comment last night.

Health workers protest budget cuts
Staffers fear risks to quality of care at nursing homes

Friday, June 03, 2005
BY SUSAN K. LIVIO
Star-Ledger Staff

Several hundred health care workers jammed West State Street in Trenton yesterday to demand that lawmakers restore $33 million in nursing home funding to the proposed state budget, or risk jeopardizing the safety and care of thousands of frail seniors citizens.

Acting Gov. Richard Codey's 2006 budget plan spends $33 million less on nursing homes by not adjusting rates for inflation, and by reducing the amount of money that nursing home operators are compensated for some services, state Treasury spokesman Tom Vincz confirmed.

The impact of the cut would be doubled, protesters said, because the state would lose a corresponding $33 million in matching funds from the federal government.

New Jersey's 52,000 nursing home residents will feel the impact when workers no longer have the time to spend with them, and as turnover increases because workers cannot afford to live on "poverty-level" wages of roughly $7 to $10 an hour, the protesters said.

"Quality care is not about dressing and feeding and bathing our residents -- it's an emotional connection," Bridget Carter, a certified nursing assistant in Ridgewood, told the crowd.

"When I see the big smiles in the morning, I know my job is really appreciated. It would break my heart," Carter said, if that bond suffered because working conditions at the nursing home worsened.

Kathleen Gianforcaro told the crowd that it means a lot that her 99-year-old mother, who has dementia, is cared for by nursing home workers whom "we know and love" because they've been around for years. She told how one certified nurse's aide brought her mother a pair of earrings that didn't cost more than 50 cents, "but to me and my mother, they were priceless."

Codey's budget is subject to revision by the Legislature, which must approve a final budget by June 30. Vincz said the acting governor's proposal balances the need to "find economies while preserving vital services." He declined to comment on whether the money might be restored, as similar cuts were restored last year.

Although a reggae band and prayers from a minister lifted the mood of the midday Statehouse rally, many workers said they feel betrayed by lawmakers because revenue from a new nursing home tax that passed last year was used to help bail the state out of its fiscal mess.

The Nursing Home Quality of Care Improvement Fund Act brought in $80 million in new federal funding for nursing homes, said Roy Garcia, spokesman for Service Employees International Union Local 1199, which represents the nursing home workers. The budget cut largely negates that tax's benefit, the protesters said.

"You in good conscience cannot say you are cutting the budget and doing the right thing," the Rev. Jethro James, pastor of Paradise Baptist Church in Newark, said in addressing state lawmakers. "If you keep living, you're going to get old, too."

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Nursing home coalition protests budget cuts

By LILO H. STAINTON
Gannett State Bureau
June 3, 2005
Courier News (Somerset County)

TRENTON -- Chanting "Stop the cuts!" some 300 nursing home workers, residents and family members rallied on the Statehouse steps Thursday to protest a budget proposal they said will harm caregivers and senior citizens across New Jersey.

"Whenever the state is looking to make some money, they pick on the most vulnerable," said Miriam Dickman, an activist from Union County, over a boisterous, emotional crowd toting blue-and-white signs urging lawmakers to "protect seniors."

The coalition that organized the rally, United for Quality Care, said the 350 nursing homes in the state would receive $66 million less next year in state and federal funds if the budget is approved unchanged at month's end. The reduction will further stretch the state's 20,000 overworked caregivers, the group said.

"If the caregivers are working short staffed, the majority of the residents will suffer," said Stelle Les, a wheelchair-bound resident of Holly Manor Nursing Home in Mendham. "Nursing home cuts equal poor quality of care."

State officials said the $27.4 billion budget proposed for the fiscal year that begins July 1 funds nursing home rates at current levels, which means that senior care facilities will get $23.4 million less than they expected, and cuts a separate reimbursement by $6.5 million. This triggers a loss of federal funds, since the U.S. government provides $1 dollar for nursing homes for every $1 dollar New Jersey spends.

"The governor worked very hard to craft a budget that included no cuts to the state's most vulnerable residents," said Kelley Heck, a spokeswoman for acting Gov. Richard J. Codey. "Unfortunately, given our current fiscal situation we weren't able to provide increases as much as we would have liked."

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Protests erupt over budget proposal
NURSING HOME WORKERS RALLY ON STATEHOUSE STEPS
BY LILO H. STAINTON
GANNETT STATE BUREAU
Published in the Asbury Park Press 06/3/05

TRENTON - Chanting "Stop the cuts!" some 300 nursing home workers, residents and family members rallied on the Statehouse steps Thursday to protest a budget proposal they said will harm caregivers and senior citizens across New Jersey.

State officials said the $27.4 billion budget proposed for the fiscal year that begins July 1 funds nursing home rates at current levels, which means that senior care facilities will get $23.4 million less than they expected, and cuts a separate reimbursement by $6.5 million. This triggers a loss of federal funds because the U.S. government provides a dollar for nursing homes for every dollar New Jersey spends.

Protesters also warned the proposed changes would wipe out gains made last year, when similar rallies prompted lawmakers to abandon millions in planned cuts.

"We've taken two steps forward, and now we're prepared to take one step back," said Milly Silva, president of Service Employees International Union 1199, which represents caregivers, housekeepers, dietary aides and other nursing home workers.

Certified nursing assistants such as Josephine Ortiz of the Victoria Health Care Center in Matawan earn between $7 and $10 an hour and provide daily care - bathing, dressing, feeding and some socializing - for up to 15 patients. Kitchen and laundry workers earn around $6 an hour.

Bridgett Carter, an aide at a Bergen County facility, choked with emotion when saying: "Nursing home residents, they worked hard and fought to build this country . . . They deserve quality care."

Strikers locked out of nursing home
Victoria House workers seeking wage increases

INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER
August 31, 2005
BY MICHELLE ROSENBERG
Staff Writer

SCOTT PILLING staff Divino Estella and Jorge Samaniego sit on strike in front of the Victoria House Nursing Home. Members of the SEIU 1199 New Jerseyunion are asking for what they refer to as a living wage and affordable health care.
After five days of striking and picketing, roughly 60 union workers were locked out of the Victoria House Nursing Home in Matawan on Sunday.

The workers, who are all members of the SEIU 1199 New Jersey Union, attempted to go back to work on Sunday at 6 a.m., but said they were told they would be arrested if they did not leave the building.
“When we asked [the owner] if he was locking us out, he said ‘Yes,’ ” Geraldine Morgan, a certified nursing assistant (CNA), said.

An employee at the nursing home declined to comment.
The union workers sent a letter to the nursing home on Friday stating that they would like to come back to work and continue negotiating over contracts. They have asked the nursing home for a minimum of $10 an hour for dietary aides and $11 for CNA’s, along with more affordable healthcare.

The strike was supposed to be for five days, and the union sent management a letter stating that, said Josephine Ortiz, a CNA.

“We didn’t know we were going to be out of a job - we thought it was only going to be five days,” Morgan said.
Dennis Alessi, an attorney representing the nursing home, faxed a letter to the union stating that the request received was inconsistent, and therefore they had to decline the offer given. The letter also said that they would continue to work with replacements, along with any union worker who chose to cross the picket line and come back into the building.

The union workers attempted to return to care for their residents, but say they were cornered by police and management and told to leave the building.

“I felt like a criminal,” Tangerla McElroy, a dietary aide, said.
Police officials in Matawan could not be reached for comment on the matter.
The workers said they wanted to go back to work because of the residents.
“I’m very concerned. You grow to love them. There’s some beautiful people in there,” McElroy said.
The union workers said they were concerned about what was happening inside the home. McElroy said that when she left to go on strike, there was no air conditioning and the dishwasher was broken. She said they were told to wash the dishes by hand, which can be unsanitary.

“The building is pretty, but what’s going on in there is not,” McElroy said.
The residents are currently being cared for by a temporary replacement staff.
Matawan Mayor Bea Duffy said that when the borough was first alerted to the strike, she went to the nursing home to ensure that the residents would be properly cared for. Duffy said she was assured by management that all the residents would be taken care of.

The Home’s letter to the union also stated that beginning Sept. 6, they would start to hire permanent replacements.
The union workers are prepared to continue fighting for what they call living wages and affordable health care.
“We’re going to stay out here. We aren’t going anywhere,” McElroy said.
“We are going to stand 120 percent behind these workers, and the community will stand behind these workers to ensure they get livable wages, affordable health care, and their jobs back,” Roy Garcia, the union’s communication director, said.

STRIKE GOES ON
Union's report criticizes nursing home

Published in the Asbury Park Press 08/31/05

BY JUSTIN VELLUCCI
KEYPORT BUREAU

MATAWAN — As a nursing home employee strike at Victoria House entered its second week Tuesday, union organizers staged a multi-pronged attack on conditions inside the privately owned Route 79 facility.

In a 10-page report, Service Employees International Union Local 1199 criticized the 150-bed nursing home and its owners for what it called inadequate staffing levels and numerous "resident care violations." The union says it wants management to increase wages, improve healthcare benefits and adhere to fair labor practices for approximately 65 certified nursing assistants, dietary aides and housekeepers it represents at Victoria House.

The facility's management on Tuesday again declined to comment on the situation.
Management's silence on the issue has not seemed to calm the striking workers, who have been demonstrating outside the nursing home day and night for the past week. On Tuesday, union workers were joined by the wife of a Victoria House resident and a registered nurse from the facility who is not a member of the union.

"I do understand the gravity of the situation," said Les Joseph, a Matawan resident and Victoria House registered nurse. "I came out because I feel it's important for the public to know it's not safe (inside the facility)."

Joseph also criticized the temporary workers who management has hired to replace striking employees, calling them unprofessional and saying there weren't enough of them to help care for residents.

Nathan Rudy, a spokesman for the state Department of Health and Senior Services, said his agency continues to visit and monitor Victoria House and has received no complaints from residents or the families of residents since the strike started. Though he declined to characterize living conditions in the facility, he said residents were receiving adequate care.

The Matawan facility received average to below average marks on a "nursing home report card" provided on the department's Web site. In that document, Victoria House received a total score of 75 out of a maximum 100 and was below the total state average score of 91.47.

Workers picket over low wages
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Trenton Times

By BRIAN X. McCRONE Staff Writer

PLAINSBORO - She has been working at the Pavilions at Forrestal nursing home for more than seven years, but Valerie Zielinski said she makes just a dollar more now than the $7.25 she made when hired.

"It's ridiculous," Zielinski, of Burlington Township, said while picketing yesterday in front of the large nursing home and rehabilitation center. "I think I've had two (salary) increases in 7 1/2 years."

Others like her were among a group of 30 certified caregivers who protested yesterday hoping to raise awareness about what they called "terribly low wages" and "currently no health insurance" at the nursing home on Windrow Drive.

"It's ironic that they work in health care but don't have any," said Roy Garcia, a spokesman for their statewide union.

Negotiations between the union, SEIU 1199 New Jersey, and the Plainsboro nursing home and rehabilitation center have left the 130 caregivers at the home without a contract since March, Garcia said.

The stalemate has also meant no health insurance the past few months because of a dispute between the union and the center over who owes $380,000 in past due insurance premiums, union officials said.

Worse yet, workers said, the nursing home has hired replacement workers in case of a strike who make more money than the permanent employees.

They're making $11.50 an hour," facility employee Beverly Couture of Trenton said. "I've been here four years and am still making the starting salary of a CNA (certified nursing assistant)."

But union officials and the caregivers insist they do not want to strike because it would jeopardize the very patients they tend to every day.

"They're going to continue to work," Garcia said. "They need to take care of mothers, fathers, grandmothers . . . These caregivers are having to work 16 or 17 hours a day, two jobs and still can't make ends meet."

Though at its worst at the Pavilions at Forrestal nursing home, Garcia said, many caregivers across the state get "poverty wages," which he defined as a salary below $10 an hour.

John S. Pilek, executive director of Pavilions at Forrestal, said in a statement that the union last week "increased its demands and asked for more than its previous offer," again stalling negotiations.

"Their actions throughout this matter have been frustrating and disappointing," Pilek said. "Especially when we have made a very attractive economic offer including wage increases of 12 percent over the life of the agreement to all our employees."

The caregivers' union, SEIU 1199 New Jersey, represents more than 7,000 health care professional statewide.

Locked out, worked up
Wednesday, August 24, 2005

By DOUGLASS CROUSE
THE RECORD
STAFF WRITER

WAYNE - Workers seeking better pay and benefits demonstrated outside the Wayne View Care Center on Tuesday after they said their employer locked them out.

Chanting, banging drums and shaking cans, about a dozen employees at a time marched across the nursing home's entrance off Route 23 as passing motorists and two police officers watched.

Union organizers had been planning an "informational picket" for Tuesday. But when they showed up for work, many employees said, they were barred from the building. Certain others were allowed to work and replacements were brought in by administrators to make up the difference, local President Milly Silva said.

By law, all health care centers must provide for uninterrupted care of patients, which can include hiring replacement workers. In a letter faxed to Silva on Monday, an attorney for Wayne View wrote that the nursing home had taken that step in response to the union's notice of a possible strike.

The union is asking that all food and housekeeping workers at the 170-bed facility receive a starting salary of $10 an hour, and that certified nursing assistants receive $11 an hour. Currently, they receive between $8 and $10 an hour, Silva said. The union is also requesting full health insurance coverage at no cost to the workers.

A reporter tried to speak with officials in the Wayne nursing home's office but was told to leave by police. A woman who later answered the phone said she had no comment and hung up. A call to an administrator at the Matawan facility was not returned.

Marjorie, a certified nurse assistant who declined to give her last name, said she'd been working at the center for 15 years and receives an annual salary of $21,000. That barely covers her living expenses, she said.

"If you want any [medical] insurance, all the costs have to come from our salary," she said. "It's really unfair for someone to work in a health care facility and not have health care."

The workers belong to the Service Employees International Union 1199 NJ, which represents 7,000 members statewide in 45 nursing homes. Organizers have been trying to standardize pay scales for workers in those nursing homes and have reached agreements with all but seven, Silva said.

Workers went on strike Tuesday at the Victoria House home in Matawan, which has the same owner as Wayne View.

In arguing for raises, organizers in Wayne pointed to state legislation passed last year that freed $80 million in federal funds to improve nursing home care.

Last Wednesday nursing home administrators called police when Passaic County Freeholder Lois Cuccinello showed up to deliver a copy of a Freeholder Board resolution in support of the workers.

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