On the morning of September 2, hundreds of nursing home workers walked out on their jobs. Contract negotiations began September 1 and did not come to a resolution even into the early hours of the next day. An update on the nursing home strikes was sent out by the Director Of Communications at SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania, Karen Gownley, saying strikes began on September 2 and rallies will be held around 11:15 a.m. at The Gardens at Blue Ridge, The Gardens at West Shore, and the Rose City Health and Rehab.

Gownley says no healthcare worker ever wants to strike. The goal would be to come to an agreement where the $600M form state funding would go into staffing, bedside care, raise job standards tackling the staffing crisis, and to get better care for the residents that they deserve.

“Our goal has always been - and continues to be - to get a fair contract that invests in this entire workforce and will meaningfully address the staffing crisis,” said Matthew Yarnell, President of SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania. “But the offers on the table still fall short – Comprehensive and Priority are failing to create the kind of wage scales we’ve been able to achieve with other providers. These workers have been underpaid and disrespected for far too long, and it’s both them and the residents they care for who suffer.”

The facilities currently set to strike:

• The Grove at New Castle
• The Grove at Irwin
• The Grove at Harmony
• The Grove at Washington
• Fairlane Gardens
• Rose City Health and Rehab
• The Gardens at East Mountain
• The Gardens at Easton
• The Gardens at Wyoming Valley
• The Gardens at Blue Ridge
• The Gardens at West Shore
• The Meadows at York Terrace
• The Meadows at Stroud
• Shenandoah Heights

In a statement from The Gardens at Blue Ridge, there were eleven bargaining sessions with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) total.

The initial offer that Blue Ridge extended to their employees included the following:

• Wage increases of as much as $4.00 an hour for some categories.
• Certified Nurses Aides were offered over 29% in increases, based on years of experience. That means many CNAs will be earning over $20.00 per hour this year.
• Licensed Practical Nurses were offered over 17% in increases, based on years of experience.
• Cooks, based on years of experience, were offered over 28% in increases.
• An Employer Health Plan with better benefits and reduced monthly premiums, which significantly lowers the employee’s out-of-pocket cost on co-pays and medications.

Blue Ridge also stated

Instead of embracing wage increases for their members, the Union made demands regarding neutrality and other terms which have nothing to do with the employees. We will not stop caring about our employees and will continue to provide necessary services to our residents. We hope the Union and its leadership will work with us and stop proposing items which have absolutely nothing to do with the employees.

Blue Ridge said that they did not want their employees to follow the Union and leave their jobs.

However, Blue Ridge released that they are still fully staffed and providing care to their residents.

At this time, there has been no additional dates set up to bargain, however, Gownely says workers remain hopeful they can get back to bargaining at the table quickly.