THE YEAR IN REVIEW
Working in the healthcare profession, many 1199ers continued to battle the effects of COVID-19 in their institutions throughout 2021 despite the arrival of the vaccine early in the year. After being loudly praised as heroes in 2020, many also faced tough battles with management at the bargaining table to preserve their wages and benefits. But as 1199SEIU members have done for more than six decades now, they showed their strength across all our regions by standing together.
1. Planned Parenthood – NY 1199ers at Planned Parenthood of Greater New York (PPGNY) – joined by prominent elected officials -- staged informational pickets at four clinics across New York City in January. The action came after management proposed givebacks to the workers health plan just as the devastating second wave of COVID-19 was taking hold around the city. In the end, after many months at the table, members won a healthcare cost guarantee along with wage increases in April. 2. Highland Park – Upstate After a labor dispute that lasted almost two and a half years, and involving multiple worker protests, including a 3-day strike, members
at Highland Park Nursing Home in Wellsville, NY, voted to ratify their first union contract in February. The 3-year contract includes a 6.75% wage increase and members will now receive sick and personal days, and increased employer-provided contributions to their retirement. 3. Invest in Quality Care – NY Decades of campaigning for laws aimed at improving staffing levels in nursing homes culminated in a major political victory in April. That’s when 1199 nursing home members in New York State celebrated the passage of the strongest staffing legislation in the nation.
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November/December 2021
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