CORTLAND, N.Y. – Employees at the Crown Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation in Cortland are planning an informational picket to protest what they say is a failure by management to increase standards in the nursing home and share the burden of rising insurance costs.
More than 100 workers at the nursing home began new contract negotiations in May but have been unable to come to an agreement, union representatives said in a press release.
“We don’t want an agreement that moves us backward,” Marie Manwarren, an LPN at Crown Center, said in a statement. “Leaving us to bear the burden of increasing healthcare costs is not fair, and that doesn’t even take into account the rising cost of living!”
Workers have been frustrated with the pace of negotiations and disappointed with the lack of progress toward an agreement, according to Allison Krause, communications coordinator for 1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East.
Employees say they will inform the community "of the relationship between improved worker standards and better quality care for residents."
If employees are unable to come to agreement early next week, the picket will be held on Wed., July 22 from 1 - 4 p.m. at the nursing home facility on Kellogg Road.
No strike or work stoppage is planned, union representatives said, and health care workers will participate on off-duty time.
We will update this story if we receive comment from officials at the nursing home.
