nursing homes

The around 170 members of SEIU 1199 at Safire Rehabilitation in Tonawanda and Williamsville Suburban Care Center have signed a one-year deal.

Following a coordinated series of one-day strikes earlier this summer, workers at seven Western New York nursing homes have secured new contracts, but workers at two others are now set to go on even longer strikes.

At nursing homes across Western New York this week, workers clad in purple shirts and equipped with yellow flags can be found marching and chanting. Their biggest ask? A $15 starting rate for those who repair, cook and clean for the facilities.

Over 1,000 Western New York nursing home workers across 10 facilities are set to go on one-day strikes this week for higher wages.

The state law, which was approved in 2021, requires every facility to maintain daily staffing hours equal to 3.5 hours of care per resident per day by a certified nurse aide, licensed practical nurse or registered nurse. The law also requires nursing homes to spend at least 70% of revenue on direct resident care, and at least 40% of revenue on resident-facing staffing.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said Tuesday that she's putting together a team of independent experts to look into the state’s nursing home policies during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when thousands of elderly residents died.

Most prospective and active care workers are low-income women of color balancing family commitments and multiple jobs. So unpaid training can be a barrier for them to join the field, while tuition costs can be a barrier to eventually advancing to higher-paid care positions.

After a failed sale to a for-profit provider, Weinberg Campus officials say they have no plans to find another buyer and are committed to continuing to operate the over-century-old campus as an independent nonprofit.

New York nursing homes will see a Medicaid reimbursement rate increase under the new state budget passed over the weekend, but they argue it's still not enough.

Lewiston nursing home workers, who held a one-day strike last month, have a new contract.