Nursing Home Union Workers at Catholic Queens Facility Look to Religious Leaders for Support

April 16, 2012 - PRLog -- -Selfish Employer’s Policies Hurting Workers and Putting Patient Care at Risk

Queens, New York – Over 400 nursing home workers at Ozanam Hall in Bayside, Queens are looking to religious leaders in the area for support in their fight against illegal changes in working conditions, as well as bad faith contract bargaining by the Home.  The workers, members of UFCW Local 342, work as CNAs (Certified Nursing Assistant,) LPNs (Licensed Practical Nurse,) Housekeeping, Dietary, Service and Maintenance, Activities and Clerical staff.  One of the main issues on the table is fair wage increases for the members, who have not had a raise in over two years since the contract expired.  In addition to refusing to give fair wage increases, the Home has also intentionally violated contract terms by cutting workers’ hours and not covering sick calls.  These actions have caused understaffing, as well as a severe drop off in the home’s ability to care for the patients.  

The union and Ozanam Hall have been bargaining since 2010.  However, a fair agreement has not yet been reached in part because the Home has continuously claimed that they are financially strapped.  Unfortunately for the Home, making this claim gave the union the legal opportunity to review Ozanam Hall's financial records.  Once this financial review was completed, the union's accounting report found that not only is Ozanam Hall not suffering from a financial crisis, but in fact, the Home has money available in reserve accounts.  Additionally, the Home is seeking concessions from the workers in the form of wage freezes and reduction of benefits, using their false financial status as a basis for their demand for give-backs.  

Currently, Local 342 is only seeking a fair living wage increase for the members, with back pay for the last two years, and for all other contract language and protections to remain untouched.  These are reasonable demands that will help the members survive as the cost of living rises, and also allow them to provide patients at the Home the care that they deserve.  In an attempt to point out the misdeeds of this facility, the union and its members have reached out to religious leaders in the area for support.  Heartfelt letters and video testimonials from the members regarding deteriorating working conditions and patient care concerns were recently sent out to help raise awareness of the religious community to these issues.  “We love these patients and want to give them the care that they need, but the Home’s new policies are not letting us do this,” said Charlie Doheny, a union member who has worked at the Home as an LPN for 39 years.  “If they do not give us our hours back and also give us a fair wage increase, not only will we not be able to properly support the patients in the Home, but we will not be able to support our own families either,” Doheny concluded.