(LEWISTON, NEW YORK) - Unionized Nursing Home Workers employed at Ascension Living at Our Lady of Peace in Lewiston have voted unanimously to authorize a one-day Strike.

The Health Care Workers are represented by 1199 Service Employees International Union (SEIU) United Healthcare Workers East and have been working without a contract since December 31st (2021) when their 16-month contract expired.

Caregivers employed at Our Lady of Peace are Registered Nurses (RNs), Nurse Assistant, Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA)-Rehabilitation, Certified Rehabilitation Aide, Direct Care Nurse (Graduate PN), Environmental Services Operator, Housekeeping Aide, Laundry Aide, Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), Maintenance Technician, Nurse Assistant Student, Nutrition Services Aide, Nutrition Services Cook, Cook's Assistant, Porter/Dishwasher, Recreational Aide, Registered Staff Nurses, Senior Housekeeping Aide and Unit Attendants.

This month, dozens of Workers participated in an informational picket to call attention to St. Louis, Missouri-based Ascension Living’s lack of competitive wages.

The facility’s Workers believe securing competitive wages will help to recruit and retain Caregivers at the Niagara County nursing home.

“We are striking to help our residents,” LPN Jacqulyn Vincent said. “We need more Staff and we can’t get more Workers without decent wages and benefits.”

The Caregivers plan to Strike to protect quality care for the nursing home’s residents.

“When we don’t have enough Staff, residents don’t get that extra attention that they need - they can feel neglected at times,” LPN Krista Diez said. “Right now, we only have enough Staff to meet basic needs, not the extras that our residents love.  Our residents’ mental health suffers if they don’t have that extra face to face time with us.  They need human interaction and we can’t provide that if there aren’t enough of us.”

“We can’t get people to come work for low wages,” Maintenance Technician Daniel Martinucci said. “Our wages are really low compared to other nursing homes in Western New York.  If Ascension is serious about staffing our local nursing home properly, they need to improve the wage scale.”

Wages offered by Ascension Living are not keeping up with nursing home wages that are offered in other such facilities across Western New York, said Union Officials, who added unit closures have not alleviated the current staffing crisis at the Niagara County facility.  Ascension Living at Our Lady of Peace started closing units in November 2020.  In addition, bed closures have lowered the amount of available beds in the rural community, they added.

According to the U.S. Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Lewiston facility is currently 48% occupied, which is well below the 83% New York State average, 1199 SEIU Representatives said.

Meanwhile, the Union has asked a Federal Mediator to join talks in hopes of reaching an agreement.

“We are doing everything we can to avoid a strike,” 1199 SEIU Vice President Grace Bogdanove said. “However, we cannot ignore the staffing crisis at Our Lady of Peace, or the fact that Ascension Living has closed down three units.  Ascension Living must offer competitive wages that will recruit and retain Health Care Workers.  This will help to remediate the staffing crisis so Workers can spend more time caring for their residents.”

Both sides are slated to return to the bargaining table on Wednesday, March 2nd.

If no agreement is reached, more than 150 Health Care Workers will hold a one-day Strike following negotiations outside the Lewiston facility.

1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East - whose mission is to achieve quality care and good jobs for all, is the largest and fastest-growing Health Care Union in the United States - representing more than 400,000 Nurses and Caregivers throughout the States of New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Maryland and Florida, as well as in Washington, D.C.