(WESTERN NEW YORK) – 1199 Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Healthcare Workers East-represented Nursing Home Workers who are employed at Williamsville Suburban near Buffalo and Safire Rehabilitation of Northtowns in Tonawanda will hold informational pickets this week after alleging the owners of two Safire Care facilities acted unilaterally, ceasing bonuses, announcing job eliminations that would result in layoffs, retaliating against Employees partaking in protected concerted activities, not providing the Union with requested information, and failing to schedule arbitration to resolve outstanding issues.

1199 SEIU also filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLB) in January, alleging Safire Care Owners of threatening to terminate Workers, failing to pay earned bonuses, and failing to negotiate changes to pay. 

In addition, the Union alleges the owners of the Nursing Homes have also impacted Employees’ working conditions and the quality and continuity of care by repeatedly moving 1199 SEIU-represented Nursing Department Workers away from their regularly assigned residents.

Informational pickets are scheduled to be held outside Williamsville Suburban on South Union Road on Wednesday (February 7th) and at Safire Rehabilitation of Northtowns on Sheridan Drive on Thursday (February 8th).

1199 SEIU represents around 200 Nursing Home Workers at the two Safire facilities in Tonawanda and Williamsville, who work as Certified Nurse Assistants, Licensed Practical Nurses, Activities Aides and Unit Secretaries. 

Safire Care of the Northtowns is a 100-bed facility while Williamsville Suburban is a 220-bed facility.

In December, the employer initially announced it would lay off all Unit Secretary positions.  

All but one of the Delegates (Elected Union Leaders) at the facility are Unit Secretaries and would be impacted by the layoffs, the Union said.

Only days later, the employer announced further plans to consolidate Unit Secretary positions at Williamsville Suburban, they added.

Management has since failed to provide information on their basis for the layoffs, 1199 SEIU said.

Union Members, meanwhile, say they agreed to a variety of bonuses to help properly staff both the Buffalo and Tonawanda facilities, but have not been paid in months or were paid intermittently. 

“We are owed thousands of dollars in bonuses that we were promised and agreed upon,” Licensed Practical Nurse Jennifer Sicignano said. “It was past practice and it had been paid.  The employer stopped it abruptly without any rhyme or reason.  We come in and do our job and we work extra to help with our families.  We come in and get our paycheck and it is three-quarters less than what you expected.  When we try to bring it to the owners, they tell us we are greedy and ungrateful, but we worked for it and took care of our residents and (were) promised the bonuses.”

Initially, the owners of Safire Rehabilitation of the Northtowns implemented the pick-up shift and short staffing bonuses without a signed agreement, 1199 SEIU said.  

However, in January of 2023 - and without notice, the employer unilaterally ceased some of the bonuses, while maintaining others, Union Officials said.

In an effort to enforce the agreements, 1199SEIU has filed grievances and requested arbitration, but the for-profit employer has continued to delay the process, refusing to accept offered dates for meetings and verbally offering settlements with little to no follow-through, the Union said.

In some cases, payments have been made to Workers, though incorrectly, further complicating efforts towards resolution, 1199 SEIU Officials said. 

1199SEIU 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 America - representing more than 400,000 Nurses and Caregivers throughout the States of Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Maryland and Florida, and in Washington, D.C.