(BUFFALO, NEW YORK) – Three hundred rural Nursing Home Workers – represented by 1199 Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Healthcare Workers East, at four Absolut Care Facilities in Allegany, East Aurora, Orchard Park and Westfield have reached a two-year tentative contract agreement, which prompted the cancellation of Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) Strikes that were set to begin this week.

Negotiations had stalled when the employer unilaterally implemented their last best and final offer, leaving their Workers below the area standard for wages and benefits. 

Details of the agreement will be made public if ratified by Union Members, who are slated to vote on the deal next week.  If ratified, the contract will run through April 30th, 2026.  

Nursing Home Workers employed at the four rural care facilities work as Licensed Practical Nurses, Certified Nurse Assistants, Home Health Aides, Patient Care Assistants, Medical Techs, Housekeepers, Cooks and Dietary Workers.

Grace Bogdanove, who serves as 1199 SEIU Vice-President for WNY Nursing Homes, said: “A Strike is always a last resort for our Members.  It is incredibly disappointing Absolut Care/RCA management engaged in bad faith bargaining and Union Busting throughout contract talks, but 1199 SEIU Members stood united in their fight for fair wages.  While we still have more work to do to bring these Workers’ wage and benefit standards up to where they need to be, we were able to reach a fair agreement hours before our Strike was scheduled to begin.  This agreement provides for much needed wage increases and other contractual improvements for these Workers and is a first step towards the equity that they deserve.  (The) Workers are grateful for the support they received from their residents and their families, community members the Labor Movement, elected officials and more.  (These) Workers provide critical care to our elderly residents in their local community and we hope that Absolut Care/RCA is finally beginning to understand that the care economy depends on Workers who show up day in and day out.” 

Caregivers at Absolut Care of Allegany, Absolut Care of Aurora Park, Orchard Brooke Assisted Living Center, and Absolut Care of Westfield (dba as RCA Servicer at Allegany, LLC, RCA Servicer at Aurora Park, LLC, RCA Servicer at Orchard Brooke, LLC, and RCA Servicer, LLC at Westfield) have been bargaining for a fair contract with their employer since early February.

The previous contract expired on April 30th.

The for-profit facilities are owned and operated by members of the Living Legends Health Network, which includes: Absolut Care, McGuire Group; Taconic Health Care; and VestraCare. 

Living Legends Health Network group is managed by Long Island native Edward Farbenblum.

Three of the four facilities are currently undergoing a change in ownership through the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH). 

The facilities will be owned by Michael Farbenblum, Menachem Tauber and Mordechai Mendlowitz once the application for the change is approved by the NYSDOH.

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 U.S., 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.