(ROCHESTER, NEW YORK) - More than two dozen Professional Home Care Workers marched through University of Rochester’s Strong Memorial Campus, calling on the University’s CEO and President Kathy Parrinello to provide more dates for bargaining their first contract with longer hours for each session.

Parrinello was found not to be onsite, so the Workers delivered their message to Senior University of Rochester leaders - including Vicky Hines, Chief Operating Officer for University of the Rochester Medical Faculty Group.

Hines formerly held the position of President and CEO at Visiting Nurse Service of Rochester, along with various other roles in the Home Care Sector.

“We marched on the boss because we believe that University of Rochester is not taking our negotiations serious enough,” said Tara Petersen, a Physical Therapy Assistant. “We want more sessions with longer times so we can get our first contract settled.”

The Homecare Workers who are employed at the largest Private Sector Employer in Upstate New York are fighting for reasonable patient caseloads, improved health and safety protections at work, and a comprehensive benefits package that includes competitive wages to recruit and retain Staff.

According to 2022 IRS Tax Filings, several companies tied to URMHC earned millions in profits, while non-profit URMHC has a $2.3 million dollar endowment and a $2.6 million dollar expansion fund. 

Negotiations are set to resume today (Tuesday, September 17th)

Currently, Workers and management only bargain one day per week for approximately six hours per session - which is not typical.

Most large employers have the capacity to bargain multiple days per week for 12 hours or more per day to expedite the process, Representatives of 1199 Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Healthcare Workers East, which represents the Professional Home Care Workers. 

“It’s very unusual and not typically how bargaining works,” 1199 SEIU Administrative Organizer Elizabeth Davila said. “We want management to treat negotiations as a high priority for not just Staff, but also the patients they serve in their homes.”

About 115 Professional and Clinical Home Care Workers from University of Rochester Medicine Home Care (URMHC) - represented by 1199 SEIU, have been negotiating their first contract with the largest Private Sector Employer in Upstate New York since early May.

After five months, progress continues to be sluggish following a change in negotiators on the University of Rochester’s side, Union Officials said. 

A Federal Mediator from Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) has joined negotiations regularly as both sides still have several outstanding non-economic issues on the table, including Union Security Language.  Non-economic items also must be signed off on by both sides before economic talks can begin, Union Officials said.

Professional Home Care Workers at URHMC work as Registered Nurses, Child Life Specialists, Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants, Dietitians, Licensed Practical Nurses, Medical Social Workers, Occupational Therapists, Pediatric Registered Nurses, Physical Therapists, Physical Therapy Assistants and Speech Language Pathologists.

The Workers provide services for patients living in Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Seneca, Wayne, Wyoming and Yates Counties.