Workers At 64 IL Nursing Homes Reject Offer, Remain Set To Strike
CHICAGO — Workers at dozens of nursing homes across the state are poised to strike Friday after rejecting an offer from facility operators. Employees at 64 nursing homes represented by the union SEIU Healthcare have authorized a strike to demand adequate protective equipment, hazard pay, higher base pay and additional paid sick time.
According to the union, the nursing home workers' contract with the Illinois Association of Health Care Facilities expired at the start of this month. People working in nursing homes have complained of widespread shortages of personal protective equipment, staffing shortages, challenges taking time off when experiencing coronavirus symptoms, inadequate training and a lack of transparency from facility operators.
On Wednesday, the nursing home association said union negotiators had rejected an offer for a $2 raise in base hourly wages for certified nursing assistants and $2 per hour in hazard pay for all staff until the coronavirus pandemic is over.
Bob Molitor, a board member of the association and the CEO of Alden Network nursing homes described the walkout as "unconscionable," suggesting it may cause some nursing homes to be unable to meet residents' critical needs.
"While contingency plans are in place — including deploying administrators and other non-union employees to essential roles and hiring additional agency staff — there are only so many wells to draw from, particularly during a pandemic," Molitor said in a statement on behalf of the association. "We have continued to improve our offer, but the union has rejected a package that increases the hourly rate 30 percent, when a $2-per-hour COVID-19 bonus pay for all members is factored in."
With the bonus pay, the starting wage for certified nursing assistants would be $17.50 an hour for the duration of Gov. J.B. Pritzker's stay-at-home order, compared to $13.50 currently, according to a offer sheet provided by the association. In the second year of the contract, the base rate of pay would rise to $16 an hour.
All other Chicago staff, whose current starting wage is $13.10 an hour, would see their base pay rise to $15 an hour in the first year, $15.50 in the second year and $17 an hour for the rest of the pandemic.
Outside Chicago, where workers have a current starting wage of $12.10 an hour, workers will see their starting wage rise from 12.10 to $14.50 in the first year and $15 an hour in the second year of the deal. They would receive a starting wage of $16.50 during the pandemic, an increase of more than 36 percent, according to the sheet.
Union representatives have said they want a one-year contract, a $15 wage floor for all workers and a 50 percent hazard pay bonus. A spokesperson has yet to respond to a request for more information about the strike plans and the reported rejection of management's offer, but any information received will be added here.
According to data provided by the Illinois Department of Public Health, there have been more than 1,000 coronavirus deaths among residents and staff of long-term care facilities statewide. Nursing homes accounted for 44 percent all COVID-10 deaths in Illinois as of May 1, the day the nursing home employees' contract expired.
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On Tuesday, 21 Democratic Illinois state senators who have at least one nursing home set to strike in their district sent a letter to IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike requesting more information about the amount of personal protective equipment, or PPE, that has been distributed to the nursing homes that received strike notices on April 27 and May 1.
"Members of the Illinois Senate have had conversations with nursing home owners who have expressed concerns about the lack of PPE supplies readily available — leaving some owners to vigorously attempt to purchase PPE on their own for workers in their facilities," the senators wrote.
According to the group of Senate Democrats, the Pritzker administration has undertaken extraordinary efforts to acquire more PPE for the state, while the federal government has failed to keep commitments to provide protective equipment. But they still had some questions about the process of how public health officials have distributed PPE to the 64 unionized nursing homes.
"Can you please advise how much PPE has been requested to these nursing homes, how nursing homes are chosen to receive PPE, and how much PPE these nursing homes have received since the start of this outbreak? It is imperative we get more supplies to these facilities as soon as possible in order to save lives," their letter said.
Sen. Ram Villivalam, of Skokie, is a former legislative coordinator for SEIU Healthcare who now represents the 8th District in the Illinois Senate.
"The hardworking people who put their own health on the line to care for our state's most vulnerable population should not have to do so without proper protection," Villivalam said in a statement. "Workers shouldn't be left wondering when and if they'll get more supplies, and management shouldn't have to find and pay for most PPE that is needed out of its own pockets."
Nationwide, there have been more than 20,000 coronavirus deaths in nursing homes, and Illinois is one of 15 states where governors have issued emergency orders providing nursing homes with protections from civil lawsuits, except in cases of gross negligence or willful misconduct.
Nursing home workers at the following 44 homes gave notice of their strike authorization on April 27:
Alden Debes Manor, 550 S Mulford Ave., Rockford
Alden Lakeland, 820 W. Lawrence Ave., Chicago
Alden-Des Plaines, 1221 E. Golf Road, Des Plaines
Alden-Estates of Barrington, 1420 S. Barrington Road, Barrington
Alden-Lincoln Park, 504 W. Wellington Ave., Chicago
Alden-Princeton Nursing, 255 W. 69 St., Chicago
Alden-Town Manor, 6120 W. Ogden Ave., Cicero
Alden-Village North, 7464 N. Sheridan Road, Chicago
Alden-Waterford, 2021 Randi Drive, Aurora
Alden-Wentworth, 201 W 69 St., Chicago
Aperion Care Capitol, 555 W. Carpenter Road, Springfield
Aperion Care Dolton, 14325 S. Blackstone Ave., Dolton
Aperion Care Forest Park, 8200 W Roosevelt Road, Forest Park
Aperion Care Galesburg, 1145 Frank St., Galesburg
Aperion Care Highwood, 50 Pleasant Ave., Highwood
Aperion Care Jacksonville, 1021 N. Church St., Jacksonville
Aperion Care Midlothian, 3249 W. 147 St. Midlothian
Aperion West Ridge/ Ridgeview, 6450 N. Ridge Blvd, Chicago
Astoria, 6300 N. California Ave, Chicago 60659
Austin Oasis, 901 S. Austin Blvd, Chicago
Avantara Evergreen Park, 10124 S. Kedzie Ave., Evergreen Park
Balmoral Nursing Home, 2055 W Balmoral Ave., Chicago
Berkeley, 6909 W North Ave Oak Park
Bridgeview Healthcare, 8100 S Harlem Ave Bridgeview
California Gardens, 2829 S California Blvd, Chicago
Carlton at the Lake, 725 W Montrose Ave, Chicago
Chalet Living & Rehab, 7350 N Sheridan Rd, Chicago
Elevate Care Irving Park, 4340 N Keystone Ave, Chicago
Hickory Nursing Pavilion, 9246 S. Roberts Road, Hickory Hills
Lake Front Healthcare Center, 7618 N. Sheridan Road, Chicago
Mayfield Care Center, 5905 W. Washington Blvd., Chicago
Oak Park Oasis, 625 N. Harlem Ave., Oak Park
Park View Rehab Center, 5888 N. Ridge Ave., Chicago
Prairie Oasis, 16000 Wabash Ave., South Holland
Rainbow Beach Nursing, 7325 S. Exchange Ave., Chicago
Sheridan Shores, 5838 N. Sheridan Road, Chicago
Sterling Pavilion, 105 E 23rd St., Sterling
Symphony at Aria, 4600 N. Frontage Road, Hillside
Symphony at, Chicago West, 5130 W. Jackson Blvd, Chicago
Symphony at Midway, 4437 S. Cicero Ave., Chicago
Symphony at Morgan Park, 10935 S. Halsted St., Chicago
The Villa at Windsor Park, 2649 E. 75 St., Chicago
Willow Crest (Cedar) Nursing, 515 N. Main St., Sandwich
Winston Manor Convl Home, 2155 W. Pierce Ave., Chicago
Workers at the following 20 nursing homes gave notice on May 1:
Alden-Orland Park, 16450 S. 97 Ave., Orland Park
Alden-Park Strathmoor, 5668 Stramoor Drive, Rockford
Aperion Care Evanston, 1300 Oak Ave., Evanston
Aperion Care International, 4815 S. Wern Ave., Chicago
Arbour Health Care Center, 1512 W. Fargo Ave., Chicago
Elevate Care Chicago North, 2451 W. Touhy Ave., Chicago
Grasmere Place, 4621 N. Sheridan Road, Chicago
Grosse Pointe Manor, 6601 W. Touhy Ave., Niles
Grove of Evanston, 500 Asbury Ave., Evanston
Kensington Place, 3405 S Michigan Ave., Chicago
Lake Shore Healthcare Center, 7200 N. Sheridan Road, Chicago
Norridge, 7001 W. Cullom Ave., Norridge
Park Villa Nursing and Rehab, 12550 S. Ridgeland Ave., Palos Heights
Pine Crest Health Care, 3300 W. 175 St., Hazel Crest
Symphony at South Shore, 2425 E 71 St., Chicago
Tri-state Manor Nursing, 2500 W 175 St., Lansing
Uptown Care Center, 4920 N. Kenmore Ave., Chicago
Warren Park Nursing Home, 6700 N. Damen Ave, Chicago
Waterford Nursing & Rehab, 7445 N Sheridan Rd, Chicago
Westwood Manor, 2444 W. Touhy Ave., Chicago
This article originally appeared on the Evanston Patch
