Nursing Home Workers Voice Their Concerns About Contract Negotiations

ROCKFORD - Dozens of healthcare workers in Rockford took to picket lines Wednesday demanding new contracts.  The workers joined thousands of other healthcare workers across the state employed by companies that are a part of the Illinois Association of Healthcare Facilities.  The group employs workers that are a part of SEIU-HCII. 

The picketers in Rockford are employed by Alden Debes, a part of IAHCF.  Picketers said they should have had a new contract in January, but have been at the negotiating table since then.  They're fighting, not just for a fair contract but better working conditions.

Latasha Vella, union steward for SEIU-HCII at Alden Debes, says the quality of care they are giving to their residents is being affected.

"Say you're taking care of a hallway with 30-32 people and you have two CNAs on that hall," explained Vella.  "The ratio of the number of residents to the number of CNAs, you're taking care of 15-16 people by yourself."

Union workers claim the short staffing problem also falls right back to the issue of pay.  They say turnover is rampant at the Mulford Road facility.

"If you can go somewhere else and make more money than coming here and making less, clearly a lot of people won't stay," said Vella.

Alden Management Services, parent company of Alden Debes in Rockford, released this statement in response to Wednesday's protests:

"Alden Debes is a member of the Illinois Association of Health Care Facilities. The association has been negotiating with the union in good faith to renew the contract. We are disheartened by the picketing and inflammatory comments made by the union in an effort to disrupt the ongoing negotiations. Alden wants to assure our residents and the community that we will continue to provide quality care and services during the ongoing talks."

SEIU-HCII members say they've received an offer of a five-cent raise, but the catch is for every five cents per hour they receive as a raise they must furlough a vacation day.  That's something the union just isn't buying into.

"You worked for it, you earned it, you deserve it,' Vella said.

Union members said today's picket was purely informational, no one actually walked off the job.  They say they just want to have their voices heard.