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Late Friday, professional and clinical workers voted to ratify their first three-year contract with UR Medicine Home Care. The fight to organize began more than a year ago, and a tentative agreement was reached on May 13.
Caregivers, across seven rural upstate counties, are represented by 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East.
“We worked many hours to reach this point, and we have come out ahead with union protection for all employees,” says Cindy Lorenzetti, a physical therapy assistant. “We look forward to making URMHC a five-star-rated agency. We will serve our communities with the best care provided by the best clinicians.”
UR Medicine Home Care provides health care and support services for home-bound and medically frail patients across Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Seneca, Wayne, Wyoming and Yates counties. The workers represented by the union help patients with the transition from the hospital back into their homes.
The labor deal includes more than 11.5 percent in general wage increases over the life of the agreement, with additional wage adjustments where previous discrepancies were identified in workers’ pay, the union says. UR Medicine Home Care also significantly increased contributions to employer-provided health insurance for professional and clinical workers. Productivity levels are now set at 27 units per week.
“After more than a year of negotiations, it is very exciting to have our first union contract,” says Dave Simon, physical therapist. “This is going to be very beneficial for not only our health care staff, but also our employer. Most importantly, it protects the quality of care for our patients. I feel confident saying that UR Medicine Home Care is now the home-care agency of choice for both professionals, clinicians, and patients in the region.”
Some highlights of the contract include pay hikes for those mandated to work weekends, on-call pay and premium pay for weekend volunteers or unscheduled workdays, and two more vacation days with additional days based on years of service. Juneteenth and Veterans Day will be treated as premium holidays. Workers also secured standard mileage reimbursement rates for travel to patients’ homes, the union says.
In January, 1199SEIU filed an unfair labor practice claim against URMHC, alleging that the company was illegally stalling a union deal. The charges were filed after URMHC didn’t file a counterproposal on outstanding economic issues.
Since then, workers have continued to rally, holding an informational picket and a one-day strike in February. Negotiations were conducted with URMHC’s attorney and a federal mediator from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. However, federal cuts shuttered FMCS early last month.
Smriti Jacob is Rochester Beacon managing editor.
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