Workers at five nursing home facilities in Western New York have been on strike for a week, demanding improved staffing, wages, and benefits.
Represented by 1199SEIU, the nursing home workers have remained committed to the picket line and will be picketing through May 27, reinforcing their demands for fair treatment and adequate resources.’Do the best we can with what we have’: Staff members on strike at 5 Western New York nursing homes
Many employees have expressed frustration over excessive workloads and insufficient staffing, particularly during evening and overnight shifts.
“We do our job,” said Marcie Livergood, an LPN at Lockport Elderwood. “We work short-staffed most days. Sometimes I have two aides for 44 people. What kind of care do you think the residents are getting?”
“It’s been a lot, and it’s just been enough is enough,” said Carla Heard, an LPN at Williamsville Elderwood. “You have to give us what we need to keep coming in to take care of our residents.”
On the seventh day of the strike, Shameka Burnette-Matthews emphasized that the holiday did not deter workers from standing united for their rights.
“We’re here with all of our union members fighting for dignity and respect and quality benefits in the workplaces,” she said.
Virginia Gunther, another LPN, highlighted the repercussions of insufficient staffing, noting that it affects other departments.
“We don’t have laundry because we don’t have enough people in the laundry,” she said. “We don’t have supplies because we don’t have enough people to deliver them.”
Even as the strike ends, workers have made it clear that their fight for better working conditions continues.
“Who’s gonna come and be a CNA or a housekeeper or any of the above because they know they can go somewhere else and not do any work?” Gunther said. “We need those people that care. We need people who care like the rest of us.”
The McGuire Group declined to comment during the strike but previously stated its commitment to maintaining high standards of care during these challenging times.
