Displaying 2 of 18 Total Records

New York Health Care Workers Join Local One

On August 25, Service and Maintenance Division workers at the Faxton – St. Luke’s Health Care Medical Center in Utica, N.Y., joined UFCW Local One for a better life. The Faxton – St. Luke’s Health Care Medical Center is affiliated with the Mohawk Valley Health System and the 290 new members of UFCW Local One are employed as maintenance workers, dietary aides, care attendants, secretaries, and as laundry and environmental services workers.  

“It’s very important to have a contract, not just for monetary reasons, but also safety wise,” said Mike McKinney, who works in the Service and Maintenance Division and is training to be a steward for the unit.

“I am very proud of our Organizing Department for being able to sign up a majority of the workers in the service and maintenance unit at Faxton – St. Luke’s Health Care Medical Center, while at the same time that the local was conducting negotiations with the Mohawk Valley Health System,” said UFCW Local One President Frank DeRiso. “I would like to give special appreciation to the entire Bargaining Committee, as well as Recorder and Executive Assistant Robert Ciancaglini; Union Representative Tony DeRiso; and Local One’s Attorney Robert Smith for securing a card check neutrality agreement with this employer during negotiations.”

“It’s very important to have a contract, not just for monetary reasons, but also safety wise,” said Mike McKinney, who works in the Service and Maintenance Division and is training to be a steward for the unit.  “Having a contract builds comradery amongst the workers. Having a union contract is good for all.”

Florida Health Care Workers Join Local 1625

About 120 workers at two health and rehabilitation centers in Daytona Beach, Fla., recently joined UFCW Local 1625 for the better wages and benefits that come with being a member of our union family. These new members are employed by Next Level and Paramount staffing agencies, and work as certified nursing assistants and housekeeping, laundry and dietary staff at Carlton Shores Health and Rehabilitation Center and The Gardens Health and Rehabilitation Center.

These workers joined our union family because they were concerned about insufficient wages and the lack of health and safety protocols to deal with the spread of COVID-19 cases at their health care centers. They were also concerned about the lack of job stability and respect in the workplace.

“With COVID-19 running rampant in Florida, the long-term care industry has been reaching out for help and we are the answer,” said International Vice President and UFCW Local 1625 President Ed Chambers.  “UFCW Local 1625 represents over 20 percent of the state’s nursing home employees, including eight newly organized facilities in 2021, and we look forward to negotiating a first contract for these new members of our union family.”