Workers begin to picket over nursing home pact

NORTH LIMA -- About 140 unionized workers at The Assumption Village nursing home set up picket lines at 7:30 a.m. today after contract talks with center owner Humility of Mary Health Partners failed to produce a settlement.
Service Employees International Union, District 1199, represents practical nurses, nursing assistants, housekeeping, dietary, laundry and maintenance workers. Negotiations began in August, and employees had been working without an agreement since their contract expired Sept. 30.
Tina Creighton, an HMHP spokeswoman, said operations will continue as normal at Assumption Village, with registered nurses and managers who are not part of the SEIU bargaining unit providing care. She said the company also plans to staff the home with agency workers and employees from other HMHP facilities.
Jennifer Farmer, an SEIU spokeswoman in Columbus, said the company has proposed pension changes, increases in workers' share of health-care costs, and reimbursement changes for unused sick days and paid days off. She said HMHP has offered pay increases of 1 percent per year for three years, but the workers are accustomed to higher yearly raises.
"These workers are not being treated fairly by management," Farmer said.
Warren Harris, vice president of long-term care for HMHP, said the facility will remain open. "We will continue to seek an agreement and remain confident that both sides will work in good faith toward a fair and equitable contract," he said.