Striking Workers and Allies to Hold Speakout in Front of Mado Healthcare Offices in Old Town
By Aaron Cynic
CHICAGO, IL—Striking Mado Buena Park certified nursing assistants will mark the third day of their unfair labor practice strike handing out leaflets in front of Mado Healthcare offices in Old Town–and delivering a strong message to owner Peter O’Brien.
Workers plan to hold a speakout in front of the location detailing their need for affordable healthcare–a bargaining demand that owner Peter O’Brien has thus far refused to take seriously. Additionally, the workers and their supporters will hand out leaflets to the public detailing the workers’ struggle to access affordable healthcare–and asking that members of the public call Peter O’Brien to ask him to do the right thing by the healthcare workers–and ensure they have access to affordable healthcare themselves.
The workers began their unfair labor practice strike to protest management’s illegal surveillance of union activity and the illegal implementation of management’s last offer in bargaining. Additionally, workers are demanding both affordable healthcare and a living wage in line with the standard industry wage for the Chicago area.
Despite management’s claim to offer affordable health coverage, the current employer-offered plan is so unaffordable that only two workers paid into it in recent months–and both dropped the coverage after facing unreasonable out-of-pocket expenses when attempting to use the coverage.
At today’s speakout, workers will call upon Mado Buena Park’s owner Peter O’Brien to cease unfair labor practices and settle a fair contract immediately–one that provides ALL of the facility’s certified nursing assistants with affordable coverage.
For roughly the same cost Mado Buena Park previously paid to cover just two employees, they could cover the entire certified nursing assistant workforce–and deliver higher quality healthcare at a much lower cost to its employees. The facility pays its certified nursing assistants wages below the industry standards for the Chicago area, with some workers making just pennies above the minimum wage. These are not workers who can afford either high premiums or high out-of-pocket costs when it comes to healthcare.
WHAT:
Striking Mado Buena Park Certified Nursing Assistants and allies conducting a speakout in front of Mado Healthcare offices in Old Town–and handing out leaflets to the public
WHEN:
Wednesday, January 23, 2019
1:30 PM***
WHERE:
Outside Mado Healthcare
1541 N. Wells Street
Chicago, IL 60610
###
RELATED