(At our nursing homes monthly membership meeting workers commit to “ending poverty wages” by the nursing home industry as our association master contract expires May 1st of this year).

(Feb. 1st, 2020, Chicago) — Nursing home leaders issued a clear and direct message to the nursing home industry: “end poverty wages now!”

Our nursing home association master contract expires April 30th of this year.  Bargaining dates are still being coordinated between the Union and nursing home owners. Workers want to get to the bargaining table very soon.

The issue of fair and livable wages is the most urgent and pressing demand for workers.  In addition, workers are demanding a higher pension,  contract language to end short staffing for all positions, not just for CNAs, and a training fund to give workers more skills and professional development to keep them in the workforce.

(Shantonia Jackson, CNA and steward at City View Nursing Home, also works at Berkeley Rehab)

“My message to the nursing home owners is this: come and walk in my shoes for a change.  Try to provide for your family on my wages. Try to work two jobs just to pay your bills, especially when just one job as  a CNA destroys your body,” said Shantonia Jackson, a union steward who works at City View and Berkeley Rehab.

“It’s outrageous how many hours we have to work just to survive. We are going to use this upcoming contract campaign to transform the entire nursing home industry and finally hold them accountable. We’re not playing the industry’s game anymore — we’re changing the game,” said Shantonia Jackson.

Workers are actively organizing and building leadership roles in every single nursing home covered under the association master contract.

(Leaders from Sheridan Village from left: Forestine Pressey, Ward Clerk; Deborah Johnson, CNA; and Latoya Williams, Receptionist).