CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- A potential, historic strike has been avoided at dozens of Illinois nursing homes with the overnight announcement of a new contract agreement.
Nursing homes have been the focus of a lot of attention during the COVID-19 pandemic, with many of them seeing big outbreaks of COVID-19. Now, according to SEUI Healthcare, the union representing caregivers are more than 100 nursing homes in Illinois, frontline nursing home workers reached a tentative agreement with nursing home owners for a two-year contract "with significant wins that will help safeguard both workers and residents through the current pandemic and beyond."
The agreement impacts over 10,000 members of SEIU Healthcare who provide care to residents at the 100+ nursing homes of the Illinois Association of Health Care Facilities.
"The contract gains are a testament to the courage and commitment of workers who were poised to strike at 64 facilities in order to protect themselves and the residents for which they care during this time of unprecedented vulnerability and risk," SEIU Healthcare said in a statement.
The union said 6,000 frontline caregivers were prepared to strike Friday at 64 facilities for hazard pay, paid time off, and crucial resources to safeguard the health and well-being for both workers and residents.
The tentative agreement includes higher base wages, to bring workers over $15 an hour, hazard pay for all workers for the duration of the pandemic, additional fully paid sick days for COVID-19-related testing, illness, or quarantine for the duration of the crisis, and provisions ensuring staffers will not have to work without adequate personal protective equipment.
"All of the major contract gains will help safeguard the health and safety of workers and the residents for which they care—at a time when both are vulnerable to the risks associated with COVID-19," SEIU Healthcare said in a statement. "While residents are at increased risk of the virus due to age and compromised health, workers face increased negative impacts from coronavirus due to their history of poverty wages, lack of paid time off, and the underlying health conditions that often accompany poverty. Additionally, a majority of workers are African-American, and a disproportionate number of African-American lives have been claimed by COVID-19."
SEUI Healthcare said the tentative agreement was overwhelmingly supported by members of the bargaining committee, but must be ratified by the larger group of members who will be impacted by its terms.