Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - A week-long strike at five local long-term care facilities has come to an end Tuesday without workers securing a new contract.
"We absolutely thought employers would be willing to come to the table to reach an agreement, so our healthcare workers could go back inside to work.
It did not happen," said Shameka Burnette-Mathews, an administrative organizer for 1199SEIU.
Workers were striking five "for profit" facilities owned by McGuire Group and Elderwood. One of the two companies did come to the negotiating table late in the week.
"The McGuire Group came to the table on Friday, but at that time, they offered, what we like to call, a 'last, best and final offer,'" said Burnett-Mathews. "Now members at the McGuire Group facilities will vote on that over the next two weeks."
She added that the offer would still have members receiving the lowest wages in the area. Staffing levels, another big point of contention, would not change and would remain exactly where they currently are.
Burnette-Mathews says the union has no regrets.
"It was absolutely worth it," she said. "Our members are more united than ever. This was an historic seven day strike with workers united across five of our for-profit facilities. Nearly a thousand workers came out to protest unfair labor practices."
Is another strike possible, if no agreement can be reached?
"If management comes to the table, we'd like to reach a tentative agreement.
But if that doesn't happen, we could be back out on strike, and it could be for longer than seven days," Burnette-Mathews said.