Workers at Rose City Nursing & Rehabilitation in Lancaster city intend to strike in July

Workers at Rose City Nursing & Rehabilitation intend to strike and will picket at the Lancaster city nursing home in July, according to a union delegate at the facility.

Rose City staff that are members of SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania voted Monday to authorize a 10-day strike notice, which means that “at any time, workers can let their employer know they intend to strike,” an SEIU spokeswoman said Tuesday. “Legally, health care workers must give 10-day notice before striking.”

Lashelle Robinson, a certified nursing assistant and union delegate at Rose City, said workers will picket at the 425 N. Duke St. nursing home on July 13. She said workers want a living wage, hazard pay and better staffing ratios. She said they also want to keep their current insurance.

Rose City is one of 12 nursing homes statewide currently negotiating separate union contracts.

Keystone Nursing and Rehab of Lancaster operates Rose City. Keystone shares the same Pennsylvania address as New York-based Priority Healthcare Group. Neither answered the phone Tuesday seeking comment, and an error message appeared when using the email address at Priority Healthcare Group’s website.

“We need higher wages so we can get more permanent staff in to care for our residents,” Robinson said in a press release from union SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania.

On Tuesday, Robinson told LNP | LancasterOnline some aides at Rose City make $12 to $13 per hour, with some making up to $15. She said 58 people currently work at the nursing home and agency workers earning more than double and triple what staff is paid are being brought in to help with the staffing issue.

“Residents need to know their caregivers and trust us,” Robinson said. “We just need more help so we can do what’s best for our residents. How can you get permanent staff if they can make more money down the street at a convenience store?”

Robinson said staff did receive $3 per hour hazard pay earlier in the pandemic, but workers are requesting that be a permanent benefit in a new contract. She said they also want to keep Highmark Blue Shield as their health insurance company.

As of June 15, 117 of Rose City’s 124 beds were occupied, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

As of Tuesday, 15 Rose City nursing home residents had died of COVID-19, according to Eric Bieber, Lancaster County chief deputy coroner.

Rose City was known as Lancaster Care & Rehabilitation Center until 2018, when Keystone Nursing and Rehab of Lancaster LCC began operating the facility. Prior to that, it was known as Golden LivingCenter Lancaster.

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Crédito: LANCASTERONLINE | Staff