Employees of nursing homes in Lower Burrell and North Huntingdon are among those at 24 long-term care facilities in the state who voted to strike, claiming unfair labor practices and a lack of accountability, according to union officials.
Four of the nursing homes are owned by Comprehensive Healthcare, which operates The Grove at Irwin along Maus Drive in North Huntingdon.
Also affected by the strike would be Belair Healthcare & Rehab on Little Drive in Lower Burrell. It is one of 10 facilities in the state operated by Guardian Healthcare.
Officials from The Grove and Belair Healthcare & Rehab did not return calls seeking comment.
Employees at nine facilities operated by Priority Healthcare, as well as an independent nursing home in Schuylkill County, also have voted to strike, according to the union, SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania.
Shannon McBride, a certified nursing assistant in Southwestern Pa., said the union’s decision was not made lightly.
”Nobody ever wants to go on strike,” she said. “We are doing this for the residents. They are like family to us. They suffer when we don’t have enough staff.”
Union officials allege the operators of the facilities have received about $600 million in state funding for staffing, wages and resident care but have refused to provide details about how the money is being spent along with failing to negotiate in good faith.
By law, the union must give nursing home administrators a 10-day notice before going on strike, which is set...
Welcome to Reality Check, NewsGuard’s nonpartisan newsletter that tracks the false claims and conspiracy theories that shape our world — and who’s behind them. Please support us by becoming a premi...