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Business & Tech

Nursing Home Employees Protest Alleged Staffing Shortages

Union says Certified Nurse's Assistants care for 15 patients when contract's limit is 12. Facility says residents received same high level of care during demonstration.

A dispute over adequate staffing of certified nurse's assistants at six Connecticut nursing homes led to informational picketing by employees outside those facilities Wednesday, including the Westport Health Care Center at 1 Burr Road.

About a dozen members of the New England Health Care Employees Union marched in front of the Westport facility waving flags, carrying signs and chanting "What do we want? Follow the contract."

During a phone interview Wednesday, Connecticut union organizer Deborah R. Chernoff said the owner of the six facilities, HealthBridge Management Inc. of Concord, Mass., has been saying, "The contract is what we say it is, not what's on paper."

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Chernoff said the company has routinely imposed new employment conditions in violation of its contract with the union and without negotiations.

A written statement from the facility's spokesperson, Peter J. Ward, said the protest was not a work stoppage and did not interfere with any of the center's operations.

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"The high level of services and care that we provide to all our residents continued without interruption," Ward said.

He said the company respects the right of union members to publicize alleged grievances, "but does not believe it is appropriate to engage in a public debate regarding matters that are covered by a contract that remains in full force and effect for almost another year."

The contract expires March 15.

The protestors said about 80 of their union's members are employed at the Westport center as certified nurse's assistants (CNAs) and kitchen, housekeeping and laundry workers. They said they are paid between $12.50 and $15 per hour for a 40-hour week, plus benefits.

Agatha Watson, a CNA there for 16 years, said she is required to oversee 15 patients daily, when the contract calls for a maximum of 12 patients.

Watson said she asked management if they could add an additional nursing assistant between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m., when patients need to be put to bed, but they refused.

She said CNA staffing problems have existed for three to four years, "so we get fed up now."

Looking at the procession of fellow union members walking past her, Watson said, "They might listen to us now. Now they'll realize we mean business."

Marleine Moise, a CNA at the center for 14 years, who works 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., said at times she is responsible for 30 patients.

Some patients need toilet assistance or need to be turned every two hours, Moise said. So when several of them need assistance at the same time, "they don't get full service."

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