May 13, 2013
By Stephanie West
New York NY – Thousands of Americare workers from UFCW Local 348-S in New York City ratified a new contract in an overwhelming city-wide vote.. The new contract includes a new system that ensures worker seniority when it assigns cases. Members also have improved bereavement leave.
In preparation for negotiations, members at Americare participated in extensive seven-month internal information gathering. This internal communication campaign included contract surveys that gathered information from hundreds of members. Informational pieces that communicated bargaining priorities and updates to the membership were regularly distributed. A text blast system provided bargaining updates to a list of hundreds of core activists, a crucial link to a widely dispersed home-based workforce that lacks a common worksite.
Americare home health aides take care of and assist elderly and disabled patients in their homes.
