ROCHESTER, N.Y.—Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren and several other elected officials urged the
Anthony Jordan Health Center clinic chain June 6 to accept a federal mediator’s contract proposal and end a three-day strike by about 65 workers. The workers had walked out the day before, after management rejected that deal, 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East told the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. The union announced it had accepted the mediator’s proposal the previous week. It would freeze wages this year but give raises of 4% in 2019, 2% in 2020, and another 1% later that year, said 1199SEIU regional vice president Bruce Popper. Jordan Health wants to delay the final increase until 2021, which the union says would throw its health benefits out of whack. “We continue to urge them to approve the mediator’s proposal,” Popper said. “Our workers are willing to absorb a wage freeze—all we need to do is balance the funding of their health benefits.” Jordan Health’s CEO accused 1199SEIU of turning the negotiations “into an actual win game.” The union represents licensed practical nurses, medical technicians, nursing assistants, and clerical and service workers, about one-fifth of the clinic’s employees. Read more
