"I have been at the VNA for 20 years and I make $6 less than a physical therapist at Women and Infants." - Jannike Caldeira
Warwick - This evening, frontline caregivers of the VNA of Care New England held their own informational picket to demand fairness and equal pay in the latest example of CNE workers demanding more from their employer during contract negotiations.
"As home health therapists, it is our responsibility to treat the whole patient and try to give them a greater quality of life. But not only are our patients much sicker than they used to be, they are discharged much more quickly from the hospital - we see the impact this causes and it is our job to advocate for their needs. But in order to properly take care of our patients we need to be able to properly take care of ourselves.
Our wages are below market value and management has proposed wage increases that are below everyone else in Care New England. I have been at the VNA for 20 years and I make $6 less than a physical therapist at Women and Infants. This is a slap to the face and we deserve the same dignity and respect as all other members in Care New England," said Jannike Caldeira, a Physical Therapist.
44 SEIU 1199NE Physical & Occupational Therapists and Assistants who provide home therapy care when patients are discharged from hospitals have been bargaining with Care New England since January and their contract expired in February. Management has proposed wage increases that keep them below market, and are less than wage increases across the health system. Their paid time off package means that members would lose what scant time off they do have with their families. Though members spend long hours driving across the state to provide care, management refuses to account for this when measuring productivity, resulting in overwork and underpay.
Currently, workers at Butler Hospital are also engaged in contract negotiations with CNE, having recently announced an open-ended strike beginning May 15 at 6AM if they are unable to reach a fair contract settlement. Nearly 3,000 Care New England employees have been involved in contract negotiations over the last 12 months, including over 2,000 SEIU 1199NE members at Women & Infants.
"As home health therapists, it is our responsibility to treat the whole patient and try to give them a greater quality of life. But not only are our patients much sicker than they used to be, they are discharged much more quickly from the hospital - we see the impact this causes and it is our job to advocate for their needs. But in order to properly take care of our patients we need to be able to properly take care of ourselves.
Our wages are below market value and management has proposed wage increases that are below everyone else in Care New England. I have been at the VNA for 20 years and I make $6 less than a physical therapist at Women and Infants. This is a slap to the face and we deserve the same dignity and respect as all other members in Care New England," said Jannike Caldeira, a Physical Therapist.
44 SEIU 1199NE Physical & Occupational Therapists and Assistants who provide home therapy care when patients are discharged from hospitals have been bargaining with Care New England since January and their contract expired in February. Management has proposed wage increases that keep them below market, and are less than wage increases across the health system. Their paid time off package means that members would lose what scant time off they do have with their families. Though members spend long hours driving across the state to provide care, management refuses to account for this when measuring productivity, resulting in overwork and underpay.
Currently, workers at Butler Hospital are also engaged in contract negotiations with CNE, having recently announced an open-ended strike beginning May 15 at 6AM if they are unable to reach a fair contract settlement. Nearly 3,000 Care New England employees have been involved in contract negotiations over the last 12 months, including over 2,000 SEIU 1199NE members at Women & Infants.
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District 1199 SEIU New England represents 29,000 health care and service workers in Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Southeastern Massachusetts. In Rhode Island, 1199 SEIU NE represents almost 5,000 members. 1199 SEIU NE is affiliated with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) – a union of over 2 million members across the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada. SEIU has been a national leader in pushing the growing Fight for $15 and a Union movement.