More than 40 demonstrators marched and rallied in the rain in front of the Presbyterian SeniorCare facility and headquarters to demand the company raise staffing levels, provide health care and decent wages to the workers, and stop transporting workers from the nonunion Oakmont site to Washington to cross their picket lines.

Some 150 nurses, laundry and housekeeping workers, and drivers had walked out June 1 around these issues.

The unionists held a rally at the midpoint of the four-hour demonstration. Speakers included Clemmy Allen, of the Career Center of the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) in the area; a representative of the United Steelworkers of America (USWA); a nurse from the newly organized Beverly Healthcare-Oakmont; Father Jack O’Malley of the Allegheny County Central Labor Council; and strikers from the Grane nursing home in Johnstown.

“If health-care workers don’t have health care, it is in danger for everyone,” said Neal Bisno, Secretary-Treasurer of SEIU 1199P.

Striker Jennifer Chadwick described how much stronger the strikers are now. “Half of us didn’t even know each other before we started,” she said.

As the picketing continued, strikers Judy Briggs, Linda Nakutis, and Martha Seaman described an open negotiating session that took place July 15. Fifty strikers showed up, but the company representative declined even to enter the meeting room. Instead a federal mediator presented the company’s latest offer, which was that the workers return under the same contract, without the union security clause.

“This shows that Presbyterian is totally unserious about negotiating with us,” said Nakutis.

At the afternoon shift change, cars streamed out of the Oakmont facility. Most drivers were stone-faced, but a few honked or waved as picketers shouted: “What do we want? UNION!” and “No contract! No peace, no work!”

The Washington strikers were joined by a half dozen locked out workers from Grane Healthcare’s Laurelwood facility in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. After a one-day strike on July 7 to protest low staffing levels and the company’s benefits and wage offer, 58 workers were locked out. The company has since called back the certified nursing assistants. Twenty laundry, housekeeping, and dietary workers are still locked out, workers report.

At the end of the three-year contract offered by the company, said Carol Williams, a part-time laundry worker, “a single person would be paying more than $200 a month for health insurance, and almost $1,000 for a family.” Grane operates 10 nursing homes in southwestern Pennsylvania. According to the “Grane Healthcare Report” by District 1199P of the SEIU, none of the company’s facilities reached the state average of 3.9 hours of daily care per resident in 2002. To reach the state average, each facility would have to add an average of nearly 23 additional nurses and nurse aides on staff.

Williams and fellow laundry worker Hazel Shauils described “Grane Care,” the company’s term for its nursing care system. Each patient pays $3,000 a month, which includes bed and food. If they require bathroom assistance, an additional $300 is tacked on. Each ride to the doctor will cost $40. Even a box of Kleenex will add $5 to their bill.

Members of USWA Local 7139-05 at Allegheny Ludlum Washington Plate had an all-day plant gate collection July 2, and collected nearly $1,300 for the SeniorCare strikers. Eight strikers joined the Steelworkers in collecting at six shift changes.

“The overwhelming response to the strikers was inspiring,” said Josephina Otero, a member of Local 7139-05. “Many Steelworkers who had been laid off for eight months gave especially generously, dropping $20 bills into the bright yellow collection buckets.”

On July 14, Joyce Nichols, president of the Washington SEIU local, and three other strikers addressed the Washington/Greene County Central Labor Council meeting, which donated $500.

In addition, Judy Briggs said, people come by all the time to honk, wave, or bring food donations. Some 130 of the original strikers remain solid on the picket line, after a couple dozen crossed in the early stage of the walkout. They’ve set their next solidarity rally in Washington, Pennsylvania, for July 31.

Josephina Otero contributed to this article.  
 
 
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