Union members from SEIU 1199 loudly picketed outside the VillageCare rehab facility on W. Houston St. on Wednesday. “No contract! No peace!” they shouted. The action was part of a larger effort over negotiations with the League of Voluntary Hospitals and Nursing Homes, affecting more than 100,000 employees. According to SEIU 1199, the workers previously had free healthcare and no co-pays. The league recently offered a contract with $250 monthly premiums, plus co-pays, but it has since pulled it off the table. The current contract expires July 15. Wednesday’s event — described as an “informational picketing, not a protest” — was a one-day-only action, with picketing at 100 healthcare facilities around the city. The action was intended “to keep the public informed,” a spokesperson said. Calls for comment from VillageCare were not returned by press time.
— Lincoln Anderson
