Marcus Garvey Nursing Home Workers Win Their Contract

After two years without a contract, 1199SEIU members at Marcus Garvey Nursing Home in Brooklyn finally got what they deserve--an eight percent wage increase and healthcare along with other much needed benefits.
Negotiating the contract did not come easily: after threats of the nursing home closing, the workers were asked to give back vacation and sick time. In late February, Marcus Garvey management stopped making payments to the benefit fund, causing the workers to loose their medical benefits for more than a month. These tactics only helped to unify the workers against management.
Martha Coleman a CNA at the nursing home for over 30 years, told her co-workers, "We have nothing to loose, we are the union." She walked the floors on both day and evening shifts encouraging everyone to keep on fighting. "I'm never afraid to fight for what I want," she said.
In response to management's attempt to stall negotiations, the workers organized a temporary work stoppage, and gathered petitions of support from the community and the residents' family members. They also held an informational picket to help mobilize members as well as educate the community about their contract fight. When these efforts were received little response from management, the workers unanimously voted for a three-day strike.
"I was very proud of the workers for standing up to management," Martha Coleman said.
The union was literally hours away from the strike deadline when management called and asked the union to come back to the bargaining table. After hours of negotiations, management signed the contract with all of the existing terms and conditions, and agreed to contribute to the benefit fund, pension fund, job security fund, child care fund and worker participation fund.