1199SEIU Testifies at Joint Legislative Hearing on Long-Term Care

New Jersey— Today 1199SEIU, the largest union of nursing home workers in the state representing 8,000 frontline caregivers, testified at a joint hearing of the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee and the Assembly Aging and Senior Services Committee.  Up for discussion was a package of bills to reform the nursing home industry based on findings of the Manatt report.

1199SEIU member and certified nursing assistant Margaret Boyce spoke along with the union’s Executive Vice President, Milly Silva.

Margaret works two jobs to make ends meet, working an average of 64 hours weekly.  At her full-time nursing home job, she earns $15.78 an hour after 17 years of service.  She contracted COVID-19 this spring and spent several weeks out of work recovering.

“As a nursing home worker, you feel invisible.  People think you have a dirty job.  And in this pandemic, we’ve learned that to some people, our lives don’t matter that much.  CNAs like me weren’t given N95 masks like the nurses and management were, even though we are the ones who spend the most time with the residents.

“We need major change in this industry, starting with better pay and better staffing. I usually have anywhere from 15 to 24 residents to care for as the only CNA.  It’s heartbreaking and backbreaking.  My message to all of you is—we need your help now, more than ever.  We need fair pay so we can keep a roof over our heads, and we need better protections, especially staffing ratios, to keep our patients safe,” Margaret said.

“The devastating impact of COVID-19 has exacerbated long-standing problems and exposed the defects of a for-profit industry that has little public oversight, despite being a crucial part of our state’s health infrastructure,” said Milly Silva.  “This package of bills would make positive changes on a range of issues to protect against another wave of COVID-19 and improve the lives of nursing home residents generally.  At the same time, 1199SEIU sees several keys areas for improvement.  We strongly believe that a legislative package to fix the problems within the nursing home industry is incomplete without legislation establishing strong CNA-to-resident ratios.”

Recommendations that 1199SEIU brought to the table include:

• Enacting bill S-2712 to establish CNA-to-resident ratios of 1 CNA to 8 residents on the day shift, 1 to 10 in the evening, and 1 to 16 overnight, in line with legislation that had been passed in 2016 but vetoed by then-Gov. Christie.

• Ensuring adequate pay for all nursing home staff, including support workers such as housekeepers, dietary aides and activity aides who provide essential services to residents and face significant danger of exposure to COVID-19.

• Creating a balance of voices between industry representatives, nursing home residents, family members, patient advocates, and workers on committees established to chart the path forward for long-term care in New Jersey.  Legislation currently under consideration does not provide equitable representation among stakeholders.

• Requiring nursing facilities to maintain a 90-day stockpile of PPE to guard against another wave of COVID-19.

• Bringing greater financial accountability and oversight to the nursing home industry by returning to the comprehensive cost reporting system that was in place in New Jersey prior to 2010.  Nursing homes, which are funded primarily by taxpayer dollars and serve a vital public function, need to be financially transparent.

###

1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East is the largest and fastest-growing healthcare union in New Jersey and nationwide. We represent over 16,000 healthcare families in New Jersey and over 450,000 total members throughout New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Maryland, Florida, and Washington, D.C.   Our mission is to achieve quality care and good jobs for all.