Home health care workers affiliated with the University of Rochester held a one-day strike on Monday in Webster.
The unionized workers, members of 1199SEIU, are employed by UR Medicine Home Care and provide home care to patients in seven upstate counties.
Cindy Lonzetti is a physical therapy assistant who has been with the company for more than 30 years.
She said that one of their main issues is the required increase in productivity, which cuts down on time they can spend with their patients.
“We went from seeing 25 people, to, they came in and said we had to do 30, so we don’t get as much time with our patients for the quality care,” Lonzetti said.
There are also a variety of other issues, including changes in benefits and employees’ health care costs.
Cathy Ballmer was also walking the line on Monday. She is a registered nurse in the program, and said there are a number of issues the union is fighting for.
“We’re out here for a good working contract with decreased productivity, better health insurance, better tuition plans, daycare, anything that any working individual deserves,” Ballmer said.
A statement from UR Medicine Home Care said that the organization’s leadership “has been bargaining in good faith” since May 2024, and has reached tentative agreements with the union on many proposals.
UR Medicine Home Care said that had contingency plans in place to ensure all operations including patient care activities continued without disruption.
