ST. LOUIS – Nursing home health care workers are taking a stand for their safety. They held a demonstration in the parking lot of Royal Oaks Nursing and Rehab.
Their union, SEIU Healthcare, says they’re calling for more personal protection equipment, paid sick time, access to testing and hazard pay.
Royal Oaks is owned by the same group as Frontier Health and Rehabilitation where 12 residents have died from COVID-19.
The union says workers at many other nursing homes are experiencing similar problems.
They say workers are getting so upset over the situation that some are walking off the job.
If you feel unsafe there are other options, and the union wants to remind folks that if you get fired you do not get unemployment.
Royal oaks issued a statement saying that the demonstration was in violation of their union contract:
“But they do offer hazard pay, free COVID-19 testing for employees were showing symptoms, and allow employees to take their regular benefit days…Before going on unpaid leave but they do not cover sick pay.”
They also say they’ve never been in short supply of personal protective equipment.
