September 26, 2025

Members of 1199SEIU have launched a bargaining campaign for new three-year contracts at four nursing homes across Florida that would deliver fair and reasonable wage increases to keep up with the rapidly rising cost of living in the state.

The effort will take unity and persistence as the facility operators have responded with extreme and untenable proposals including cuts to wages, work hours, paid holidays and other essential elements workers won in previous contracts.

The contracts would cover approximately 370 employees, such as CNAs, dietary staff, housekeepers and laundry workers at Wilton Manors Health & Rehab, Unity Health & Rehab in Miami, North Beach Rehab, and Rockledge Health & Rehab.

Management proposals, that also include unfair cuts to uniforms, punctuality incentives, ratification bonuses and more, might also violate U.S. Labor law and the National Labor Relations Act, Section 8(a)(5), regarding employers refusing to bargain in good faith, say union leaders

Employers cannot come to the table with the goal of clawing back everything workers have won in the past or use bargaining as a weapon to punish workers and/or negotiate backwards, according to 1199SEIU.

In addition, the four facilities are owned by different companies, but all represented by the same lawyer and are presenting nearly identical proposals at the bargaining table, indicating a coordinated effort to slash contracts rather than individual economic necessity.

Workers are prepared to keep up the fight to support and protect their families, and for the well-being of their elderly, vulnerable patients. 

“I love caring for my patients, but I need fair wages and benefits to protect and support my own family,” said Dany Fleurantus, a CNA at Wilton Manors and a mother of three. “We have to stand together and fight hard because management wants to pay us as little as they can no matter how much it costs to live here.”

“We have been able to push back and stop some of the worst of the proposed take-aways,” said Dr. Carolina Ampudia, 1199SEIU organizer and chief negotiator. “But we have a great deal of work to do to reach fair agreements in Florida, a state with one of the highest costs of living and fastest price increases in the country.”

Beyond negotiations, workers are planning “walks on the boss,” calls to facility owner corporate offices, Labor Day rallies and other actions.

“It’s important that we stay determined, engaged and united,” said Sherry McCaslin, a CNA at Rockledge Health & Rehab. “That’s how we’ll win for workers, patients and our whole community.”

Teams of Florida nursing home workers joined fellow SEIU members from across the country on multiple lobbying visits to Washington, D.C. to let lawmakers know they’re extremely concerned about deep cuts to Medicaid, SNAP and other essential programs.  Nearly four million Floridians, from children to seniors, would be devastated by the loss of healthcare, nutrition and other essential needs.

Proposed by the Trump Administration and passed by Republicans in the House of Representatives, the current legislation would slash nearly $700 billion from Medicaid, as well as placing greater restrictions and requirements on working and low-income Americans to receive services and support. In the House plan, about $267 billion in SNAP food aid over the next 10 years would be eliminated. The bill is now being considered by the Senate, in which Republicans also hold the majority.

“These cuts would hurt vulnerable people who need care the most. As a longtime nursing home worker, I know first-hand that many of the frail and elderly residents I care for depend on Medicaid. These are our parents, grandparents and loved ones. We can’t sit back and remain silent without voicing our concerns. That’s why I felt compelled to join this lobbying trip,” said Rushelle Goodwine Perry, a certified nursing assistant (CNA) from Tampa Bay.

In Florida, the care for about four out of every seven nursing home patients is supported with Medicaid funding. 

In addition to eliminating this critical care, these Medicaid and SNAP cuts would result in substantial job losses for healthcare workers and employees in other sectors across the state. Public health studies have shown that 45,000 workers would lose their jobs and livelihoods just in Florida if Trump and Republicans in the House and Senate are successful in their broad effort to slash opportunities and programs for working families.

The 1199SEIU Florida contingent visited several lawmakers from Trump’s GOP. The caregivers and other workers shared personal stories and -experiences on the importance of Medicaid, SNAP and more for their patients, communities and their own families.

“The lobby visits were very valuable in understanding the process and finding out who cares at all about their constituents or at least willing to listen,” said Yvonna Julies, a medical record and central supply coordinator at a South Florida nursing home. “It was a great learning experience for us, and I hope for them, too.”

Highlighting real-life consequences and establishing productive discussions with all lawmakers – even those who generally ignore the needs of workers – is critical to highlighting the grave importance of protecting Medicaid, SNAP and more, especially when the massive cuts are to fund even more Trump tax giveaways for the already ultra-rich.

“This is an aspect that caregivers find especially disturbing because able-bodied billionaires don’t need even more tax breaks when working people, their kids and elderly loved ones are truly sick,” said Coy Jones, 1199SEIU state political director.  “That’s the real waste, fraud and abuse of the system. But our member-leaders spoke in a strong unified voice to deliver a compelling message to Congress: hands off our healthcare.”

To help save Medicaid, SNAP and more, visit www.healthcareworkersaction.org or call 866-426-2631.

September 25, 2025

ORLANDO – Members of 1199SEIU joined a listening tour hosted by Central Florida Public Media and WMFE to share the many challenges and rewards of working in nursing homes and caring for the region’s elderly.

The event was to help the non-profit media organization learn directly about the issues and emotions faced by long-term care workers, to then most accurately shape news coverage that’s shared with large radio and online audiences. Central Florida Public Media’s mission is to provide the region with “journalism and fact-based content that empower the community to better understand and participate in our diverse and complex world.”

During the session, about 20 members of 1199SEIU spoke about their dedication to their patients and commitment to providing quality care while faced with challenges of understaffing, supply shortages and wages too low to meet the rapidly rising costs of housing, insurance and essential family needs.

“You really have to love your patients to be successful and last in this job,” said long-time CNA and 1199SEIU Rank and File Executive Council Member Sophia Colley who organized and kicked off the event on behalf of her fellow caregivers. “These are our parents, grandparents and other elderly loved ones who deserve to be cared for properly and live out their lives in dignity, but our healthcare system in Florida makes this very difficult.”

Caregivers spoke of spending their own money to buy patients clothing and other supplies, while facilities pay low wages, short-staff and try to cut benefits.  In addition, the GOP majority in the Florida Legislature has been reducing staffing and safety standards in nursing homes for years, and the situation is expected to dramatically worsen when extreme Medicaid cuts pushed by the Trump Administration take effect.

Caregivers find it especially appalling that the massive budget cuts to healthcare services and jobs would be used to fund even more tax breaks for billionaires and big business. 

“Our members work very hard for seniors, the sick and community members who really need the care, it’s terrible that some politicians just want to serve the already rich and powerful,” said Joy Scott, 1199SEIU Vice President. “I’m proud of our caregivers for their dedication and who spoke so eloquently on these issues.  We appreciate the opportunity to share our stories and Central Florida Public Media’s great work to keep our community informed with important news and the real truth, even while it faces its own attacks from Tallahassee and the White House.”

Central Florida Public Media operates WMFE 90.7 FM, the region’s primary provider of National Public Radio programming, as well as other broadcast, streaming and online outlets.  To learn more, visit www.cfpublic.org or www.wmfe.org.

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 About 1199SEIU: 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East is the largest union of healthcare workers in the country representing more than 450,000 nurses and healthcare workers nationwide, including more than 35,000 in nursing homes, hospitals and other facilities throughout Florida.