Workers are demanding Rockport / Shlomo Rechnitz match the dedication of caregivers with the investment quality care requires
Bakersfield, Calif. – Nursing home workers at The Rehabilitation Center of Bakersfield, represented by SEIU Local 2015, picketed outside the facility Thursday afternoon, calling on owner Rockport / Shlomo Rechnitz (RSR) to address chronic short staffing and invest in the wages and working conditions needed to provide safe, dignified care.
Workers have spent months negotiating in good faith and have made progress at the bargaining table, but key issues remain unresolved. Thursday’s picket was a public call for an agreement that reflects the needs of both caregivers and residents.
As California’s aging population drives growing demand for long-term care, many nursing homes remain understaffed. The Rehabilitation Center of Bakersfield is owned by Rockport/ Shlomo Rechnitz, the third-largest nursing home operator in California, operating 70 facilities statewide. SEIU 2015 represents nursing home workers at 27 Rockport/ Shlomo Rechnitz facilities across California Safe staffing is the foundation of quality care, and continued investment is essential to recruiting and retaining the caregivers residents depend on every day.
“I love the residents I care for, and they deserve better than this. We are short-staffed almost every shift, and it’s the residents who pay the price. That’s why we’re picketing – to send a clear message that our employer needs to step up.” said Denise Webber, CNA at The Rehabilitation Center of Bakersfield.
“This fight is bigger than our contract. It’s about protecting the care our residents deserve and making sure caregiving remains a profession people can afford to stay in,” said Rene Woolfolk, Medical Records, at The Rehabilitation Center of Bakersfield.
“We’re proud of the care our members provide every single day, often under incredibly difficult conditions. Safe staffing isn’t just good for workers, it’s good for residents and it’s good for the future of long-term care in California. That’s why we’re standing together in Bakersfield.” said Christina Lockyer, a CNA at The Rehabilitation Facility of Bakersfield and SEIU 2015 First Vice President of Nursing Homes.
SEIU 2015 members at The Rehabilitation Center of Bakersfield say they will continue fighting for a fair contract that addresses staffing, strengthens working conditions, and supports the quality care residents deserve.
For more information about SEIU Local 2015, visit SEIU2015.org or follow @SEIU2015 on social media.