Pay raise for health care workers - pact between Local 1199 of the Drug, Hospital, and Health Care Employees Union and the Home Care Council of New York Inc

Monthly Labor Review, April, 1992 by Michael H. Cimini, Susan L. Behrmann

Pay raise for health care workers A settlement between Local 1199 of the Drug, Hospital, and Health Care Employees Union and the Home Care Council of New York, Inc. that covers nearly 20,000 home-health care workers is expected to set a pattern for an additional 40,000 home-health care workers in New York City. The Council bargained for 28 nonprofit private agencies that provide publicly financed home-health care services under the Medicaid program.

The 2-year contract calls for a wage increase of 30 cents an hour, to $6.20, retroactive to July 1, 1990, when the previous contract expired, resulting in back pay of $1,000 to $1,200 per worker; establishment of a pension fund, with employer contributions set at 6.5 cents an hour per employee; introduction of a training fund; every other weekend off for employees who work at least 5 days a week; jury duty pay; and enhanced job and income security.

The employees-nurses' aides who care for elderly and disabled patients discharged from hospitals or nursing homes-were characterized by the president of Local 1199 as the "most under-represented workers in America."