Re: Nursing home workers on strike for more $$ in Illinois Archived Message
Posted by TracyA  on November 24, 2020, 8:58 am, in reply to "Re: Nursing home workers on strike for more $$ in Illinois"
As a healthcare worker I think that going on strike during a pandemic is deplorable. I have worked with this union at a previous employer and I'm not a fan.
With that being said, I've worked in the long term care industry for the past 30 years (not as a CNA). The CNA's are the backbone of our industry and barely make a living wage. Most employers are required to pay 80 hours of sick time to an employee for missing work related to a COVID diagnosis or symptoms. Healthcare workers are exempt from this... we are required to use PTO time or just not get paid. Our CNA's are at the greatest risk, but also can't afford to take off work without pay. Employers in our industry should do better by them.
Opinionated, you are very wrong. I know a lot of people who work in local long term care facilities and we are not hanging out in bars. I'm sure there are a few exceptions, but most of us are working and going home. I go to the grocery store every other week. I have not eaten in a restaurant in 8 months, not even when they opened for outdoor dining. My hair in longer than it needs to be and I'm beginning to remember what my natural hair color is, I miss my hair stylist! Most of us will not be gathering with our families for Thanksgiving either because we know the risk to our residents. What you don't understand is that these residents and their families become our extended family. Everyone in our industry has felt EVERY LOSS during this pandemic. For every long term employee that does their job just for the paycheck, there are 10 of us who do this because this is what we love.
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