On July 31, 2024 Teamster members at River Oaks in Clarksburg WV, a CommuniCare nursing home facility, voted by approximately 93% to reject the Company’s final offer and authorize a strike.
The union workforce has sent a message that the Company’s final offer fails to address the fundamental lack of respect shown to them. Some employees pay well over 50% of their health insurance premiums for substandard coverage that does not include WVU Medicine in its network. The Company’s final wage proposal does little to overcome the health insurance cost or bring many of the employees to a livable wage. Employees regularly must work 16-hours because the facility is so short staffed.
Luke Farley, Teamsters Local 175 Attorney stated, “These employees are underpaid, understaffed, and underappreciated by this Company. I have reached out to the Company multiple times after the vote but to date have not received any returned phone calls. Since the vote the members have continued to work in hopes to reach a resolution and avoid a labor dispute. Many of the employees consider the residents as family. However, the Company’s actions and stonewall tactics will force a disruption in care to residents at the center. It is a shame CommuniCare River Oaks refuses to take care of the employees who take care of peoples’ loved ones.”
The Teamsters represent approximately 45 employees at the facility which include CNAs and workers in housekeeping and dietary. Under the law the Union must send a minimum of ten days’ notice before a strike at a health care facility. The contract expired August 1st and at the time of this news release the Company has not contacted the Union for additional meetings.