Caregivers strike in effort for fair wages, safe working conditions

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) – Caregivers from Bannister Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing in Providence began a three-day strike on Friday in effort to improve staffing and fair wages.

More than a dozen supporters and caregivers walked from their union office on Broadway to the Bannister Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing.

Tenah Nimmo-Powell, a transporter and supply clerk said in a press release, “We made the difficult decision to strike because we feel that management is putting us at risk each day by refusing to give us safe staffing, especially during the pandemic. I contracted COVID three different times; the first time I was out of work from April 8 all the way to June 2.”

“We need the company owners who sit behind desks in New York to start valuing the safety of caregivers and residents. We need more staff, better wages and health care we can afford.”

Saturday began day two of the strike, where participants were seen chanting, waving signs, and had a giant paper mache puppet of a healthcare worker’s fist holding a stethoscope up in the air..

Patrick Quinn, Executive Vice President of SEIU 1199NE told ABC6, “People in nursing homes, by definition, are usually suffering with some health symptoms and they’re compromised, so they’re more at-risk for COVID. So, during this pandemic, and as we go forward, we need to create very safe conditions, small assignment size, so people are inadvertently spreading the disease.”

Organizers told ABC6 that they hope the march will bring attention to not only the Bannister Center strike, but spotlight issues at nursing homes throughout the United States.

Union representatives say that there has not been any communication with representatives from the Bannister Center, as the strike wrapped up Saturday afternoon.

©WLNE-TV/ABC6 2020