The National Labor Relations Board filed a complaint against the owner of nine Connecticut nursing homes, alleging that the company forced employees to take lower paying jobs.
The March complaint against HealthBridge Management LLC and Care One – both based in Fort Lee, N.J. – was filed after charges were made by the New England Health Care Employees Union, District 1199. The union is in the midst of contract negotiations with the nursing homes.
The complaint names six of the nine Connecticut nursing homes operated by HealthBridge: Danbury Health Care Center, Long Ridge of Stamford, Newington Health Care Center, Westport Health Care Center, West River Health Care Center in Milford, and Wethersfield Health Care Center.
The complaint centers around allegations that in May housekeeping and laundry employees at the Long Ridge, Newington and Westport facilities were fired by a subcontractor and forced to reapply for their jobs as new hires. They would be paid at starting wages without the seniority, pay rates, insurance and benefits, the complaint alleges.
Other allegations against HealthBridge include intimidation of employees, failure to bargain in good faith, not implementing a proper standard for holiday pay, and other violations.
As restitution, the union is asking for HealthBridge to pay all lost earnings and benefits to employees and reinstate two employees who lost their jobs when they did reapply for their jobs as new hires.
In a released statement, HealthBridge claims the allegations of forcing employees to lower paying positions has no merit because they were employees of an independent company operating at the health centers and not employees of HealthBridge.
All the other alleged violations were previously subject to grievance and arbitation procedures, HealthBridge stated.
“The centers’ position that the allegations in those charges have no merit and should be dismissed in their entirety,” HealthBridge stated.
HealthBridge has until April 4 to respond to the complaint. A hearing on the matter is scheduled for July 12 in Hartford.
