Workers at U of R, medical center could approve three-day strike

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Some workers at the University of Rochester and its medical center are weighing another strike. These employees have been without a new contract since the end of October. They meet with the university on Thursday for another negotiation session.

Workers said they just want a fair deal but stopped short of defining what that looks like.

These workers are patient care technicians, stock keepers, drivers, and food servers at the hospital and university. They have been through more than 32 bargaining sessions with the school. They held a seventeen-hour strike earlier this month.

One of the sticking points is pay. Elizabeth Davila is administrative organizer with Local 1199 SEIU and says that the base rate being offered to workers is $15.45 and says that is unacceptable.

Davila said, “This is a struggle for working people everywhere. and we just want to be able to allow our membership to have a good holiday season. Be able to focus on their families and their loved ones as opposed to having to worry about ya know, work, and having to pick up additional shifts or working another job just to make ends meet.”

University officials said they’ve been negotiating in good faith since late August. If Thursday’s session is unsuccessful, they will hold a vote Friday on whether to strike again, this time for three days.