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OCP file photo
By Allison Scarbrough, News Editor
HART — A union that represents the certified nursing assistants at the Oceana County Medical Care Facility states that the CNAs will be forced to work 12-hours shifts or face a threat of termination.
However, the facility’s administrator states that the union has been pressing the facility for the past several months to transition to 12-hour shifts.
“SEIU Healthcare Michigan is demanding that Oceana County Medical Care Facility management halt its plan to eliminate eight-hour certified nursing assistant (CNA) shifts and force workers into 12-hour schedules under threat of termination, an action that violates the workers’ collective bargaining agreement,” states SEIU Healthcare Michigan Communications Coordinator Daniel Hopkins in a recent press release. “On Oct. 28, management posted notices giving CNAs until Nov. 3 to sign up for full-time, 12-hour positions or be considered to have declined continued employment. Workers who do not sign face a stated final employment date of Nov. 18.”
“We have a contract that protects our rights, and management cannot simply ignore it and upend our lives because they want to overwork us,” said Lindita Siegel, a worker at the medical care facility. “The people we care for and our community deserve more respect than this.”
SEIU Healthcare Michigan represents CNAs, dietary, laundry, housekeeping and other service workers at the taxpayer-funded, county-owned nursing home, which has 115 certified beds and is operated by the Oceana County Human Services Board.
OCP file photo
“Under management’s posted plan, workers must choose between shifts running from 5:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. or 5:30 p.m. to 6 a.m. They must be available to work any shift, station, hall or assignment. Part-time CNA positions are being eliminated, with all posted positions designated as full-time. Nurses are facing the same process,” states the press release.
“The contract, which runs through Dec. 15, 2028, explicitly states that accepting a 12-hour position ‘shall be at the voluntary discretion of the employee.’ Requiring workers to accept a 12-hour schedule under threat of termination directly contradicts that provision.”
Eliminating regular part-time positions also violates the contract’s recognition of part-time employment as a separate classification with its own rights, the union states. “The agreement requires changes to its terms to be made in writing and approved by both parties. Management cannot rewrite the contract on its own.
“SEIU Healthcare Michigan is demanding that management cease its unilateral changes and honor the collective bargaining agreement.
“The Nov. 3 deadline gives workers just six days from the posting of the notices to make that decision. The union will continue challenging management’s unlawful actions and defending workers’ contractual rights.”
“Contrary to SEIU’s press release, that union has been pressing the facility to transition to 12-hour shifts for the past several months now, and doing so entirely within the authorization granted the facility under the existing contract.” states Oceana County Medical Care Facility Administrator Sally Choponis. “Indeed, the parties’ contract was updated to specifically allow for the utilization of 12-hour shifts to address staffing concerns following the COVID pandemic. However, the facility is currently working with both the unions representing its staff to pursue staffing options that ensure the best care possible for the residents we serve. In that regard, while we were disappointed in SEIU’s recent communications, we ultimately know all our staff only want what is best for our residents.”
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