Under a new collective bargaining agreement, workers at 19 nursing homes in Oregon owned by the Avamere Family of Companies will get a raise of up to $4 an hour, Northwest Labor Press reported Tuesday.
The new wages will set pay and staffing levels at “the highest standard” for nursing homes in Oregon, according to the article. Specifically, the three-year agreement between Avamere and SEIU Local 503 covers about 550 workers at 19 nursing homes in the Beaver State, effective May 1. The contract runs through April 30, 2024.
It establishes a nine-step, statewide wage scale, which replaces a regional 12-step wage scale. The pay for certified nursing assistants (CNAs) ranges from $18 an hour to $23.49 an hour, $16.79 an hour to $21.90 an hour for cooks, and $15.93 an hour to $20.79 an hour for housekeepers.
Operators and leading nursing home associations alike have called for more investment in the direct care workforce in nursing homes, with better wages for CNAs in particular a major target.
The new contract between Avamere and SEIU Local 503 sets the CNA wage levels above that of some hospitals, Northwest Labor Press noted.
“That’s important because CNAs have tended to earn less at nursing homes than at hospitals, which has made it hard for nursing homes to keep experienced staff; the resulting turnover lessens the quality of care,” the article said.
The bargaining process included a trial run of so-called “interest-based” bargaining, which Northwest Labor Press characterized as a more collaborative and less adversarial method of negotiation. The contract includes longevity bonuses, bolsters shift differential pay, sets protections against bullying by management and eliminates a previous anti-disparagement clause, according to the publication.
Avamere and SEIU Local 503 are scheduled to meet again in April of 2022 and 2023 to negotiate cost-of-living increases, effective May 1 of each year. Avamere also committed to working with SEIU Local 503 on setting staffing ratios for CNAs and housekeepers above what the Oregon law requires, with a commitment to try an “acuity-based” staffing model that considers how much care individual patients need.
In addition, CNAs that are newly hired will be mentored before being added to shifts.
Companies featured in this article:
Avamere Family of Companies, Northwest Labor Press, SEIU Local 503
