Workers Picket Outside Stoughton Health Facility

STOUGHTON, MA — Healthcare workers picketed outside the Blue Hills Health and Rehabilitation Center Thursday, demanding higher pay and a more affordable healthcare plan. The workers described the demonstration as an "informational picket," rather than a strike, only picketing off-duty.

Herbert Jean-Baptiste, a worker at Blue Hills, told the Patriot Ledger the employees, represented by Local 1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, began negotiating a new contract with management back in February when the workers' contract expired.

The union highlighted several issues including low pay, lack of affordable healthcare, and an the staff being overworked by being responsible for too many patients. The facility has about 60 employees and has 92 beds for residents. The union said 17 certified nursing assistants on staff make $12.50 per hour and are proposing to increase the starting salary to $14 per hour.

According to Blue Hills's management, the facility is not understaffed, arguing it gives about 25 per patient per day of one-on-one care than the Massachusetts state average. Management also said they offered to increase starting wages for certified nursing assistants over the next three years.

Union representatives said although the strike was "informational,"the union could vote to authorize a strike as a last resort.

For more on this story, check out the Patriot Ledger