'Equal Pay For Equal Work': PMBC Hospital Workers Picket On LI

RIVERHEAD, NY — Close to 600 caregivers were expected to picket outside Northwell Health's Peconic Bay Medical Center in Riverhead Monday, demanding "equal pay for equal work."

The workers, members of the 1199/SEIU United Healthcare Workers East union, were slated to picket from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. outside the hospital on Heroes Way.

The workers "have been fighting for a fair contract for months. Peconic Bay, a 182-bed hospital in Riverhead, is part of Northwell Health, which is the state’s largest healthcare provider and private employer. Many Riverhead workers currently earn lower hourly wages than similar positions at other Northwell facilities on Long Island," a statement read.

A Northwell Health spokesperson responded: "Peconic Bay Medical Center respects the right of our team members to conduct informational picketing. This is not a strike, and we want to assure our patients and the community that normal hospital operations will continue without disruption. Providing uninterrupted, high-quality care remains our top priority. We are committed to continuing constructive, good-faith negotiations with 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East to reach a fair contract that supports our team members and upholds the high-quality care our patients deserve."

The union contract originally expired in November and both parties agreed to extend it through January 10, but the nursing assistants, transporters, housekeepers, dietary staff, secretaries, and others are now working without a collective bargaining agreement, a release from the union read.

"After months of negotiations where management has not agreed to the healthcare workers’ demand for equal pay for equal work — comparable to what their colleagues earn doing the exact same jobs at other Northwell institutions — the caregivers will now picket the hospital on Monday," the release said.

"I love interacting with new mothers and babies; making the day a little better for my patients and their families is priceless. We come to work and take calls when we aren’t scheduled to help out when they need us, but I’m forced to work two jobs to keep up with expenses for my family. That’s why I’m fighting for equal pay. We are Peconic Bay’s foundation, and management should realize the value of their employees by paying us fairly,” said Kat Nogueras, a nursing tech/unit secretary in the obstetrics department who has been at the hospital for 21 years.

"We were there with our patients when they needed us the most. We did not stay home to take care of our families and 'shelter in place." We went to work to take care of our community and do what needed to be done. We were essential," said Isaiah Santiago who has worked in environmental services since 2019. "We are now asking hospital management to stop undervaluing our sacrifices and commitment — and simply pay us just like they pay other Northwell staff."

"We are dedicated to enhancing the patient experience through compassionate care and innovative initiatives which help post-surgical patients' recovery and makes their hospital stay feel more like home. Our team's commitment to excellence has not only earned us positive feedback from our patients but also prestigious recognition, including the Gold Beacon Award," said Jessica Seymore, who is the unit secretary for the surgical pavilion and has worked at the hospital for 10 years. "But the true strength of Peconic Bay lies beyond awards— it is found in the unwavering dedication of every staff member who walks through our doors each day, committed to patient care, community service, and the hospital’s continuous growth. Management needs to recognize the depth of our hard work by compensating us fairly."