Metro Detroit and Flint Workers plan to strike on March 21st

DETROIT, Mich. –  Over 500 SEIU nursing home workers from 7 Ciena homes located in metro Detroit and Flint have delivered a notice with a plan to strike on March 21st. The announcement comes after 2 months of negotiations after workers from 13 nursing homes declared the possibility of a strike on January 16th. 

“We’ve negotiated for months with Ciena management in good faith, but have been extremely disappointed with what they are willing to offer. Nursing home workers risked their lives to care for our most vulnerable residents during the pandemic. We all deserve respect, protection, pay, and safe staffing. We have a staffing crisis in our homes because of low wages and poor working conditions. We will not continue to be disrespected with lowball offers at the bargaining table. Workers are united and ready to take action. While we hope the contract will be settled soon, we are prepared to go on strike,” said Toyai Anderson, CNA at Hartford Hartford Nursing & Rehabilitation Center.

SEIU ratified contracts at 2 nursing homes owned by Pioneer in February representing 110 workers. Contracts for the nursing homes owned by Patel and Optalis continue to be negotiated. 

“It’s time for wealthy nursing home owners like Ciena’s Mohammad Qazi to pay workers what they deserve. Instead of paying his nursing home staff living wages, Qazi has been busy flipping mansions in Hollywood for a $12 million dollar profit. If Muhammad Qazi truly cares about improving his public image and giving back to his community, he will invest in the workers who staff his facilities,” said Tawanna Meriwether, CNA at Manor of Farmington. 

Ciena nursing homes that have authorized a strike include:

• Regency of Livonia / 14900 Middlebelt Rd, Livonia, MI 48154

• Sheffield Manor LPN/SM / 15311 Schaefer Hwy, Detroit, MI 48227

• Hartford Nursing & Rehabilitation Center / 6700 Outer Dr W, Detroit, MI 48235

• Regency at Whitmore Lake / 8633 Main St, Whitmore Lake, MI 48189

• The Manor of Farmington Hills / 21017 Middlebelt Rd, Farmington Hills, MI 48336

• Regency of Westland/Camelot /  2209 N Newburgh Rd, Westland, MI 48185

• Willowbrook / 4436 Beecher Rd, Flint, MI 48532