Striking nursing home staff launch one-day fast in Fresno to boost pressure on management
Nearly two weeks after embarking on an indefinite strike, the unionized employees of a Fresno nursing home attempted to increase the pressure on the facility’s management by launching a six-hour fast.
On Tuesday, 10 people — including Sunnyside Convalescent Hospital employees and SEIU 2015 union members — fasted beneath a purple tent in Courthouse Park in downtown Fresno. A sign hanging from the tent read, “fasting for quality care and safe staffing.”
More than 50 others supported those fasting by chanting “sí se puede” or “yes we can.” Protesters waved union-printed flags that read, “respect us, protect us, pay us,” and marched with a large banner that read, “Sunnyside healthcare workers striking for justice.”
“We are fasting and we are taking the day to reflect,” said Maria Xiquin, regional director for SEIU 2015 in Central California and one of the fast participants. “And we’re asking the owners to take the time to reflect on the impact of their decisions.”
SEIU 2015 has been trying to bargain with Sunnyside’s owner, Mario Marasigan, for nine months, Xiquin said. The union represents more than 400,000 long-term care workers in California, including staff at Sunnyside.
As bargaining talks stalled, Sunnyside employees have grown increasingly frustrated. They went on a one-day strike Sept. 21, alleging low wages, bounced paychecks and unsafe staffing levels, and launched the ongoing strike Oct. 6.
The union scheduled the fast in advance of their next scheduled bargaining talk with Marasigan and the facility administration.
“We are hoping that this will be enough so that tomorrow when they come to the bargaining table, they bring wages that will attract quality staff to this facility so that patients get quality care,” Xiquin said.
Marasigan has not responded to The Bee’s request for comment.
Striking Sunnyside employees seek higher wages
Abel Cerrillo, who has worked at the Sunnyside nursing home for almost three decades, was among the 10 people fasting. He was the facility’s head cook but was demoted to dietary aide without an explanation, he said.
Cerrillo said he went on strike because he wants his title back — plus a raise.
“Hopefully I do get it,” he said. “Because $15 an hour, that’s not making it right now. Everything is going up but our pay still stays the same.”
Sylvia Gomez also joined the fast. She has worked as a housekeeper at Sunnyside for eight years.
She previously told The Bee she’s had paychecks bounce and that her most recent raise was for one cent, increasing her hourly rate from $14.99 to $15.
Minimum wage in California is currently $15 an hour for employers with 26 or more employees. To comply with minimum wage for the nursing home industry, management should be paying non-medical staff at least $15.58 and medical staff at least $15.78, according to the union.
A recent state audit by the Department of Health Care Services found that the nursing home has been paying employees between 33 cents and $1 below the minimum wage for nursing home employees.
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Fresno officials express support for fasting employees
Though Sunnyside is outside of Fresno’s limits, the employees’ allegations caught the attention of the city’s leaders.
Council president Nelson Esparza and council vice president Tyler Maxwell joined Tuesday’s rally and spoke with protesters.
“What is going on is unacceptable, and the city council has your back,” Maxwell said to the group through a megaphone.
Esparza expressed his support and said he’s met with strikers at the facility, too. He told The Bee he supports the protesters but as an elected city official, he can only encourage the owner to return to the bargaining table.
“At this point, I’m not sure what steps the city itself could take,” Esparza added.
Councilmember Luis Chavez previously expressed his support at the one-day strike outside of Sunnyside’s facility.
