Union workers rally outside The Pearl Nursing Center as contract talks stall

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Union caregivers, resident families, community advocates and elected officials rallied this week outside The Pearl Nursing Center on Portland Avenue, calling on management to settle a contract that expired more than nine months ago. 

The union contract covering more than 80 workers at the Rochester facility expired April 30, 2025. Since then, caregivers represented by 1199SEIU — the nation’s largest health care workers union — have continued working without a new agreement as negotiations with management remain unresolved. 

“We are calling on this for-profit employer to settle this contract and to provide dignity and respect to the caregivers and residents,” said Tiara Tazell, 1199SEIU administrative organizer and lead negotiator. 

Union members at The Pearl work in a range of roles including certified nurse assistants, licensed practical nurses, cooks, secretaries, activities aides, laundry workers, dietary workers, maintenance staff and housekeepers. Workers say key issues in negotiations include staffing levels, wages and working conditions — all of which they argue directly impact resident care. 

The Pearl Nursing Center currently holds a one-star rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the federal agency that evaluates nursing homes nationwide. 

According to Medicare.gov, The Pearl Nursing Center of Rochester is owned by Jacob Abramczyk, Naftoli Abramczyk, Gabriel Platschek, Sima Shapiro and Scott Wheeler. 

At the same time, the New York State Department of Health is reviewing a Certificate of Need application filed by Brooklyn-based Eminent Care Group to assume operations of the facility. The application lists Efraim Siegfried, Yaakov Geldzahler and Chaim Ausch as owners of Eminent Care Group. Workers say Eminent Care has already taken over day-to-day management of the nursing home while the state review process is underway. 

The pending ownership transition adds another layer of complexity to contract negotiations. Union leaders argue that clarity around operational control is critical to reaching a long-term labor agreement. 

Both sides are scheduled to return to the bargaining table Tuesday, Feb. 24. If negotiations continue to stall, workers say they are prepared to organize additional public demonstrations and increase pressure on management to reach a settlement. 

The dispute at The Pearl comes amid broader labor tensions in Rochester’s long-term care sector. 

At Rochester Regional Health’s Unity Living Center, the contract covering 1199SEIU members expired July 31, 2025. Last week, workers there unanimously voted to authorize their bargaining committee to issue a 10-day notice to picket if an agreement is not reached soon. Unity Living Center employees are set to resume negotiations Feb. 18. 

Unity Living Center’s union members include certified nursing assistants, licensed practical nurses, activity aides, unit secretaries and physical therapy aides. 

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