In a letter dated February 13, HealthBridge has threatened to close all of its union facilities in Connecticut, putting 1200 nursing home residents at risk of eviction to serve corporate greed and increase its investors’ profits.  1199 President David Pickus has written a response to the threat which reads, in part:

I assure you that District 1199 is adamantly opposed to the closing of any Healthbridge facility.  It would seem, however, that Healthbridge, having employed the lockout tactic at West River, is now employing threatened closures to pressure its employees and their Union.  More and more Healthbridge’s words and actions send the following message to the Union, Healthbridge employees and the State of Connecticut:

Healthbridge’s investors are not satisfied with the rate of profits from its Connecticut Union nursing homes.  If the Union will not agree to massive concessions that will dramatically increase Healthbridge investor profits (concessions that would, of course, drive many of its employees below the poverty line), Healthbridge will simply wash its’ hands of its obligations to its residents, its employees and the State of Connecticut by attempting to close the homes and use the real estate for more profitable pursuits.

If the Union is correct, and there is much evidence to suggest it is, eternal shame on Healthbridge and its investors; the Union will do all in its power to oppose such an infamous scheme.