The strike occurred at Fresenius locations in Bronx, New Rochelle and Brooklyn. During the strike, workers called on Fresenius, the nation’s largest dialysis corporation, “to make patient care the priority — not profits,” the unions said in a joint news release.
“The multi-national corporation based in Germany has refused to give direct care workers a say in quality of patient care issues, it has refused to allow nurses to be advocates for the patients, and it has refused to negotiate in good faith for fair contracts,” they added.
Fresenius denied the allegations in an emailed statement to Becker’s Hospital Review.
“We have negotiated in good faith over the past three-plus years with representatives from NYSNA and two-plus years with representatives from 1199 SEIU,” Fresenius said. “We have extended equitable contract offers that increase wages and protect certain union health and pension funds. Our goal, just as it has been since the start of negotiations, is to reach a fair agreement that reflects the tremendous value our employees bring to our company and the patients they care for. Despite the effort to pressure the company by disrupting essential dialysis services in our communities, we welcome continued discussions to reach an agreement.”
As far as patient care, Fresenius said: “High quality, patient-centered care is at the core of our mission and has been achieved through continually addressing quality of patient care in partnership with the many clinicians and direct care workers who support our patients every day. In response to union requests, we have offered to set up a more formalized structure through a professional practice committee comprised of nurses who would continue to provide input to the clinical decision-making process and collaborate with us in maintaining high quality patient-centered care.”
Fresenius also noted they have a contingency plan in place “to ensure our patients will receive the life-sustaining care they need despite any union actions that may occur during our ongoing negotiations.”
The unions said members in Germany who are on the company’s board intend to discuss the issues in New York next month.
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