After Pennsylvania ManorCare Home Is Accused, Livonia Home Now Charged With Spending Its Funding To Illegally Fight Caregivers’ Union

DETROIT – Just weeks after the National Labor Relations Board issued a complaint against ManorCare for violating labor law in Pennsylvania, ManorCare again finds itself in the hot seat for breaking labor law, this time for its actions at Heartland Health Care Center – University in Livonia.  The trial addressed a complaint that charges ManorCare with 10 separate incidents of violating Federal labor law, including threatening employees for protected union activity and directing employees to file a petition against the union.  (Read the full complaint and notice of hearing.)

Caregivers at the Livonia nursing home point to this as an example of ManorCare’s misplaced priorities. While management spent time and resources fighting the union, the quality of care at Heartland Health Center-University is falling short of the state average in several measures. In just the last inspection cycle, three times as many long-stay residents at Heartland Health Center-University suffer from pressure sores, compared to the average Michigan nursing home, and twice as many short-stay residents suffer from moderate to severe pain. The home was also cited for 18 patient care deficiencies, including two deficiencies that caused “actual harm” to residents, one of which was failure to protect each resident from all abuse, physical punishment, and being separated from others.

“They should have spent that funding on caring for residents,” said Cora Pearson, a CNA at the Livonia home. “Instead, they spent it trying to take away our voice for quality care at our job. That’s just plain wrong.”

On one charge, the Union claims management directed employees to sign a petition in order to get rid of the union. Another count states that management threatened employees that their wage increases would be cancelled if the union returned. Together, the 10 counts show the efforts of management intent on pushing the union out.

Just weeks ago, the National Labor Relations Board issued a complaint to a Pennsylvania ManorCare home, accusing it of violating workers’ rights. Among other counts, the Labor Board's complaint charges that ManorCare unlawfully threatened an employee with job loss or reprisal because of the employee's support for the union, and unlawfully issued a disciplinary warning to an employee in order to discourage membership in the union.

The Union has asked for relief in the form of a Cease and Desist order against the illegal activities and an order for management to return to the table to bargain in good faith.

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