October 29, 2007

Maplewood Nursing Home employees in Cheshire County, N.H., celebrate their vote to join Council 93.

 

Photo Credit: Tina Leonesio

Nearly 160 employees of Maplewood Nursing Home in Cheshire County, N.H., who work hard every day to provide the best quality care to the home’s residents, have voted overwhelmingly to join AFSCME Council 93.

“We wanted to have a voice on the job,” says Roger Lesmerises, a physical therapy aide who was elected to serve as the local’s first president. He said favoritism, inadequate health care benefits and terminations turned what had once been a pleasant working environment into one “where people were thoroughly disgusted.”

They understood that the best way to gain the dignity and respect they deserve was to form a union with AFSCME. In September, they succeeded.

The new local’s members include licensed nursing assistants, medical nursing assistants, ward aides, laundry and dietary aides, occupational and physical therapy assistants, central supply clerks, receptionists and others.

Next step for these determined employees: negotiating a first contract.