“On the backs of low-paid workers”: Consulate Caregivers turn up the heat

Nursing home caregivers and members of 1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers, rallied at 11 locations all across Florida on Saturday, demanding that Consulate Health Care, their employer, pays living wages and provide proper work conditions.

At Rosewood Health and Rehab Center in Orlando, one of the locations picketed, caregivers slammed Consulate for the inadequate staffing levels to care for residents at the facility, the poverty-level wages they earn and the lack of affordable health care.

“Consulate has been systematically cutting back on staffing, making it harder and harder for those who remain to care properly for residents at the facility,” said Diane Mazion, a caregiver. “We don’t have affordable health insurance ourselves, and can’t in turn care for our own families adequately.”

Headquartered in Maitland, Florida, Consulate Health Care has seen its profits skyrocket by 770 percent between 2009 and 2010, even though it continues to freeze employees’ pay. Moreover, the company has refused to grant a 3 1/2 pay increase to workers and instead is offering a mere 1.5% increase, although Consulate’s top executives received increases of at least 109% in 2011, over the previous year.

To make matters worse, the Orlando Business Journal recently recognized Consulate Health Care, again, as one of the 50 fastest growing private companies in Central Florida. Built on the backs of its lowly paid workers, the company’s revenue growth rate was nearly 152% from 2010 – 2012.

Asked what were the next steps in obtaining a living wage, a bit of dignity and some respect from Consulate Health Care and its high-flying CEO Joseph D. Conte, Mazion said, caregivers, housekeepers, dietary and maintenance workers, who are the backbone of the facilities would continue to make their voices heard.

“We will continue to picket and we will continue to demand improved conditions in the nursing homes,” said Mazion. “These are not animals in the facilities, these are people, loved ones. At some point my hope is that Consulate will do the right thing.”

Added Mazion, “Just because we love to care for others does not mean we should struggle ourselves to make ends meet.”

At Rosewood Health and Rehab Center, some caregivers earn less than $8 per hour or $16,600 a year, while the average wage is less than $11 per hour or $22,880 a year. Over 1,000 Consulate caregivers statewide have called for better pay, improved work conditions and affordable health insurance.

Meanwhile, in 2011, with an ownership stake of 45% in the company, Conte pocketed $1.3 million and Executive Vice President Eugene Curcio, who owns a similar share in the company, took home $1.2 million.

Other nursing home facilities picketed on Saturday included, Consulate of Kissimmee in Kissimmee, Rio Pinar Health Care in Orlando, Parks Healthcare & Rehab on South Orange Blossom Trail and Renaissance Health & Rehabilitation Center in West Palm Beach.