“These workers are fighting for a fair shake,” said Mike Araujo of RI Jobs With Justice, “not just for themselves but for everyone that cares for our family members when they need help.
Last year Bannister House workers helped save the historic nursing home from being closed down. Bannister House was founded in 1890 as a “Home for Aged Colored Women” in Fox Point to provide care for African-American women, many of them retired domestic servants.
Today workers are demanding a living wage and affordable benefits. The workers are unionized under SEIU 1199.
]]>“The informational picket was in response to Centers Health Care, a for profit out-of-state corporation with no track record in Rhode Island, attempting to lower standards at Bannister House,” according to an SEIU 1199 press release.
“Earlier this year my co-workers and I mobilized to save a nursing home which has been in our community for generations, but now new management is attempting to drive down standards for workers, which would lead to high turnover and reduced quality care,” said Shirley Lomba a C.N.A/C.M.T who has worked at Banister for 14 years, in the release. “We are standing up to be treated fairly.”
Bannister House was founded in 1890 by Christiana Bannister “to provide long-term care to African-American women in Providence, many of whom were retired domestic servants with no resources or family to care for them.” Earlier this year, the nursing home was saved from closing when SEIU 1199 members, community allies and political leaders urged the Providence City Council and the Rhode Island Senate to pass “resolutions calling on all stakeholders to keep the historic nursing home open.”
The hard work paid off. Bannister House just celebrated its 125th anniversary.
Centers Health Care is described by SEIU 1199 as a nursing home chain “with a track record of layoffs.” SEIU is calling on Centers Health Care CEO Kenneth Rozenberg to reach a fair contract with workers to keep turnover low and the quality of care high. The picketers were handing out flyers asking passersby to call CEO Rozenberg at (718) 931-9700 ext. 216 and. “Tell him to be fair to the staff and residents at Bannister House.”
]]>Bannister House, the financially-struggling, 125-year-old nursing facility in Providence known for its history of progressive care, took a major step back towards solvency this week when the state Department of Health allowed it to start accepting new residents again.
“Bannister can currently continue to admit new patients,” said DOH spokeswoman Christina Batastini, “as long as they disclose to the prospective resident and his/her family that the facility is in receivership.”
Bannister House went into receivership April 7. Last week employees launched an effort to win public support for the financially-struggling nursing facility. Receiver Richard Land recommended to DOH that Bannister be able to accept new patients and DOH agreed this week.
The decision won the approval of Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza. “The ability to admit new residents helps put Bannister House on a path to solvency and is a very welcome development in our community effort to preserve an agency of great value and historic significance to the residents of Providence,” Elorza said in a statement.
And Bannister House staff was also encouraged by the news.
“Residents, family members, co-workers, and members of the community are very optimistic that we can save Bannister House,” said, Naomi Correia, a CNA for 24 years at Bannister. “For generations Bannister House has provided long term care to our community and we cannot afford to see it close.”
Bannister House was opened in 1890 as a retirement home for elderly African American women, many of whom were house servants who had no family to care for them. The facility was renamed after its benefactor Christiana Bannister, of whom there is a bust at the State House.
]]>Following a march on Thursday to the State House from Bannister House, a 125 year old progressive nursing home facility that because of financial difficulties is in receivership, the Providence City Council passed a resolution urging Governor Gina Raimondo and the General Assembly to do everything their power “to keep Bannister House in operation.”
Here’s the resolution the City Council passed last night.
Bannister House has been providing progressive nursing care in Providence since 1890, when it was founded as a facility for elderly Black servants who often had no other family with whom to live out the end of their lives. To this day, Bannister House still provides progressive elder-care. But financial difficulties have forced it to file for receivership, leaving the future for the 80 residents and 130 employees uncertain.
“Residents and staff consider each other like family,” said Shirley Lomba, a CNA who has worked at Bannister House for 13 years, “and family isn’t supposed to be broken up.”
The group marched to the State House, where there is a bust of Christiana Bannister, the namesake and initial benefactor of Bannister House.
]]>Bannister House has been providing forward-thinking care since April 16, 1890, when it opened as a facility for former African American domestic servants who often had no one else to care for them. To this day, according to its website, “Bannister House promotes health and well being to all who require long term care, with optimum dignity and respect, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disabilities, or age. Our Friendly, progressive and well trained staff are here to make your stay a safe and comfortable one.”
But providing this kind of care isn’t easy, or cheap. And on April 7 of this year, the long-running elder-care facility filed for receivership. The future for the facility, its 80 residents and 125 staffers, is unknown.
But there’s still hope it won’t close.
“Not if we can help it,” said Shirley Lomba, a CNA who has worked at Bannister House for 13 years.
On Thursday – exactly 125 years to the day after Bannister House first opened in Providence – employees, supporters, activists and elected officials will lead a march to the State House in an effort to keep the long-running elder-care provider operational.
“We are working really hard with community leaders, faith leaders, the whole community to keep it open,” Lomba said. “We need the help of city and state leaders. People need to come together with a plan.”
The action begins at Bannister House, 135 Dodge St., at 3pm. From there they march to Smith Hill, where they will lay flowers at the feet of a State House statue of Christina Bannister, the facility’s namesake.
Here’s more on the history of Bannister House, from its website:
Bannister began in the Meeting Street Methodist Church by a group of citizens concerned about the living conditions of elderly black women.
Mrs. Christiana Bannister, wife of well known African American landscape artist Edward Bannister, enlisted the aid of donors to support their cause. Land on the East Side of Providence was donated by the Shephard family.
On April 16, 1890, a three story building was opened with 12 residents, and so began the Home For Aged Colored Women. They succeeded in establishing a home that provided care for those who were no longer able to care for themselves.
To honor one of our founding members the name was changed to Bannister House.
And here’s more information from an SEIU press release:
]]>Health Care Workers & Supporters March to Save Bannister House
Call for Action to Maintain Long-Term Care Facility in Providence’s West End
Exactly 125 years from its founding date, Bannister House employees – along with residents’ family members, community and elected leaders – are marching to the State House in an effort to preserve long-term nursing care in one of Providence’s lowest-income areas. Supporters will then hold a peaceful ceremony near the bronze statue of Christiana Bannister on the second floor of the State House.
WHO: Over 100 health care workers (including RNs, CNAs, Med Techs, and more), residents’ family members, community members, and political leaders.
WHAT: March to Save Bannister House and Keep Quality Long-Term Care in the Community
WHEN: Thursday, April 16th, 2015 at 3pm
WHERE: Begins at Bannister House on 135 Dodge Street in Providence. Ends at Christiana Bannister Statue on 2nd Floor of State House (near Senate chambers).
The event will have strong audio and visuals (including health care workers marching in scrubs and laying flowers at the foot of the Bannister Statue). Workers will be available for interview.
More Background:
On April 16, 1890, a group of concerned citizens led by Christiana Bannister opened the “Home for Aged Colored Women” in Fox Point to provide long-term care to African-American women in Providence, many of whom were retired domestic servants who had no family of their own to care for them. The facility was later renamed in her honor, and in 1974, Bannister House relocated to the West End on land donated by Ebenezer Baptist Church, in a building constructed around the church’s original chapel. To learn more about Bannister House’s history visit www.bannisterhouse.org/history.htm
On April 7, 2015, Bannister House went into receivership. There are almost 130 Bannister employees, the vast majority of whom live in Providence, who provide experienced and compassionate care to about 80 Bannister residents.