Avamere Primed to Increase Staff Wages and Engagement

WILSONVILLE, Ore., April 8, 2021 (Newswire.com) - The skilled nursing division of Avamere Living, part of the Avamere Family of Companies, has reached a pending agreement with Service Employees International Union, Local 503, on a new contract to increase staff wages, offer additional training and mentoring opportunities, expand career growth opportunities, and increase staffing.  

This positive change will impact caregivers, certified nursing assistants (CNAs), housekeepers, and several other entry-level employees.  

"This is a well-deserved change for our employees," stated Carl Tabor, Division President for Avamere Living Skilled Nursing Facilities. "It's a true shift in culture, offering increased wages, staffing support, and career advancement opportunities to our employees that are so crucial to the day-to-day care of our patients and residents. The tentative agreement reflects the ongoing partnership we have with SEIU to achieve the Avamere mission to enhance the lives of every person we serve." 

Avamere is creating ongoing committees and workgroups to gain valuable input from team members and increasing wages $4 more an hour for select positions, among other efforts.  

In many areas, this change will make Avamere's wages equal to or greater than CNA wages at a hospital, which traditionally paid CNAs more than the skilled nursing industry.  

"This job is not an easy job," Loraine Akeem, CNA at Avamere Rehabilitation of Lebanon, told SEIU Local 503. "It takes patience and endurance and yet, every day, we go back and do it again. We do that out of love and passion for what we do. This agreement will give all Avamere members the respect they deserve for the work they do." 

This change already supports other great assistance Avamere provides employees, like tuition assistance, referral bonuses, paid time off, 401(k), employee assistance program (EAP), and more. 

The new agreement will go to a vote of the union's membership, where it is anticipated to pass. If it does, the contract will go into effect May 1, 2021. 

About the Avamere Family of Companies  

Founded in 1995 and based in Wilsonville, Oregon, the Avamere Family of Companies provides assisted living, independent living, memory care, rehabilitation, home care, transitional care, and more with a mission to enhance lives. Today, Avamere's diverse companies operate in over 300 locations across 20 states with over 8,800 employees. For more information, visit avamere.com.   

Avamere Family of Companies  
25115 SW Parkway Ave., Suite B  
Wilsonville, OR 97070  

For press inquiries, please email [email protected]. 

Source: Avamere Health Services