On Monday evening, less than a day and a half before a scheduled strike, 150 nursing home workers, members of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, reached a settlement with Alameda Center for Rehabilitation and Healthcare.

With little movement at the bargaining table over the past several months, union members had voted overwhelmingly for a 24-hour strike that was slated to begin Wednesday morning.

The tentative agreement provides immediate and yearly wage increases for all employees and protects workers’ pension and health insurance benefits.

“We are very happy to reach an agreement that maintains good health insurance so we can stay healthy on the job while we care for our residents,” said Diane Speckman, a certified nursing assistant and member of the Union’s bargaining committee. “We were united and ready to go out on strike, but I’m relieved that after a long day of bargaining we were finally able to reach a deal that respects the work we do as healthcare workers.”

“Preserving good healthcare jobs is essential to protecting quality care in our communities,” said Milly Silva, Executive Vice President of 1199SEIU.  “This agreement reflects the dedication of 1199SEIU members in advocating for their patients and their families, and the outcomes that workers can achieve by building strong unions.”