Visiting Home Health Therapists Strike in Northern Virginia

 
District 2-13 Vice President Mike Davis (center) joined CWA Local 2252 President Merrick Cosey (left) and Local 2252 members to demand a fair contract at ASHN.

On Monday, physical and occupational therapists represented by CWA Local 2252 waged a one-day strike to protest bad-faith bargaining by their employer, Alternate Solutions Health Network (ASHN). The members’ previous union contract expired in September, and a contract extension expired on January 2 without a successor agreement in place.

Forty union members, including CWA District 2-13 Vice President Mike Davis, met to picket ASHN headquarters in Northern Virginia in a show of solidarity.

CWA Local 2252 members employed by ASHN are skilled clinicians who provide home-based physical, occupational, and speech therapy services to patients who have recently been discharged from the hospital. The home health therapists provide a critical service, working to restore function to their patients’ quality of life and promote safety for homebound clients.

“By not bargaining in good faith throughout the negotiations, ASHN has not shown us respect for our unwavering commitment to patient care,” said Shawn Thompkins, ASHN licensed Physical Therapist Assistant and member of the CWA bargaining team. “Our workers feel that action must be taken to protest against the unfair treatment.”

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This post originally appeared on cwa-union.org.