Richard Moody is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media a group of workers at the Livingston Hills Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Livingston held an informational picket July 19, calling for better wages and additional staff. The members of 1199 Service Employees International Union, United Healthcare Workers East, picketed outside the facility to raise awareness in the surrounding community and among other employees about poor working conditions that negatively impact the quality of care provided to residents. “We are very short-staffed with 20 residents to two staff members,” Certified Nursing Assistant Marcie Shanley said. “It is impossible to provide the care we are supposed to provide.” The short staff numbers force them to overwork, causing them to be mandated for extra shifts, she said. The 120-bed facility has been owned and operated since October 2013 by Zenith Care, LLC, and has a “very poor” rating in staffing levels, according to the Medicare website. Asked why the center is understaffed, Shanley said there is a high turnover rate “because they treat us terrible and no one wants to stay.” Zenith Care representatives did not return repeated calls for comment. In addition to struggling with low wages and staff levels, the workers could lose their health care benefits. Employees planned the informational picket as a way to force contract negotiations with management. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.