Activists, Fired Worker Protest Poor Resident Care and Working Conditions at Atria Senior Living During Annual Senior Housing Conference (version 1)

Adeyemiwas targeted and fired from Atria after attempting to help workers forma union at Atria West Side in Manhattan, New York. Adeyemi was earningaround $9 an hour at the time, and had received several positivereviews from supervisors for excellent work.

"There are a lot ofproblems at Atria. I stood up for my residents, and for my co-workersand our right to form a union. Then Atria fired me. Now I want someanswers," said Adeyemi.

At $9-10 an hour, many Atria workers takehome little more than $300 a week. Workers also report that Atria'shealthcare costs around $240 a month, which is well out of reach formost.

"I worked hard and did a good job. All I wanted was abetter life for myself and for the residents. Workers aren't asking tomake six figures. All we ask is to be given decent, fair wages thatdon't force us to choose between paying for train fare and covering theco-payment at the doctor's office. All we want is to have enough staffto give the residents what they need," said Adeyemi.

Workers likeJojo at Atria facilities across the country have been struggling toform a union, speaking out for better resident care and workingconditions. But workers say Atria management is standing in the way bythreatening, harassing and retaliating against workers.

Atria isowned by a private equity fund affiliated with Lazard, the powerhouseWall Street bank. Many of the investors in the Lazard-affiliated fundthat owns Atria are pension funds, managing billions in workerretirement assets in the U.S., Canada and Europe. The "Atria fund" hasconsistently underperformed and has even lost millions since itsinception in 1998.

Lazard and Atria have been under fire over thepast several years for mismanagement. Atria Senior Living has beenaccused of violating workers' civil rights, cited by state authoritiesfor serious resident care problems, and Atria has even been targeted inNew York and California with legislation aimed at curbing theirskyrocketing rents. Investors in this fund have previously organizedthemselves to hold Lazard accountable for problems.

Today'saction is just the latest in a series of protests by workers, familymembers and others who are trying to hold Atria Senior Livingmanagement and owners more accountable. On Wednesday, Sept. 10, SEIUHealthcare and The Campaign to Improve Assisted Living launched aneffort to call on the pension funds that own Atria to hold Lazard moreaccountable to investors and working families. Activists launched theircampaign outside the State of Wisconsin Investment Board's monthlymeeting and will continue their protests during upcoming meetings ofthe Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund and the Pennsylvania PublicSchool Employees' Retirement System later this month.

More at www.improveassistedliving.org/who-owns-atria-senior-living/