National and Local Leaders to hold press conference calling for an end to a Lockout at NJ Addiction Treatment Center

On Tuesday, May 30th, Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and Phil Murphy, Candidate for NJ Governor will hold a press conference with nurses and health professionals locked out by one of the nation’s largest for-profit addiction treatment corporations, American Addiction Centers (AAC). The 120 workers represented by HPAE, NJ’s largest healthcare union and an affiliate union of the AFT, were illegally locked out by AAC and began picketing at Sunrise House, an AAC facility in NJ on Tuesday, May 23.

• Who: Randi Weingarten, President of AFT
  Ambassador Phil Murphy, Candidate for NJ Governor
  Ann Twomey, HPAE President
  HPAE members locked out at Sunrise House/AAC
• Where: Lock-Out Picket Line at Sunrise House
  37 Sunset Inn Rd, Lafayette Township, NJ 07848
• Date: Tuesday, May 30, 2017
• Time: 9:00 A.M. – 10:00 A.M.

AAC is under investigation by the National Labor Relations Board for failing to bargain in good faith, making unilateral changes, discriminating against a union activist, and for failing to provide necessary information.

AAC is also under investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for complaints of unsafe conditions at Sunrise House.

Key issues are staff shortages, wages and safety conditions for both the staff and patients.

Bargaining resumed between the union and AAC administrators all day Friday, May 26, but a settlement was not achieved. Both parties will return to the bargaining table on Wednesday, May 31.

For immediate release: Friday, May 29, 2017

For more information: Bridget Devane, (732) 996-5493