LEWISTOWN — After weeks of rising tension and legal threats, nursing home workers at 10 Valley West Health facilities have postponed a planned three-day strike, giving the company one more opportunity to return to the bargaining table in good faith.

The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Healthcare Pennsylvania announced Friday that the strike, which had been scheduled to begin Oct. 14 at eight facilities, including William Penn Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Lewistown, was being put on hold until at least Oct. 16, when both sides are expected to meet for renewed negotiations.

“This has always been about calling on Valley West to negotiate in good faith so we can improve the quality of care and staffing that residents deserve,” said Janet Williams, a certified nursing assistant at Uniontown Nursing and Rehabilitation for 35 years and a member of the union’s bargaining committee. “Workers have been extremely clear that we are willing to come to the table any time, any day, and all day. We remain committed to negotiate in good faith with Valley West and we expect them to do the same on Oct. 16.”

The decision comes after weeks of mounting rhetoric from both sides. Union leaders accused the New Jersey-based operator of refusing to bargain, canceling scheduled sessions, and failing to provide basic financial information needed for wage talks. Valley West countered that the planned strike was “illegal” and violated a no-strike clause in the collective bargaining agreement signed last year, which the company said remains in effect through 2026.

In a statement issued Saturday, Valley West said SEIU’s withdrawal of its strike notice “confirms what we have maintained all along: the planned strike was unlawful, irresponsible, and deeply misguided.” The company said it has consistently acted in good faith, offering multiple negotiation dates, including Oct. 16 — following the Jewish High Holy Days — and accused union leaders of using the timing of the strike as a pressure tactic.

“This reckless timing didn’t just target management; it put patients at risk,” the company said. “By giving Valley West as little notice as possible, SEIU made it harder to staff safely during a vulnerable period.”

Valley West also claimed several union officials had “pre-scheduled paid vacation for the strike week,” calling the move evidence that “this was never about good faith negotiation. It was about pressure, power, and optics, not patients.”

The company credited what it called the “courage” of staff who chose not to strike, saying their professionalism “ensured that every resident would be cared for without interruption.”

SEIU leaders rejected suggestions that the planned strike was politically motivated or reckless. Union President Matt Yarnell said workers wanted to compel Valley West to take bargaining seriously after months of inaction.

“We expect Valley West to come to the table on the 16th prepared, ready to bargain in good faith, and serious about investing in the workforce the way operators at 60 other nursing homes already have this year,” Yarnell said in Friday’s release. “Like we have made clear, we are prepared to do whatever it takes to hold this company accountable to residents and caregivers.”

Union representatives said they are postponing, not canceling, the work stoppage, leaving open the possibility of future action if next week’s negotiations fail to make progress.

The disagreement traces back to early summer, when workers at the 10 Valley West homes — including facilities in Lewistown, Erie, Johnstown, Clarion, and Uniontown — began pressing for a wage increase to address what they called chronic understaffing and low pay. SEIU filed unfair labor practice charges in August, alleging Valley West refused to provide requested information and skipped multiple bargaining sessions.

Valley West denies those claims. In correspondence with the union earlier this month, company attorney David Jasinski said the employer “fully intends to take any and all legal action” to prevent what he described as an “illegal work stoppage” in violation of the no-strike provision. He argued the company’s 2024 purchase of the homes from bankrupt Guardian Healthcare “saved hundreds of jobs and preserved care for vulnerable residents.”

Although the immediate crisis appears to have been defused, Valley West said it is not ruling out legal action against SEIU. In its Oct. 11 statement, the company accused union leaders of making “false and defamatory statements” that caused measurable harm to its reputation and said it intends to pursue claims for slander and criminal misconduct.

Union officials dismissed the threat as a distraction, arguing their focus remains on improving conditions for workers and residents. They point to dozens of other Pennsylvania nursing homes that have successfully negotiated wage adjustments this year as examples of what can be achieved when management “shows up in good faith.”

Both sides now face pressure to make progress during the October 16 session, which will mark the first formal bargaining meeting since August. The talks are expected to center on wage increases and staffing levels, two issues that have defined the broader labor unrest across the state’s long-term care industry.

While tensions remain high, both parties have publicly signaled their commitment to continued dialogue. For now, residents and families across Valley West’s network–especially in communities like Lewistown, Erie, and Waynesburg–can expect operations to continue as normal as caregivers prepare to return to the negotiating table.