Since he was hired at Novato Healthcare Center in September of 2021, Jacquelin Mervil made it clear to management that he couldn’t work on Sundays.
“Since I was a little boy, I have gone to church on Sundays,” said Mervil, a certified nursing assistant at the nursing home in Marin County. “I’m a preacher and one of the leaders at my church. Before I was hired, I told them, ‘There is one day I cannot work because of my religion.’”
Mervil and many of his coworkers were upset when the Brius-owned nursing home informed them that their schedules would change to four days of work and two days off. That meant their schedules would vary from week to week, with no set days for work and rest. Many workers at the facility already work “irregular” schedules because of childcare and other jobs, and implementing this new policy would wreak havoc on their personal and professional lives.
They met to discuss how to respond, and a majority wanted to try to stop it.
“We did a petition, expressing our opposition,” Mervil said. “Everybody wanted to keep the schedule they had before. Some people said they couldn’t work on Mondays because they had to take care of their children.”
They next moved a strike petition and, within 48 hours, gathered a majority of signatures. They delivered it to the administrator with a clear message that they would not accept the schedule changes.
“A lot of people spoke and told them this was not right,” Mervil said. “Everybody was unhappy.”
Standing together and voicing their discontent made an impact. The administrator later notified the workers that management would postpone the implementation of the new schedule by 15 days, which was later extended to cover the entire month of February. In the meantime, the company is exploring alternatives and assessing whether it’s feasible for members to keep their current schedule.
For Mervil, this is proof that unity brings strength.
“When we united, they backed off,” he said. “It shows that if you want management to change their mind, you have to be united.”
