BUTLER TWP — Union workers at the Sunnyview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center on Tuesday rejected concessions sought by Butler County.

Out of the roughly 200 workers, 139 voted. Of those, 134 opposed reopening an existing four-year pact with SEIU Healthcare to accept the county’s requested concessions.

Tamara Lefcowitz, SEIU Healthcare organizer, said the employees deemed 11 pages of concessions to be unreasonable.

“They’re saying no, that doesn’t work,” she said.

Lefcowitz said she’s never encountered an employer wanting such an extensive list of concessions, even when negotiating a new contract.

“It’s essentially a wish list,” she said.

County officials maintain the contract, which will end Dec. 31, 2014, and includes 3 percent pay hikes in each year, must be reopened to save money.

Sunnyview is budgeted to lose $1.5 million this year. However, $450,000 of that deficit is for a balloon payment on a 30-year bond that funded renovations in the 1980s.

The nursing home lost more than $800,000 in 2012.

Commissioner Bill McCarrier, board chairman, said he was disappointed with the vote.

“We hoped they would go for that,” he said.

Neither union nor county officials would divulge what the specific concessions, but they confirmed wages and employees’ contribution to receive health benefits were among the issues.

Insured county workers have 1.5 percent of their salaries deducted from each paycheck.

Lefcowitz said the workers are willing to compromise on wages and health care contributions.

“We are not far apart,” she said.

Sunnyview maintenance worker Terry Penrod of Butler Township agreed.

“We’ve approached it with open arms,” he said.

According to Lefcowitz, the county doesn’t need all the concessions to make Sunnyview financially viable — a goal the union shares.

Commissioner Dale Pinkerton disagreed, saying the list was devised to keep the nursing home viable over the long haul.

“We’re trying to look into the future,” Pinkerton said.

McCarrier agreed all the concessions, such as reducing the number of sick and vacation days, were tied to savings.

Commissioner Jim Eckstein sided with the union.

“I think the concessions were too drastic,” Eckstein said. “We didn’t run into this predicament overnight. We’re not going to get immediately out.”

He insisted Pinkerton and McCarrier want to sell Sunnyview. The two Republican commissioners maintain the decision on Sunnyview’s fate has not yet been made.

Lefcowitz said the county’s goal appears to be a show of force to bust up the union.

She said privatizing Sunnyview would be bad for the residents, the staff and the community.

“Staff and care are cut when the bottom line is profit,” Lefcowitz said.

The union added a proviso to the vote for those casting no to state if they were willing to go back to the table with the county.

Of the 134, 100 voted to try and iron out a new agreement.

“We’re hopeful,” Penrod said.

County solicitor Mike English pointed out the union added that alternative unilaterally.

“It’s something we had not agreed to,” English said.

McCarrier and Pinkerton agreed the concessions rejected by the workers are what would address Sunnyview’s financial health.

“I’m not sure what we could do,” McCarrier said.

Lefcowitz said the union is filing a complaint with the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board due to a member of Sunnyview’s management team distributing a flier meant to influence the vote.

She said director of nursing Heidi Coyle this month ensured the flier was delivered to employees while they were caring for residents.

Lefcowitz described the letter as being the last straw for an ongoing effort to threaten and intimidate workers into accepting the concessions.

“It really crossed the line,” she said.

According to an e-mail Lefcowitz sent the county, the flier states: “What is in it for ME! ... If we choose to decline the proposed contract here is a snapshot of what is to come! One thing is for certain, we will be paying for our health care regardless of the years served.

“If we choose to pull our pensions, what will we have left? That is what everyone needs to think about. Is it enough to sustain and is it enough to support your families plus pay for health care?

“What is the alternative! Drop to a lower wage. Less employment opportunities — elimination of positions/outsourcing. Higher deductibles. Lower quality insurance. Less time off. 401 or no retirement plan. NO paid lunch — work 8 1/2 day. MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD AND VOTE!!!!”

Lefcowitz said management then verbally warned three workers who were discussing the flier.

Coyle could not be reached for comment, and Sunnyview administrator Sue Murray referred all questions to the commissioners.

McCarrier questioned why the union would file a complaint when the vote went its way.

Pinkerton referred questions about the flier to English, who said, “I’m not going to comment on that subject.”

Lefcowitz said the county missed a deadline to retract the comments made in the flier and to issue an apology.

McCarrier said he was unaware the union wanted a response by a certain date.

“That’s news to me,” he said. “I was unaware of this deadline.”

Eckstein agreed the county is obligated to apologize.

“I think Heidi made a mistake, and we, somehow, have to rectify it,” he said.