WORCESTER, Mass. - Dozens of service and supports workers from Saint Vincent Hospital held an informational picket over wages and safe staffing conditions on Saturday.

Nurses from the same hospital have been on strike for almost a week over very similar issues.

"Let some of these people come out of their offices and come down and walk the floor and see how it is," said Lisa Jerry. She's been a patient care assistant at the hospital for 27 years and said one time, she was responsible for 23 patients by herself.

"Imagine your loved one is in that hospital and they need to go to the bathroom or they are dying and there is only one PCA to care for that patient, how really safe is that?" said Jerry.

United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1445 [UFCW] represents 600 service and support workers at the hospital.​ They call themselves the backbone of the entire hospital and say its time they are treated that way. 

"These are the community's heroes. These are the same people a year ago who were walking in harms way taking care of patients sick with COVID," said Steven Lajoie, a business agent at UFCW Local 1445.

UFCW Local 1445 has been negotiating with Tenet Healthcare for three months, asking for better pay and staffing conditions.

"You don't think we are crucial. You don't think we are essential. That's what you tell us every time you come back to the table and tells us no, you aren't interested. It is a slap in the face," said Jerry.

Saint Vincent Hospital said they've agreed to increase wages from 10 to 25 percent.  They will also offer bonuses to full and part time employees if the offer is accepted by March 19.

The union plans to picket into next week with the hopes of reaching an agreement soon.

"We want to work with Tenet to make this the best hospital to work for, not just the best care" said Fabricio Dasilva, secretary treasurer at UFCW Local 1445. 

The UFCW Local 1445 said after failed negotiations Friday night, they will head back to the bargaining table with Tenet Healthcare next week.