A classic and critical case of workers fighting for their rights, patients and communities is playing out this Labor Day in Central Florida and across the state. Nursing home caregivers throughout Florida are calling for facilities to put care first, rather than merely focus on maximizing their already huge profits.

For example, the members of my union — 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East — have been negotiating dozens of expiring contracts, picketing, striking, “walking on the boss” and other actions locally and throughout Florida to better protect caregivers and patients, and help solve the dangerous staffing and care crisis that puts our most elderly and vulnerable Floridians and their caregivers at risk.

You may have seen our members marching and carrying signs outside of multiple nursing homes owned by Aspire Health Group in the Orlando area, chanting “put care first,” “be fair to those who care,” “respect us, protect us, pay us and staff us” and more.

Nursing home employees are some of the lowest-paid workers in Florida, despite the difficult and important job of caring for our parents, grandparents and other frail, elderly loved ones. The work is often back-breaking while lifting patients out of bed, helping them to the bathroom, cleaning up after accidents, dressing, feeding and other essential daily tasks.

Yet, many of these committed caregivers are paid less than $15 per hour. These are not living wages, especially in Central Florida where high housing, insurance and other costs regularly put this area on the nation’s “most unaffordable” lists.

In a particularly sad irony, many of these health care workers are paid so little that they can’t afford health coverage for themselves or their own families.

These conditions have resulted in high turnover rates and short-staffing that makes this care crisis spiral even further, as remaining workers are left to handle more patients and tasks at once.

It doesn’t have to be this way. Facility owners have the power, resources and opportunity right now to overcome this staffing and care crisis. The nursing home industry makes a windfall in profits and receives billions in tax dollars each year. They can afford fair contracts for workers that include meaningful wage increases to retain experienced caregivers and attract new talent.

Many of these facilities, however, are owned by out-of-state private equity firms, which are created and operated with one prime and insatiable directive: maximum profit. For owners, this must be a great investment, with New Jersey-based Aspire reporting that it has acquired 80 facilities in Florida in just one year. Colossal financial return is a misguided priority when it comes to providing care to our seniors, and worsening the matter is the GOP majority in Tallahassee that has allowed these companies to reduce training standards, staffing levels and other protections for patients and workers.

But in the tradition and spirit of workers fighting for what’s right — and the very founding of Labor Day — our Florida union members will continue to stand strong at the bargaining table, on the picket lines and in the halls of government offices. We appreciate those elected officials and Central Florida community leaders who have joined this important cause, such as Carmen and Sen. Victor Torres, Sen.-elect Carlos Guillermo Smith, Rep. Anna Eskamani, Orange County School Board Member Karen Castor Dentel, Orange County Tax Collector Scott Randolph and many others in our state who recently appealed to Aspire and other companies to negotiate contracts in good faith and in the best interests of patients and staff.

We hope the broader community will join us in this effort and bring about a positive change that can be celebrated in Florida for many future Labor Days to come.

Margarette Nerette is vice president/long-term care for 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, the largest union of nursing home and hospital workers in Florida.