ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — The contract between the University of Rochester Medical Center and the union representing nearly 2,000 healthcare workers expired Monday evening.

This comes as 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East is demanding living wage increases and quality benefits in an effort to recruit and retain staff members. This came after multiple contract extensions.

Negotiations were set to continue Monday morning. According to the union, if they fail to reach an agreement, there will be a picket line. Now, after the contract has expired, a 10-day notice was sent out to hold an informational picket.

Tina Hawkins is a sterile processing technician at Strong Memorial Hospital and she shared her heartbreak that a fair agreement has not been reached.

“I know we aren’t a minimum wage hospital, but it feels like the direction we are going in,” said Hawkins. “Our committee is extremely disappointed because we hoped that URMC would have at least offered a fair agreement that we could take back to our members, but it feels like they failed us at the bargaining table,”

News 8 has reached out to URMC for comment on these contract negotiations and will update this story as more information is revealed.

Negotiations are expected to begin again this upcoming Thursday.