Lamont and Union Announce Nursing Home Worker Wage Increases

Gov. Ned Lamont (D) and the District 1199 New England, SEIU union have announced “historic” wage increases for nursing home workers, averting a strike, including a New Britain nursing home, that was to begin tomorrow.

“This agreement provides unprecedented wage increases for the nursing home workers who have shown their dedication to so many loved ones over the past year,” Gov. Lamont said.

Gov. Lamont added, “It also provides security for thousands of nursing home residents across our state. This agreement represents a commitment from the state and industry operators to ensure these workers are compensated fairly for their work, and a long-term commitment which provides predictability for both staff and patients.”

Rob Baril, president of District 1199, SEIU, thanked Gov. Lamont and other key state leaders, for their leadership “in making it possible to meet the goal of a Long-Term Care Workers’ Bill of Rights for nursing home caregivers.”

District 1199 announced Thursday, May 13, 2021 that,

Union nursing home workers at Icare facilities agreed to a new contract that sets a historic $20 per hour minimum wage for certified nursing assistants and $30 per hour for licensed practical nurses, averting Friday’s nursing home strike.On top of the wage increases for all workers, all Icare workers will also have a pension and receive additional funding to cover health care insurance costs and wellness programs.

On Wednesday, before the tentative agreement had been reached, Rep. Peter Tercyak (D-26) had pointed out that the nursing home workers had, ”stayed at their jobs, while they were watching too many of the residents they loved and cared for die from COVID-19, worrying the whole time about bringing home the virus to their own families.” Rep. Tercyak had praised the courage of workers who were, “willing to go on strike together to force their work to be valued appropriately, instead of going on strike one at at time when they can no longer afford to work for such low wages.”

The union said that, “With the tentative 4-year agreement with Icare, the union proceeded to postpone Friday’s scheduled work stoppage. New strike notices were issued for the 26 nursing home facilities and 2,800 workers for Monday, June 7th at 6:00 AM (Icare, Genesis, and Autumn Lake) pending final agreements.”

Autumn Lake in New Britain was one of the nursing homes that was to go on strike tomorrow, May 14th. It is one of the nursing homes that was sent a new strike date of June 7th, “pending final agreements,” being reached.

The Acting Commissioner of Public Health, Dr. Deidre Gifford, said that she joined, “Governor Lamont in welcoming this extremely good news,” adding that, “We are hopeful that a full agreement will soon be finalized.” The governor’s office said that strike dates, “are technically in effect, pending contract settlement between the owners and union.”