“Home care, group home, and nursing home workers are the invisible backbone of the healthcare system. All three of these workforces make poverty wages, forcing caregivers to work two, three or four jobs, all three lack access to affordable healthcare and they don’t have a real opportunity to retire.  Like we’ve seen in many jobs traditionally held by women and people of color, racial injustice and economic injustice is urgent for a workforce that has long been undervalued, underserved and ignored.”

Diedre Murch
Home Care Vice President
District 1199 New England, SEIU



“Long-term care workers, who are mostly Black, brown and white working-class and women, have endured the hardest conditions during the COVID pandemic, while receiving low pay, and little to no support with major expenses like healthcare and retirement. As state leaders we need to make a commitment to protect and support a workforce that took to the front lines of the pandemic when protective equipment, rapid testing and vaccines were not available. The suffering and undervaluation of this workforce is no longer acceptable.”

Rep. Brandon Chafee
Middletown



“We need our governor and our legislators to hear our pain, hear our struggles, and take action to make sure PCAs and those we care for can live in dignity. All we want to do is to be able to feed and provide for our families without having to work three jobs in one week to make ends meet! All we want is to be able to live and pay our bills securely without fear of eviction or hunger! We work hard everyday for the individuals we care for. We are calling on Gov. Ned Lamont, legislators, and elected officials to treat us with the dignity and respect we deserve. Make sure that we, all PCAs of this union and of this state, receive the necessary funding within the state budget and make sure our contract for the next four years includes a $20 an hour minimum and other key protections!”

Cynthia Johnson
Home Care Worker

Livestream:

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Contact:     Pedro Zayas, pzayas@seiu1199ne.org, 860-830-2478
                     District 1199, SEIU, New England Health Care Employees Union