On Tuesday, December 8, 2021, the New England Health Care Employees Union, District 1199, SEIU, reached an Agreement for a new contract for group home and day program workers at Sunrise Northeast, Inc. This Agreement, once ratified by the membership, will end the members’ two month strike.

Sunrise operates 28 group home and day programs serving over 160 individuals in multiple locations across the state with 149 District 1199 New England union workers in Brooklyn, Columbia, Danielson, East Hartford, Glastonbury, Hartford, Hebron, Lebanon, Manchester, Mansfield, New London, New Milford, Old Lyme, Pomfret, Vernon, Waterford and Enfield.

Sunrise Northeast, Inc. joins a growing number of group home agencies represented by District 1199 that has reached agreements with workers in the past few months.  The Tentative Agreement establishes industry leading standards for wage increases, affordable healthcare and retirement. The tentative agreement is retroactive to July 1, 2021 and will expire in March of 2023.

“Last night we reached a tentative agreement with Sunrise. With this contract we have achieved historic wage increases, real affordable healthcare and a retirement with dignity. My coworkers and I look forward to getting back to our clients whom we love and miss.” – Charmayne Brown,  14 years with Sunrise.

“We see this agreement as an enormous step forward in the fight for economic and racial justice.” – Stephanie Deceus, Vice President, District 1199

No further comments will be provided about the details of the tentative agreement until after ratification by the membership.

Contact:            Jesse Martin, jmartin@seiu1199ne.org, 413-320-8104