In anticipation of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s upcoming holiday commemorations, Connecticut home care workers honor his legacy with a candlelight vigil at the State Capitol today.

Personal Care Attendants (PCAs) and allies continue fighting for Dr. King’s vision to ensure that all working people — Black, Latina, APII, white or Native American — can have access to living wages, health insurance, paid sick leave, and safety on the job. 

Unfortunately, Connecticut’s 10,000 independent PCAs whose job is to care for elderly patients and individuals with disabilities at home, lack access to many of these essential protections. PCAs are calling on the State of Connecticut to pursue Dr. King’s struggle for human dignity by working with us in this legislative session to lift all working people and long-term caregivers, including PCAs, out of poverty. 

SEIU District 1199NE, the New England Health Care Employees Union, represents over 25,000 caregivers in Connecticut and some 4,000 in Rhode Island. Historically known as “1199” going back to the Civil Rights Movement, we are a bold, democratic Union with a long activist tradition fighting for racial and economic justice to improve the lives of Black, Latina, APII and white working-class communities. 

What:   Candlelight vigil honoring MLK with PCAs calling on the State of Connecticut to lift all workers out of poverty 

When:  Friday, January 13, 2023 at 3:30 PM

Where: Connecticut State Capitol (south side, in front of Capitol Avenue); 210 Capitol Avenue, Hartford

Who:    SEIU District 1199 New England home care personal care attendants, union leaders, Bishop John Selders, elected officials

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Media Contact:                 Pedro Zayas, pzayas@seiu1199ne.org,860-830-2478

                                          District 1199, SEIU, New England Health Care Employees Union    

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