On Tuesday, May 23 at 12:00 PM, group home and day program caregivers held a press conference as 1,700+ members of SEIU 1199 New England are heading into an indefinite strike the following day, Wednesday at 6:00 AM, that will affect six community program agencies across the state of Connecticut.

Strike notices for an indefinite work stoppage starting on Wednesday, May 24 at 6:00 AM, were delivered to the following agencies providing care for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities: Oak Hill, Mosaic, Whole Life, Network, Caring Community, and Alternative Services, Inc.

Connecticut’s group home services require $400 million in additional Medicaid funding in the state’s biennial budget to lift workers out of poverty with a pathway to $25/hr minimum wage, access to affordable healthcare, and a pension that allows workers to retire after decades of service. Group home and day program services in Connecticut receive 50% matching funds from the federal government. The additional investment of $400 million in additional Medicaid funding for this workforce represents $200 million in state funds, with the remaining $200 million in federal funding.

Union group home workers going on strike include direct support and direct care staff, dietary workers, maintenance staff, program aides, job coaches, assistant managers, assistant program coordinators, residential day program workers, assistant teachers, behavior paraprofessionals, and some licensed practical nurses.

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, Native American, AAPI, and white working-class communities.

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