Lamont's House Picketed By Health Care Workers Demanding Better Pay/Benefits

HARTFORD, CT – Unionized group home and day program workers continued to strike at the governor’s residence Friday morning in their demands for better pay and benefits.

Protesters with SEIU District 1199 NE, the New England Health Care Employees Union, were seen at 8:30 a.m. at 990 Prospect Ave. in Hartford, with a “Lamont-ade Stand” in demand of livable wages, affordable health insurance and a pension after decades of service.

Striking workers were to be joined by home care personal care attendants or PCAs.

According to District 1199, this is a growing sector of long-term care workers funded by Medicaid that is struggling with homelessness, poverty wages and lack of health insurance.

More than 1,700 striking group home and day program caregivers are demanding a pathway to $25-an-hour minimum wage, affordable healthcare and funding for retirement, District 1199 said.

Strikers are demanding an additional $400 million in this state budget in Medicaid funding for group homes and day programs that care for individuals with disabilities, according to the union.

Union officials claim the Medicaid funding, which requires $200 million in state funds and $200 million matched by federal funds, will lift both union and nonunion group home workers out of poverty in Connecticut.

The strike continues at all six agencies, serving approximately 1,500 clients: Oak Hill, Mosaic, Whole Life, Network, Caring Community and Alternative Services, Inc.

For more information on the situation regarding District 1199, click on this link.