A tentative four-year agreement between the state and the union representing 26 nursing homes was reached last night, averting a strike that had been scheduled to begin today.
Gov. Ned Lamont announced that his administration has received copies of strike postponement notices to the nursing homes from District 1199, SEIU, and New England Health Care Employees Union.
Copies of the strike withdrawal notices were received by the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) late yesterday from nursing homes owned by iCare Health Network, Genesis Healthcare, and Autumn Lake Healthcare.
All told, the agreement increases funding to the nursing home sector by $47.3 million in fiscal year 2022 and $121.1 million in fiscal 2023. Wage increases of 4.5% would go into effect in 2022, followed by another 6.2% raise in 2023. No raises are mandated in the final two years.
As a result, most nursing home employees will see an increase in their wages to at least $20 per hour, along with additional funding for insurance, pensions and wellness programs.
“This agreement provides unprecedented wage increases for the nursing home workers who have shown their dedication to so many loved ones over the past year,” Lamont said. “It also provides security for thousands of nursing home residents across our state.
“This agreement represents a commitment from the state and industry operators to ensure these workers are compensated fairly for their work,” he added, “and a long-term commitment which provides predictability for both staff and patients.”
Acting DPH Commissioner Deidre Gifford said she hoped that a full agreement will soon be finalized.
With the official receipt of the union notice postponing the May 14 strike, DPH has suspended its nursing home strike monitoring plan. The department”™s staff and Connecticut National Guard members had been scheduled to begin onsite monitoring at the 26 facilities.
The union strike withdrawal notices to the 26 facilities reference a postponed strike date of June 7, joining a previously noticed date of May 28 for another 13 nursing homes. Those are technically still in effect, pending contract settlement between the owners and union.
“I continue to be proud to stand in solidarity with SEIU 1199 New England, which represents over 5,000 frontline workers here in Connecticut, including many nursing home caregivers,” offered state Treasurer Shawn Wooden. “Over the past year, these men and women risked their own lives to protect our mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers, and they deserve to be treated with dignity and respect for their selfless service to our state.
“In this case,” he continued, “dignity and respect must start with raising their pay and getting them on a path to full health care coverage. So I applaud the tentative deal that has been reached between them and the state of Connecticut.”
