More than 600 workers at six nursing homes in Connecticut will join the strike line on May 28 at 6:00 AM. The six nursing homes that received strike notifications today are St. Camilius, Governor’s House, West Hartford Health and Rehab, Advanced Center for Nursing, Cassena of Stamford, Cassena of Norwalk.

The Union represents registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, certified nursing assistants, dietary aides and housekeeping staff at these facilities. These six nursing homes are in addition to the 33 union nursing homes and 3,400 workers that previously delivered strike notices for May 14 at 6:00 AM. Currently, 51 union nursing home contracts have expired in Connecticut as of March 15, 2021.

“Workers are voting for a strike in record numbers. We are negotiating our union contracts to finally rise out of poverty. But we’re also fighting to make sure that residents can regularly count on having enough staff to meet their needs,” said Rob Baril, president of District 1199 New England, SEIU. “This strike is about making sure that  nursing home workers and residents are treated like human beings. We want to make sure that the standards enumerated in the Long-Term Care Workers’ Bill of Rights come to fruition in Connecticut so we don’t have to go back to the way nursing homes operated before and during COVID-19.” 

“We continue to have ongoing negotiations and discussions with nursing home operators and Gov. Ned Lamont’s team. There is no change in our strike status pending further negotiations,” said Baril in response to the state’s recently released offer. “We are hopeful that ongoing discussions with the administration will be productive.”

“No one wanted to work in Nursing Homes prior to Covid because of the poor working conditions. Now things are only worse. Those of us who have stayed and dedicated our lives to our residents have suffered tremendously. We are burnt out physically, mentally, and emotionally,” said Denice Panella, a registered nurse at Genesis HealthCare. “One CNA to 15-60 residents. One nurse to 20-60 residents. We are then mandated on a regular basis. Enough is enough! We deserve better!”

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