On Saturday, September 17th SEIU 1199NE nursing home caregivers gathered for a press conference at Hamden High School, to raise awareness on the critically short-staffed nursing home conditions, followed by a day of canvassing in Hamden, because long-term care funding and high-quality standards are established by the people we elect to office.

“Certified nursing assistants are exhausted. Nurses are exhausted. We are in the middle of the worst staffing crisis that I’ve ever seen in the nursing home industry in my organizing experience. Workers and residents should be able to count on a full slate of staff members who can provide direct care”, said Rob Baril, president of SEIU 1199NE. “Cutting more services for residents is not an option because there’s nothing left to cut.”

SEIU 1199 New England’s nursing home day of action is happening amid a series of labor actions, backed by SEIU, where thousands of workers throughout the country are taking to the streets and raising their voices to demand unions for all. Working people are exercising power like never before: striking, bargaining strong contracts, winning unions and demanding a seat at the table with employers in states and cities across the nation.

“When we work short it’s hard for the staff, but it’s really hard for the residents. Because that’s their home and everything falls out of place,” said Stephanie Hill, a certified nursing assistant with 22 years of experience serving residents at Advanced Center for Nursing & Rehabilitation in New Haven.

This latest wave of activity on the part of service and care workers is part of a national movement of workers rising up across industries demanding to be respected, protected, and paid living wages. And as the midterms approach, working people are escalating demands on elected officials to take action to unrig our economy and build a government that works for all of us. And come November, we’ll vote out those who have failed to lift up working families.

SEIU District 1199, 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:   Union workers will hold press conference on critically short-staffed nursing home conditions, followed by canvassing to talk to voters because long-term care funding and high-quality standards are established by the people we elect to office

When:            Saturday, September 17 at 8:45 AM

Where:           Hamden High School 2040 Dixwell Avenue, Hamden

Who:              SEIU District 1199 New England nursing home caregivers and union leaders

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