FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, May 1, 2025
HARTFORD, CT — On Thursday, May 1, Connecticut workers, immigrants, tenants, and allies will come together at the State Capitol for May Day Hartford 2025: Power, Love, and Resistance—a statewide rally to demand economic, racial, immigrant, and labor justice. The event will lift up the struggles of working people across Connecticut and call on elected officials to deliver bold solutions that put communities, not corporations, first. SEIU 1199 New England will stand alongside this broad coalition, amplifying the voices of long-term care workers fighting for fair wages, safe staffing, and respect.
Immediately following the rally’s speaking program at approximately 12:10 p.m., a delegation of SEIU 1199NE nursing home workers will deliver formal strike notices to the Governor’s office on behalf of more than 5,700 caregivers across 51 nursing homes. They will be joined by members of SEIU 1199NE’s Community Programs division—made up of group home workers and paraeducators—who have also entered a strike authorization process and will stand in solidarity with their nursing home colleagues. Members of the media are invited to join us for a brief Q&A outside the Governor’s office immediately following the delivery of the notices.
On May Day, we celebrate the strength and sacrifice of workers—but too many caregivers are barely scraping by, working 80, 90, even 100 hours a week just to survive."
Rob Baril, President, SEIU 1199 New England
As part of this powerful day of action, a delegation of SEIU 1199 New England nursing home workers will deliver formal strike notices to the Governor’s office on behalf of more than 5,700 caregivers across 51 nursing homes. They will be joined by members of SEIU 1199NE’s Community Programs division, consisting of group home workers and paraeducators, who have also entered a strike authorization process and will stand in solidarity with their nursing home colleagues.
Nursing home workers are calling on Governor Ned Lamont and all state leaders to come to the table to help secure a fair agreement—one that addresses competitive wage increases toward a pathway to $30 per hour for all nursing home workers, safe staffing levels, and protections against unsafe working conditions.
We are not striking because we want to—we are striking because we must. We are the hands that feed, bathe, comfort, and heal. But when we have to work two full time jobs just to feed our own families or pay our mortgage, something is deeply broken.”
Johannah Alabi, CNA and 1199NE member.
“It’s time to listen, time to negotiate, and time to value us. We’re asking lawmakers to come to the table, discuss with our leaders the needs of our members, and listen with an open mind. Give us a chance—that’s all we’re asking.”
Judy Kyle, LPN and SEIU 1199NE member.
While caregivers are ready to strike if necessary, their goal remains to achieve a fair contract and continue the essential work they love. Workers are asking for solutions that honor their commitment and safeguard the future of long-term care in Connecticut.
The significance of May Day—a global day to honor workers’ rights and struggles—is not lost on Connecticut’s healthcare workers. For them, it is not just a day of commemoration, but a moment to remind the public and elected officials that the fight for dignity, fairness, and justice for healthcare workers is far from over. By delivering strike notices on May Day, workers are formally putting the State of Connecticut on notice: it is time to prioritize the people who care for our most vulnerable loved ones, and to ensure that every health care worker has the wages, conditions, and respect they deserve.
Media are invited to join members of our Nursing Home team as they deliver the strike notices to the Governor. To arrange for coverage please contact SEIU 1199NE Communications Office at (860) 280-6443 or via email at comms@seiu1199ne.org