Mass Nursing Home Strike Averted In CT: Lamont

CONNECTICUT — A planned Friday nursing home strike involving workers from across Connecticut has been averted. Officials announced that there is a tentative settlement agreement between the union and nursing home owners.

Gov. Ned Lamont announced that his administration has received copies of strike postponement notices to 26 nursing homes from District 1199, SEIU, and New England Health Care Employees Union. The notices follow news of a tentative settlement agreement between the union and nursing home owners that was reached with Lamont's support.

Copies of the union’s strike withdrawal notices were received by the Connecticut Department of Public Health late Thursday afternoon from nursing homes owned by iCare Health Network, Genesis Healthcare, and Autumn Lake Healthcare.

“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 in a news release. “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, and a long-term commitment which provides predictability for both staff and patients.”

WTNH News 8 reports that 4,000 nursing home employees at about 40 locations were prepared to strike on Friday if a deal wasn't struck. WTNH News 8 reports that employees will receive a nearly 11 percent wage hike over four years costing about $267 million.

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Connecticut Public Health Acting Commissioner Dr. Deidre Gifford said. “We are hopeful that a full agreement will soon be finalized.”

With the official receipt of the union notice postponing the May 14 strike, the state Department of Public Health has suspended its nursing home strike monitoring plan. Department of Public Health staff and Connecticut National Guard members had been scheduled to begin on-site 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. These are technically in effect, pending contract settlement between the owners and union.