Notre Dame Health & Rehabilitation Workers Celebrate Winning Union Approval

Will help improve wages, health insurance affordability and more

NORWALK, Conn. – Healthcare workers at Notre Dame Health and Rehabilitation in Norwalk are celebrating the very first union for employees of the facility. Workers recently voted overwhelmingly to join the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) 1199 New England chapter.

For a workforce made mostly up of women, including a large population of Haitian women, who work long hours and were struggling to afford their household expenses, their health insurance and their employer was not contributing to their retirement. This is a major victory for all the hard working RNs, LPNs, CNAs, Cooks, Dietary Aides, Therapeutic Recreation Director, Housekeepers, Laundry workers, Maintenance Assistants, Schedulers and Receptionists. It was a long time coming change, something many workers said was needed for years, but getting to this point took time, a lot of effort and patience.

“I am very excited about the Union; now that we are a collective group, I am hoping we’ll finally be heard.”

Jinelle St. Louis, Registered Nurse, Notre Dame Health & Rehabilitation

Workers share in that excitement, the union will help improve their wages, provide access for all employees to affordable healthcare and provide them protection and support when it comes to dealing with management, addressing arbitrary discipline and concerns of discrimination that were creating a stressful work environment.

“I voted yes because it’s time for change in my nursing home. We need the Union and my yes, yes and yes! Union members can come together now and make workplace improvements.”

Ludgela “Lulu” Oray, CNA, Notre Dame Health & Rehabilitation

Family members of those who depend on the healthcare providers at Notre Dame can rest assured that their loved ones will continue to receive the best care available from caregivers who really do care. They knew the importance of being there for their residents meant standing up and standing together.

Notre Dame Health and Rehabilitation is a nursing home located in Norwalk, Connecticut that has 60 beds and provides services to men and women for various lengths of time as they age or recover from injury or illness. The staff of 64 have joined the more than 32,000 healthcare workers across Connecticut and Rhode Island as members of SEIU 1199 New England.