Hundreds of Group Home Caregivers Strike for Second Day to Protect Their Pensions

COLCHESTER – Nearly 500 group-home caregivers with SEIU 1199 New England will remain on strike for a second day and will host a media availability tomorrow in Colchester. Strike lines will also continue in Manchester, Andover, and Vernon, with additional press opportunities expected at those sites in the coming days as this open-ended strike moves forward.

Healthcare workers are keeping the pressure on their employers (The Caring Community of CT, Alternative Services Inc. (ASI), and Network Inc.) in the hopes that the employers will agree to increase their pension contributions by just 0.2% to protect the workers’ retirement fund from going into default.

Day 1 Recap – Friday Morning Press Conference

Caregivers held a press conference in Manchester Friday morning, sharing powerful testimony and calling for immediate action to safeguard their pensions, while picket lines stretched across the state in Colchester, Andover, and Vernon.

Union members said the strike became necessary after a few agency owners have continued to refuse an increase to their pension contribution of 0.2%. Workers and union leaders are urging the three remaining companies—Alternative Services Inc., Network Inc., and The Caring Community—to match the more than 50 employers across Connecticut that have already protected SEIU 1199NE caregivers’ retirement security by agreeing to a small pension fund increase to keep the plan healthy and prevent a default.

“These caregivers provide round-the-clock support for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities,They deserve a stable retirement, not a broken promise, after decades of service to our most vulnerable neighbors.”

Rob Baril, President SEIU 1199NE

“These agencies can resolve this today, It costs them a fraction more each month, but for us it’s the difference between dignity and poverty in retirement.”

Pam Kelly, Retired Group Home Worker having spent 27 years working before retiring last year.

Workers warn that without action, some retirees could lose up to $400 a month in pension income, even as other providers have already acted. Whole Life, originally slated to strike, reached a settlement early Thursday to protect its employees’ pensions,

Catch the full replay of this morning’s press conference in the video below.

Youtube

Additional photos from Strike lines throughout CT

Photo credits for all images “Jamarri Johnson Courtesy of SEIU 1199NE”

To arrange further interviews or for additional information contact the SEIU 1199NE Communications Office at (860)280-6443 or by email at comms@seiu1199ne.org