Group home and day program caregivers are ramping up the pressure on state leaders.
On day six of the strike, workers made their voices heard outside the Governor’s Residence in Hartford on Monday.
Group home and day program workers have been striking as they look for affordable health insurance, a pension and especially a pay increase.
“We need to be respected and the wages need to go up,” said Sylvia Grant, a residential program worker.
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Grant tells us $17.25 an hour is not enough money to make ends meet. Her and 1,700 other caregivers are pushing for a pathway to $25 an hour.
“A pay raise for me means that my bills won’t be delinquent. A pay raise for me means I won’t have to fret being homeless. A pay raise for me means I can pay my medical bills,” said Grant.
To help reach their goals, workers are calling for an additional $400 million in the state budget in Medicaid funding, which is split between state and federal money.
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Right now, lawmakers and Governor Ned Lamont are still working on the budget as the legislative session nears an end.
“We do have an increase in pay for not for profits and group homes. Doing whatever we can to say thank you for the amazing work you do,” said Lamont.
We reached out to the governor’s office to find out what that pay raise might look like, but we have not yet heard back.
