Saud Anwar

Senator Anwar Releases Statement in Response to Nursing Home Workers’ Update on Potential Strike

State Senator Saud Anwar joins nursing home workers Wednesday in the Legislative Office Building during their press conference on the updated status of their potential strike.

HARTFORD, CT – Today, State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor) released the following statement in response to a press conference held this afternoon by members of SEIU 1199 New England. The assembled certified nursing aides, registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, housekeepers and dietary workers gave an update on a potential strike they previously announced and voted to approve in light of their pay having increased by just 2 percent since 2015. They said their jobs have become more difficult due to lower numbers of nurses and nursing aides managing higher numbers of patients. This impacts the quality of care for nursing home residents.

“I stand with these workers to support their calls for increases to Medicaid and increased support,” said Sen. Anwar. “We cannot have proper, quality care without the people we trust to help our loved ones being paid fairly for their hard work. Medicaid funds cover the majority of nursing home care in Connecticut, and as such we need to note the reality of this situation. Without increasing our investment in our workers, they will not be able to provide the level of care our loved ones need. Studies show that poor staffing leads to health problems, especially among the elderly and frail. We must make sure our vulnerable populations are kept safe, and that starts here.”