L+M health care workers still pushing for better pay

New London ― More than two years after their last contract expired, Lawrence + Memorial Hospital's more than 900 unionized health care workers continue to push for higher wages.On Saturday, dozens of union members picketed outside the hospital's Montauk Avenue location."There was a lot of energy," Craig Dysart, president of the union, Local 5123 of AFT Connecticut, said Tuesday. "We want to have a lot of momentum heading into negotiations next year."Wages remain the main issue.No negotiations have taken place for several months and none are scheduled, Dysart said, though the union is hopeful they will resume "sooner rather than later." Negotiations initially broke down six months after the union's last contract expired June 30, 2022. At that time, management implemented its last offer."Members want a livable wage," Dysart said. "Right now, it's just a survivable wage. They're barely making ends meet; some have two or three other jobs. That shouldn't be the case if you're working for a prestigious place like Yale's system."L+M is part of Yale New Haven Health.Since July, the minimum wage paid members of the union is $16.04 an hour, which reflects a 2.25 % increase over the state minimum wage of $15.69.Dysart, a staffing coordinator and mental health worker in L+M's emergency room, said the union is seeking a minimum wage between $18 an hour and $20 an hour. At current pay rates, he said, some union members can't afford the health insurance the hospital provides.Local 5123 members work as patient care assistants, stock clerks, drivers and messengers, groundskeepers and radiology tech aides and in such areas as food and nutrition, housekeeping, linen services and patient transport.L+M management responded Tuesday to a request for comment, issuing a statement through Fiona Phelan, the hospital's media relations manager."We recognize that Local 5123 union leadership has a right to hold an informational picket," management said. "We are disappointed that union leadership has not engaged in good faith discussions to reach an agreement to approve a new collective bargaining agreement since December 2023. Since that time, employees represented by Local 5123 have received a general wage increase of 2.25 percent in July 2024 and the hospital has worked collaboratively with the Union to implement market based wage increases for certain categories and other benefits to union members."Dysart said the low wages paid to L+M health care workers has created numerous openings the hospital has had a hard time filling."Staffing is a problem because it's predicated on wages," he said. "People are finding work elsewhere where the pay's better."Editor's note: An earlier version of this article misreported the current minimum wage paid members of Local 5123.b.hallenbeck@theday.com