HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) - More than 2,400 workers at 20 Connecticut nursing homes say they’ll walk off the job next month if they don’t receive pay raises.

Members of SEIU 1199 New England appeared Monday at the Legislative Office Building, arguing they need more money to make ends meet. The union has officially notified the nursing home operators that nurses, aides, dietary and housekeeping staff will strike on May 1 if an agreement is not met.

The workers are seeking 4 percent pay raises in both 2019 and 2020, arguing they’ve only received small increases in recent years. They also want better staff-to-patient ratios.

Matthew Barrett, CEO of an association that represents nursing home and assisted living centers, calls it “unreasonable” to expect operators agree to raises without additional Medicaid funding from the state.

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