Conflict over care-workers unionizing

HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) - There are conflicting views over the Governor's efforts to let personal care workers unionize.

Some believe the Governor is paying back the unions that helped to elect him last year.

Is it a gift to the labor unions from the Governor, or a way to help hard working, underpaid workers?

Cathy Ludlum,49, of Manchester came to the Capitol today with a message for Governor Malloy. She suffers from Spinal Muscular Atrophy, and has eight to 10 part time personal assistants that through Medicaid help her everyday.

"My understanding is that this Executive Order was circulated among commissioners and union people, but no people with disabilities or personal assistants themselves," says Ludlum.

The Governor defends the order to potentially pave the way for the unionizing of personal care assistants.

"No one should be surprised that I believe that people who care for others need to earn decent wages, and to have respectable benefits," says Dannel P. Malloy.

"The program expense is capped, so if they, for instance, if they make more money per hour, the clients themselves might have to cut back on the amount of care that they receive," says Sen. Joe Markley (R) Southington.

"Don't fix something that isn't broken, we have an excellent relationship with our employers. I just don't see the benefit of it," says Jillian Strogoff, personal care assistant.

Earlier this year a legislative committee heard plenty of testimony in favor of the idea, and plenty against it, so it never came up for a vote in the house or senate.

Markley says he will attempt to get the legislature to undo the Executive Order in the next legislative session.