Union officials from District 1199 said Thursday they have reached a deal with Spectrum Healthcare to end a year-long strike involving 340 workers at four Connecticut nursing homes.
But Spectrum officials disputed the claim, saying no deal is in place.
“We’ve been working on framework with the unions but nothing has been finalized,” said Sean Murphy, Spectrum’s chief financial officer.
In a press release issued Thursday officials from the New England Health Care Employees Union District 1199 said its members voted earlier this week on a three-year deal that had been reached, allowing workers at four nursing homes in Derby, Ansonia and Winsted, to go back to work on May 16.
Union officials said the settlement was reached during its National Labor Relations Board trial.
The terms of the contract, union officials say, allow workers to return to their pre-strike positions, shifts and hours, and require Spectrum to pay $395,000 to cover losses sustained by participants in the strike.
In addition the deal allows for wage increases and bonuses totaling 6 percent over three years and a 0.5 percent increase in Spectrum’s contribution to the workers’ pension fund, beginning on March 15, 2014, among other things.
Contracts between Spectrum and the four nursing homes expired in March 2009.
After more than a year of negotiations, workers began an Unfair Labor Practice strike.
