When 1,700 unionized healthcare workers went on strike in the spring of 2023, SEIU 1199 New England had millions in reserve — including a strike fund. But instead of using it to support the walkout, the union spent big on billboards and ads while members lobbied for unemployment benefits to shift the cost onto employers.
According to SEIU’s federal LM-2 filings covering July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023, the union reported $876,570 in strike benefits along with sitting on almost $22 million in assets.
The U.S. Department of Labor defines strike benefits as “all disbursements made to, or on behalf of the members… associated with strikes, work stoppages and lockouts during the reporting period.” In other words, that figure represents the total support SEIU provided its members during the 2023 strike.
Yet in the weeks leading up to and during the walkout, which lasted from May 24-June 14, 2023, SEIU spent heavily on advertising campaigns and public messaging.
In its filings, the union paid $47,879 to Lamar and $40,824 to Outfront Media for billboard campaigns branded “Strike Against Poverty” and “Strike ‘23.” At the same time, it poured money into traditional media, spending $94,460 with Hearst Media Group, $73,440 with WFSB Channel 3, $27,795 with WTIC Fox 61, and $38,674 with WTNH-TV — all around the peak of the strike.
It’s unclear whether these advertising expenses were paid out of SEIU’s strike fund or a separate account — but what is clear is that while the union spent six figures promoting the strike, it provided relatively little direct support to the workers it encouraged to walk off the job.
While SEIU was lavishly spending on paid messaging to commuters on their way to work, the financial support it offered to striking workers was minimal — not because help wasn’t available, but because the union chose to spend its money elsewhere.
And this wasn’t the first time.
When union members testified in 2023 in support of S.B. 938 — a bill that would force employers to subsidize strikes by letting workers collect unemployment benefits — their own words revealed how little help they received from SEIU during a previous walkout in 2022.
“We were fortunate that our union, 1199, helped to support us, but even with their help we struggled to make ends meet,” wrote Kayan Stewart, a certified nursing assistant who participated in the 2022 strike.
Another worker, Jennifer Brown, noted simply: “We were fortunate to have support from our union, 1199, but even then it was hard.”
Hard — not because there was no money, but because the union refused to use it. In 2022, SEIU 1199NE reported nearly $22 million in assets, yet only $77,170 in strike benefits. The money was there. It just didn’t go to the workers.
Instead of standing behind the members it asked to sacrifice, the union bankrolled media campaigns and lobbied lawmakers to shift the financial burden onto employers.
That’s exactly why strike funds exist — to support workers who take the risk. But in SEIU’s model, the risk falls entirely on the worker, while the union hoards its cash and demands access to a safety net meant for the unemployed.
In the end, S.B. 938 failed to pass. But SEIU hasn’t given up.
In 2025, the union and its allies in the General Assembly tried again — pushing a new version of the same policy in S.B. 8 which would have allowed striking workers to collect unemployment benefits after two weeks off the job.
The bill passed, but Connecticut’s union-friendly Gov. Ned Lamont vetoed the bill, writing, “The Unemployment Trust Fund must support individuals who are out of work through no fault of their own… Extending benefits to individuals actively participating in labor disputes — even after a period of time — alters the fundamental purpose of the program.”
Rob Baril, president of SEIU 1199NE, framed the veto as a moral failure and issued a challenge to Democratic leaders. “Now, more than ever is the time to ask: Which side are you on?” he said, urging the governor and lawmakers to stand with workers “fighting for their dignity, fighting for their rights, fighting for their lives.”
Never mind that Gov. Lamont has handed public-sector unions billions in raises since taking office, signed laws expanding their organizing powers, and championed policies like paid family leave and the $15 minimum wage. All of that apparently counts for nothing if he says “no” once. For SEIU loyalty is conditional — obey without question or get thrown under the bus.
Unemployment Insurance is designed to support workers who lose their jobs through no fault of their own — not those who voluntarily walk off. To preserve both the integrity and solvency of the system, recipients must meet basic eligibility requirements: they must be available to work, able to work, and actively seeking employment.
Striking workers fail that test.
But SEIU 1199NE wants to rewrite that definition — and have someone else foot the bill. Instead of spending its own strike fund to support the workers it marched onto the picket line, SEIU is demanding access to a public safety net meant for those who didn’t volunteer for financial hardship.
Unemployment insurance is a safety net for the jobless — not a bailout for unions with strike funds and a war chest they’d rather blow on billboards. SEIU had the reserves to support its members. It chose not to. Instead, it used its cash — fuel for media buys and public pressure campaigns — while pushing lawmakers to rewrite unemployment law to cover the costs it refused to shoulder.
Striking is a choice. And when a union asks workers to make that sacrifice, the least it can do is pay for it.
You Pay Union Dues. You Deserve to See Where They Go
Are you a union teacher, police officer, firefighter, or other public-sector worker in Connecticut? Your union dues matter — and you have the right to know where every penny goes. Ask your union for a copy of its financial report. If they say no, we can help.
Connecticut law guarantees transparency. You have the right to request a state audit if you suspect corruption or abuse. If your union won’t comply, Yankee Institute can provide guidance.
👉 Learn more at CTUnionFacts.com
