About 2,500 skilled nursing facility workers from across Connecticut say they are prepared to go on strike, unless the governor adds millions into the budget for the field.

Members of the Constitution State’s largest healthcare union this week voted in favor of the strike, which could start as early as May 1. SEIU 1199 New England is demanding 4% raises in each of the next two fiscal years, a pay boost that would cost the state about $40 million annually, the Connecticut Mirror reported Monday.

“We refuse to be second-class citizens,” said Rob Baril, president of the union, which represents workers in 20 SNFs. “Every caregiver knows … their work is a labor of love. But you cannot pay the rent with love.”

Union officials are proposing that half of the pay raises would be picked up by the state while the other half would come from federal Medicaid payments. SEIU is urging industry wide pay hikes across the state, including non-bargaining workers. The Mirror noted that it is unclear how much Connecticut would pay if lawmakers opted to only boost pay at unionized SNFs where workers are threatening to strike.

The industry did receive a 2% pay boost from the state this fiscal year, and 3% for 2015-16. However, Gov. Ned Lamont (D) has proposed waiving inflationary adjustments for the next two years, which would take nearly $90 million away from SNFs, if lawmakers agree with the proposal.

The Connecticut Association of Healthcare Facilities, which represents 160 providers across the state, is urging its members to stay at the bargaining table and avoid a strike. President and CEO Matthew Barrett emphasized that SNFs cannot give raises unless inadequate state funding is first addressed, the CT post reported.

“It is simply unreasonable to expect nursing facility operators to enter into costly multi-year funding commitments to address collective bargaining issues without the Medicaid resources needed to pay for those costs,” Barrett said.