PROVIDENCE – Butler Hospital workers recently announced they are returning to work after the end of a monthslong strike.
On Aug. 18, Butler Hospital and members of the Service Employees International Union 1199 New England – which represents about 800 workers at the hospital – announced that the striking workers approved a tentative agreement. This marked the end of the longest hospital strike in state history, which began on May 15.
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By Aug. 24, SEIU 1199 NE and Care New England Health System, which operates Butler, announced that hundreds of striking workers had begun returning to their jobs at the hospital.
“This is an important step toward the full restoration of all services that thousands of patients rely on at Butler Hospital each year,” the union and Care New England said in an Aug. 25 joint statement. “Butler Hospital is a beacon of hope for individuals and families who need behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment. We look forward to working together to strengthen our hospital’s ability to meet the needs of its patients, employees, and the entire community while advancing the vital mission of Butler Hospital.”
A representative from SEIU 1199 NE declined to answer Providence Business News’ follow-up questions on the workers’ plan to return to the hospital.
There is a staggered approach to welcoming workers back because Butler “must balance the pace of recalling staff with reopening services and units in a responsible, safe manner that aligns with community needs,” Raina Smith, a spokesperson for Care New England, said in a statement.
The process to bring back all workers who wish to return to the hospital will take 30 days.
The staffing shortages caused by the strike led the hospital to shut down 98 beds – marking about 50% of its capacity, according to the hospital.
Smith said Care New England would like the hospital to return to its full operating capacity once all workers have returned.
“That is our hope, but we must balance our staffing needs with demand for our services,” Smith said. “We will reopen beds consistent with the community’s needs and our ability to do so in a safe manner.”
Katie Castellani is a PBN staff writer. You may contact her at Castellani@PBN.com.
