Home Butler Hospital Hundreds of Butler Hospital unionized employees start ‘open-ended’ strike

Hundreds of Butler Hospital unionized employees start ‘open-ended’ strike

By

Katie Castellani

-

05/15/2025

Butlerhospital — HUNDREDS OF Butler Hospital employees went on strike Thursday./COURTESY OF CARE NEW ENGLAND HEALTH SYSTEM.

PROVIDENCE – Hundreds of Butler Hospital unionized employees started an “open-ended” strike Thursday to push for better wages, benefits and workplace safety. Members of Service Employees International Union 119 New England, or SEIU 1199NE, which represents more than 800 employees at Butler, say the strike comes after Care New England Health System management “has refused

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PROVIDENCE – Hundreds of Butler Hospital unionized employees started an “open-ended” strike Thursday to push for better wages, benefits and workplace safety. Members of Service Employees International Union 119 New England, or SEIU 1199NE, which represents more than 800 employees at Butler, say the strike comes after Care New England Health System management “has refused to consider the union’s most recent contract proposal to raise wages and address a growing workplace violence crisis.” "I am very frustrated that Care New England let it get to this point and we feel we have been left with no choice but to strike,” said Niki Anthony, a member of the negotiating committee and registered nurse at Butler in a new unit that treats psychiatric patients. “My unit has not been safely staffed since it opened only one year ago and CNE has been ignoring our pleas for additional staffing. Every shift, I worry that one of our staff members will be seriously injured or worse.” On April 25, 91% of Butler’s frontline staff, or 99% of the workers who participated, voted to strike citing management’s refusal to address their concerns. The workers’ current contract expired March 31 and there are 116 open positions at the hospital, the union said when announcing the strike. There was a 41% increase in patient assaults of staff between from 2022 to 2024. Also, 95% of workers say Care New England isn’t doing enough to keep them safe at work and 60% say they’ve struggled to afford food and housing costs. Care New England says it has “worked diligently and in good faith to find common ground and address critical issues,” throughout the monthslong negotiating process, including offering wage increases and enhanced workplace safety efforts. The health system’s proposal included: partnering with the existing Health and Safety Committee to boost staff safety: an increase of 18% for all off-scale workers and a higher increase for on-scale workers: more than 40% pay increases for some of the lowest-wage employees over the duration of the contract; medical insurance options with guaranteed premiums; reduced paycheck deductions for a health plan; ongoing contribution to the Health Savings Accounts for those enrolled in the high-deductible health plan, which has a 0% paycheck deduction; and to preserve the pension program for all current employees. Butler also countered reports that say an “overwhelming majority” of union members earn less than $20 per hour. Of the 716 employees represented by the union, 135 make less than $20 per hour. The hospital says its proposals include a new wage floor that would increase to $19.32 over the course of the contract and under the most recent contract offer, 55 employees would earn less than $20 per hour four weeks after it’s ratified. By the end of the four-year contract, 99% of all employees would earn at least $20 per hour. “The hospital remains committed to reaching an agreement that honors our staff and protects our vulnerable patients who depend on us,” Mary Marran, president and chief operating officer of the hospital said in a statement. “We hope the union will come back to the table to participate in contract negotiations.” The union said its negotiating committee submitted proposals as late as 8 p.m. May 7 and the hospital has not responded. While the hospital said the union “decided to disengage from negotiations” May 7. Marran said the hospital has worked with federal mediators since the last bargaining session. It’s not clear if the union has. The hospital spent about $1.8 million to secure temporary workers during the strike, said Jesse Martin, executive vice president of SEIU 1199NE. Marran said that the financial shift affects the terms the hospital can offer in future negotiations. Katie Castellani is a PBN staff writer. You may contact her at Castellani@PBN.com