Workers prepare to strike at Rhode Island, Hasbro Children’s hospitals
Butler Hospital workers strike for higher wages, safer workplace
Strikers claim they are underpaid and work in an unsafe environment, where patient-on-staff assaults have spiked in recent years.
- More than 2,500 Rhode Island Hospital and Hasbro Children’s Hospital workers voted to authorize a strike after contract negotiations stalled.
- The union, UNAP Local 5098, is seeking lower health insurance costs, increased wages, and better workplace safety measures.
- The union must provide a 10-day notice before officially going on strike.
PROVIDENCE – Workers at Rhode Island Hospital and Hasbro Children’s Hospital, are prepared to go on strike if they can’t reach an agreement with management on a contract, said the union.
The United Nurses and Allied Professionals (UNAP) Local 5098 represents more than 2,500 nurses, therapists, technicians and other health care professionals at both hospitals, which are members of the Brown University Health system.
The union has been negotiating with hospital management since January, but the parties failed to reach an agreement before the former contract expired on March 31.
After reviewing the hospital’s “last, best and final” offer from June 6, union members voted to authorize a strike late on June 23, meaning that although they aren’t on strike yet, they’re ready to declare one.
“Management’s last proposal was insulting to us in many ways and does nothing to improve employee morale or patient care. We are all tired of seeing our fellow nurses and health professionals leave for jobs in Massachusetts and Connecticut, where they are valued and respected,” chapter president Frank Sims said in a statement. “The ball is in Brown University Health’s court. We are willing to listen, but only if they come back with a serious proposal that shows they truly value the work we do everyday within the walls of this hospital.”
What does the union want?
The union said that Brown University Health’s latest proposal raised health insurance premiums for workers, for an increase of more than $1,000 per policy holder. UNAP is pushing for lower health care costs, living wages and stronger safety protections to deter workplace violence. The union said it fears that lower take-home pay and less attractive benefits will make it harder to attract new hires, thus worsening the worker shortage and affecting patient care.
The workers’ demands align closely with what the hundreds of Butler Hospital workers who’ve been on strike since May are also calling for.
“It’s definitely an issue in Rhode Island health care, but as Brown Health is the state’s leader and largest health care organization, they need to spearhead it and move forward to make a difference,” UNAP President Lynn Blais told The Providence Journal.
Blais said that the union compared the most recent proposal with contracts at other local hospitals, including Women & Infants Hospital, which is owned by Care New England. Workers at the specialty hospital garnered a 13% wage increase in a contract agreement last December. Rhode Island Hospital and Hasbro Children’s Hospital employees would be happy to sign a similar contract, and it would set a precedent for all workers, said Blais.
What comes next?
UNAP is required to provide hospital leaders with 10 days’ notice before going on strike.
“We are ready to drop the notice as soon as we feel it’s the appropriate time,” said Blais. “We are hoping that Brown does the right thing and says let’s get back to the table.”
This story has been updated to correct an inaccuracy.
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