Rhode Island AFL-CIO will lend support to striking workers with support rally
Providence: With no movement to resume contract negotiations by Care New England, striking Butler Hospitals begin day three of their open-ended unfair labor practice strike beginning at 6AM until 8PM tonight.
Today at noon, striking workers will be joined by members of the Rhode Island AFL-CIO who will hold a solidarity rally at the picket line to show their support for workers as they try to end chronic short staff, low wages and an increasing workplace violence epidemic at the hospital.
SEIU 1199 New England represents over 800 frontline staff at Butler Hospital including registered nurses, mental health workers, clerical, environmental service and dietary staff who began bargaining in March. On April 25, 91% of the entire workforce of frontline staff at Butler Hospital voted to authorize the strike citing management’s refusal to address the workplace violence crisis and wages that not only lag behind other healthcare providers, fair to achieve parity within Care New England. CNE has revealed recently they have spent over $3 million on out of state replacement workers.
Today at noon, striking workers will be joined by members of the Rhode Island AFL-CIO who will hold a solidarity rally at the picket line to show their support for workers as they try to end chronic short staff, low wages and an increasing workplace violence epidemic at the hospital.
SEIU 1199 New England represents over 800 frontline staff at Butler Hospital including registered nurses, mental health workers, clerical, environmental service and dietary staff who began bargaining in March. On April 25, 91% of the entire workforce of frontline staff at Butler Hospital voted to authorize the strike citing management’s refusal to address the workplace violence crisis and wages that not only lag behind other healthcare providers, fair to achieve parity within Care New England. CNE has revealed recently they have spent over $3 million on out of state replacement workers.
On May, May 12, the union filed unfair labor practices against the employer, identifying numerous categories of behavior by the hospital that are both unlawful and unacceptable to the union members, including 1) refusing to bargain in good faith 2) threatening, coercing and retaliating against workers for protected union activity 3) surveilling workers as they engage in union activity and 4) making unilateral changes to condition of employment after the contract expired.
Butler workers will continue their unfair labor practice strike at 6AM until 8PM everyday until Care New England settles a fair contract.
ACCESS EVENT PHOTOS HERE | Photo credit: Dominique Sindayiganza | @sindayiganza
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District 1199 SEIU New England represents 29,000 health care and service workers in Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Southeastern Massachusetts. In Rhode Island, 1199 SEIU NE represents almost 5,000 members. 1199 SEIU NE is affiliated with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) – a union of over 2 million members across the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada. SEIU has been a national leader in pushing the growing Fight for $15 and a Union movement.