"Stripping Butler employees of their job security and healthcare benefits is not how you build a better hospital."
Mary Marran’s claims of heartfelt concern for Butler Hospital employees are perverse in light of her decision to replace dedicated frontline staff — some of whom have served the hospital since graduating high school — with out-of-state, temporary workers. Not only is this immoral, it is illegal in light of the hospital's unfair labor practices. Stripping Butler employees of their job security and healthcare benefits is not how you build a better hospital. Real improvement comes from respecting workers' voices, honoring their contributions, and paying them fairly to ensure both staff and patient safety."
- Jesse Martin, Executive Vice President, SEIU 1199 New England
Workers began their unfair labor practice strike May 15 after 91% of the union workforce, or 99% of workers who participated, voted to strike. On 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.
On Thursday, May 29th, after meeting with a federal mediator for 11 hours, union workers presented the hospital a set of contract proposals with the goal of reaching an agreement—one that federal mediators called a strong framework to end the strike. In response, Butler Hospital told workers they would be unable to respond to their contract proposals until the following week, days after terminating workers' health benefits on May 31. Workers' medical benefits expired on May 31, but hundreds have been able to sign up for free or low cost health insurance through HealthSource RI, the state marketplace.
Yesterday, hundreds of striking Butler Hospital workers marched from the strike picket line at the hospital to the Care New England headquarters, demanding Michael Wagner, CEO of Care New England, and Mary Marran, Butler President, respond to their latest proposals in their efforts to settle a fair union contract.
“I love my job, and I love my patients. That’s why I’ve been working at Butler Hospital since I was a teenager. It’s also why I voted to go out on strike—because at the end of the day, there is no Butler without the dedicated staff who have devoted their lives to this institution. Instead of spending millions on temporary workers and jeopardizing our livelihoods, Mary Marran and Michael Wagner need to return to the bargaining table and settle this contract fairly.”
- Dan Camp, Behavioral Call Intake Center
###
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.