https://www.providencejournal.com/story/lifestyle/real-estate/2025/06/16/ri-rhode-island-real-estate-transactions-what-homes-sold-for-how-much-and-to-whom/84225061007/
Butler management continues to claim they don’t have the resources to pay us fairly but the numbers tell a different story. While management takes home six and seven figure salaries, some Butler workers are living out of their cars or are on the verge of homelessness. This hospital runs because of our labor. If you truly value your workforce, show it, not by cutting off our healthcare or working to replace us, but by paying fair wages that allow us to support our families.
- Dan Adams, Mental Health Worker, Lippit 2
95% of Butler caregivers said in a recent survey said that Care New England is not doing enough to keep them safe at work and 60% said they have struggled to afford both food and housing costs. Butler Hospital’s starting hourly rates are $18.27 for mental health workers, $18.64 for certified nursing assistants and $15.53 for service and maintenance staff, far below the (insert self sufficiency numbers).
Years ago, everyone wanted to work at Butler Hospital because of its reputation as the leading psych hospital in the region. Now there are well over a hundred vacancies and too many new hires leave within months because what they earn doesn’t make up the daily risks they face. Instead of trying to divide and intimidate us, management should take a hard, long look at why one wants to stay and, instead, work with the staff who are committed to make Butler safer for all.
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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.