Members of District 1199 Service Employees International Union New England began a 30-hour sit-in June 12 in front of Care New England headquarters in Providence, R.I., amid an ongoing labor strike at CNE’s Butler Hospital, according to a union news release shared with Becker’s.
The sit-in took place as the strike reaches its one-month mark. Union representatives said hundreds of striking workers seek more urgency from Butler management to settle a contract.
Dan Camp, who works in behavioral health call intake, said in a June 12 statement that he would participate in the sit-in because “I am tired of the delay tactics.” He also said Butler management has not bargained in good faith and criticized leadership for “dismissing our efforts to solve our hospital’s workplace violence epidemic and staffing crisis.”
Approximately 800 staff at the hospital, including registered nurses, mental health workers, clerical, environmental service and dietary staff, began an open-ended strike May 15 after voting to authorize one in April. The union and management began negotiating a new labor contract in March and have been at odds over issues such as pay and workplace safety.
Earlier this month, Butler said it would begin posting positions for permanent replacement employees in response to the strike. Hospital President and COO Mary Marran also announced that May 23 would be the last paycheck for employees who are not actively working due to the strike, and their hospital-sponsored benefits would expire June 1. Affected employees received information about COBRA coverage and other benefit options.
In a June 12 statement, Ms. Marran emphasized the hospital’s commitment to reaching a fair and fiscally responsible agreement with the union, “one that recognizes the vital contributions of our staff and ensures we can continue delivering the safe, high-quality care our patients and community rely on.”
Regarding the sit-in, she said the hospital respects the right to peaceful demonstration, but expressed disappointment that the union “appears more focused on public theatrics than on returning to the bargaining table to achieve real progress.”
Another bargaining session is scheduled for June 17.
