Contract Ratified: Butler Strike Yields a Minimum of $20 an Hour, Says Union

Contract Ratified: Butler Strike Yields a Minimum of $20 an Hour, Says Union

According to the union, the new contract with Butler Hospital and its parent company, Care New England, was overwhelmingly ratified on Monday night.

 

The strike was the longest hospital strike in Rhode Island history, lasting nearly 100 days.

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SEIU 1199NE represents over 800 workers, says that no current Butler employee will earn less than $20 an hour after four years while maintaining affordable healthcare, secure retirement, and new workplace violence benefits. 

 

Butler Hospital workers have overwhelmingly - or 99% of workers who participated in the vote - ratified a new four-year contract, thus ending the state's longest hospital strike. 

 

“We are proud to stand together to have an agreement that allows us to move forward with our shared goal of helping patients and caring for one another. In this agreement, there are lasting, impactful changes that will impact workers, patients, and the larger community. This resolution is a sign of true unity that brings the hospital and its mission forward. We are incredibly thankful for the support of so many in our community, as well as elected leaders, especially House Speaker Shekarchi, who helped us find a pathway forward toward resolution,” said Brooke Huminiski, Clinical Social Worker, and member of the union.

 

According to SEIU, the highlights of the new four-year contract include:

 

Wages: By the end of the four-year contract, no current employee will earn less than $20 an hour 

Healthcare: Maintained benefits and controlled the costs for the HSA healthcare plan  

Workplace Safety: Financial support for workers injured by workplace violence (a new workplace violence time bank seeded by the hospital and members. Injured workers can draw from it to supplement their own workplace compensation)

Retirement: Secured affordable retirement for current and future workers through the whole agreement

Training: Educational benefit worth $600,00 over four years, administered by the SEIU 1199NE Training and Education Fund 

Equity and Inclusion: Employer will provide and share costs of tri-lingual translation of medical and retirement benefits, as well as the union contract