Monday, August 18, 2025
LOGO: SEIU
A tentative agreement has been reached in the longest hospital strike in the state’s history, according to multiple reports.
The strike at Butler Hospital started in May, involving hundreds of workers represented by SEIU 1199NE, after their last contract with Care New England ended on March 31.
In July, the union representing hundreds of Butler Hospital workers said members cast their votes on management’s revised “last, best, and final offer” and voted overwhelmingly to reject the offer.
As GoLocal reported:
This strike involved approximately 800 unionized staff, including nurses, mental health workers, clerical, and support staff represented by SEIU 1199 New England, and is noted as the first such strike at the hospital in 37 years. The core issues were wages, staffing levels, safety, and contract conditions after their agreements expired on March 31, 2025. The strike has become the longest hospital strike in Rhode Island’s history
Here is a breakdown of why Butler members voted to reject management’s revised “last, best, final offer” according to the union.
Wages – Butler’s plan offers the lowest paid workers in dietary, clerical, and housekeeping only $18 an hour start rate. $18 an hour for a 40 hour work week is only $37,440 a year – before taxes and deductions. The average rent in Rhode Island is $1,800 a month for a one-bedroom, which comes out to $21,600 a year. With gas at roughly $3 a gallon, an individual filling up their tank once a week to commute could spend up to $2,340-$3,120 a year. Nearly two-thirds of their yearly income would be used to cover housing and gas alone, not including all the other costs of daily living. Instead, Butler caregivers are calling for a wage scale that recognizes longevity and seeks to retain current staff. Currently, management’s proposal does nothing to help bring recognition to years of service at the hospital.
Healthcare – Management’s plan would substantially raise the deductibles that workers must pay for the HSA healthcare plan, putting individuals who have chronic health conditions or already cash-strapped members at risk of medical debt. In comparison, the union’s proposal would increase cost sharing of the plan in an affordable way protecting workers from the full burden of the changes the employer seeks to implement.
Safety – Butler’s proposed workplace safety task force and assistance plan adopts some of the workers’ recommendations. However, the employer is seeking to eliminate the practice that people who are on workers’ compensation can return to their same position even after a year of service. This would mean that many employees who are injured due to workplace violence would have to reapply to their positions and, only if rehired, would they keep their seniority and current wage.
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