Striking Butler Hospital employees to lose health coverage

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Hundreds of Butler Hospital employees are on track to lose their health coverage as a contract dispute between hospital management and the New England Health Care Employees Union, SEIU 1199NE, intensifies.

The union, which represents more than 800 frontline workers at the hospital, launched an indefinite strike Thursday morning after negotiations with Butler Hospital’s parent company, Care New England, reached an impasse last week.

The strike comes nearly two months after the union entered contract talks with the health system. All four union contracts expired on March 31, and over 100 positions at the hospital remain unfilled.

SEIU 1199NE is demanding that hospital leadership address what it calls “critical safety and economic concerns” that the union says have worsened the staffing crisis.

On Monday, the union shared a letter from hospital management informing union members that their final paycheck would be issued on May 23. The letter also stated that health, dental, and vision insurance coverage would end on May 31 for those not reporting to work during the strike.

The union has accused Care New England of bargaining in bad faith and filed an unfair labor practices complaint last week. The complaint alleges the hospital engaged in threats, coercion, retaliation, and made unilateral changes to employment terms after the contracts lapsed.

However, Butler Hospital President and COO Mary Marran pushed back, saying it was the union that walked away from talks earlier this month and has yet to return, despite management’s willingness to resume negotiations.

Marran added that the decision to suspend benefits is consistent with federal law and benefit plan regulations. She noted that affected workers have been informed of their COBRA continuation options and that benefits will be restored once a new agreement is ratified.

In the meantime, Butler Hospital has spent nearly $2 million on temporary staffing to maintain patient care throughout the strike.