Butler Hospital strikers put their time to good use
Butler Hospital healthcare workers say being on strike has not dulled their need to give back to the community. Over the last few weeks, Butler caregivers have donated over 1,400 volunteer hours at food pantries, soup kitchens, community gardens, and shoreline clean-ups. In addition, Butler workers have responded to a dangerous blood shortage across the state.
On July 21, the Rhode Island Blood Center (RIBC) declared
a blood emergency as the state’s blood supply dropped below a two-day
inventory, far below the required seven-day supply to meet hospital and patient
needs. In response, so many caregivers have stepped up that the Blood Center
set up a sponsor code on behalf of the union to participate and donate.
"We’re on day 83 of our unfair labor practice lockout -
about 12 weeks - the longest lockout/strike in hospital history in this state,”
said Ben Dagnan, a mental health worker at Butler Hospital for 23 years.
“To give you an update about where things stand, from our perspective: For
those who haven’t heard, the hospital gave us their last, best, and final offer
a couple of weeks ago, and last week, the membership voted overwhelmingly - 98%
of strikers - to
reject that last, best, and final offer. We voted to reject because there
was some movement, but it still left our lowest-paid workers behind.
“Management says that $18 an hour is enough to survive in
this state, but we all know that is not true or good enough.”
The contract Butler Hospital’s parent company, Care New
England, offered did not include dietary, housekeeping, or medical
records workers. “We have to make sure that everybody gets lifted up, and we go
back to work when everybody is lifted up,” said Dagnan.
I asked about the status of contract talks:
“Interestingly enough," said Dagnan, “on Friday, we
heard that the hospital was not interested in returning to the table, and then,
yesterday, we found out they are. We’re looking forward to meeting with them
tomorrow. We’re hoping that Mary Maran [President and COO of Butler
Hospital] and Michael Wagner [Care New England CEO] will pay a visit.
We haven’t seen them at the bargaining table once in this whole process.
They’re welcome to come, and we hope to get something done. We’ve been very
clear on what we’re looking for, so we’re ready to get back to the table and
get a solution so we can get back to work. That’s what we want to do.”
The Publics
Radio health reporter Lynn Arditi reported today that talks have indeed
resumed supervised by a federal mediator. Arditi reports that even though the 700
union members voted down Butler management’s July 11 “final offer,” the union
and management continued to have “off-the-books” meetings aimed at breaking the
impasse. - Will Collette
RNs Hannah Roosa and Catherine Maynard discussed Butler workers’ volunteer efforts in more detail.
“Since the strike began, we’ve been fighting not only for a fair contract, but for the kind of healthcare system that treats caregivers and patients with dignity and respect,” said Hannah Roosa, who has worked at Butler for 17 years.
“Striking hasn’t meant stepping away from care. Many of us have
found other ways to serve. In the past 12 weeks, Butler Hospital caregivers
have volunteered over 1400 hours across Rhode Island. We’ve been helping New
Beginnings Kitchen get settled at a new location in Woonsocket; packing
groceries at St. Raymond’s Church Food Pantry on North Main Street;
maintaining a community garden at Saint Rose and Clement Parish in
Warwick; loading orders into vehicles at Lighthouse Community Food Bank;
sorting donations and setting up a yard sale for Open Closet at Open Table
of Christ on Broad Street; and cleaning up our neighborhoods and shoreline
with Cozy Rhodie and Save The Bay.
“Some of us help seniors in our community. Some haul wood
at Waterfire in Providence. Others run charity races, help at
community events, assist staff at animal shelters and rehabilitation centers,
or restock shelves at food pantries. Wherever we’re needed, we show up.
“This isn’t charity work,” continued Roosa. “This is
solidarity. This is who we are as healthcare workers. When management locked us
out, we didn’t stop caring, and we never will. We’ve been overwhelmed by the
outpouring of support from our neighbors and fellow Rhode Islanders, from
letters of support to posts on social media to donating goods and services to
simply standing with us on the line. Your support has meant everything. And
yes, there are many ways to support us, but in the weeks ahead, we’ll also be
highlighting some of the incredible organizations across Rhode Island that need
your help.”
Catherine Maynard has worked on the Senior Specialty Unit at
Butler Hospital for seven years.
“On July 21, Rhode Island declared a blood emergency when we
dropped below a two-day inventory for blood, which is far below the seven-day
requirement to support the hospitals and our community,” said Maynard, “So far,
over a dozen of my coworkers have stepped up to donate blood. Our contributions
so far could save up to 40 lives. Last Friday, we sent so many members to the
Blood Center that they turned us away because they couldn’t accept so many
walk-ins. As healthcare workers, we have a profound sense of helping those in
need, and we’ll continue to save lives and uplift Rhode Islanders from the
picket line until we are back inside Butler Hospital.
“If you support us, you support your community. So please,
if you can donate, join us and give back to those who need our help. With the
collaboration of the Rhode Island Blood Center staff, I set up the sponsor code
on behalf of our union members, friends, and family to participate with
us. Please visit ribc.org to
find local blood centers near you, and use our sponsor code 5262 when you show
up to donate.
“Appointments are preferred, but walk-ins are welcome,”
continued Maynard. “To learn more about the volunteer work Butler caregivers
have been giving across the state and how you can join us in building a Rhode
Island rooted in care and community, please visit WeAreButler.org.”
Ben Dagnan: I want the community to know that being out
on the line, away from our patients, is difficult for us. It’s not something
that we take lightly. More than anything, we want to get back to work and take
care of people. It’s part of our identity as healthcare workers. The support
from the community has been unbelievable, so the fact that we’ve been able to
give back while out here has been so meaningful to us.
Reporters: How are you guys feeling after
overwhelmingly rejecting the last offer?
Ben Dagnan: This last, best, and final offer did not
bring all our members forward, which is what we need. We came out here
together. We will go back together once all of our members are moved forward.
98% of strikers voting to reject sends a clear message that we are all on the
same page. There is no division between departments, job classifications, or
us. We are united. We are solid, and we’re ready to go back as soon as the
hospital recognizes all of our work, and that will hopefully be sooner rather
than later. We’re ready.
“What we’re looking for is very simple.”
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