Members of WCMH United Employees, AFT Local 5099, are set to begin a two-day strike Oct. 24 at Hartford HealthCare's Windham Hospital in Willimantic, Conn.
The union represents about 200 allied health, technical, environmental services, dietary, plant operations, registration and financial services professionals at the hospital, its partner medical facilities and satellite offices, according to an Oct. 17 news release shared with Becker's. Hartford HealthCare has about 36,000 employees total.
Union members voted to authorize a strike during a walkout by Windham Hospital nurses in September. Donna Handley, BSN, president of Windham Hospital, told Becker's in a statement that the organization "has been actively engaged in negotiations for renewal contracts with two AFT bargaining units representing our nurses, and our technical and support staff, since December 2021. We have offered a contract that is fair, equitable and market competitive."
The union contends that during negotiations, hospital management has not agreed to a contract that adequately assures safe patient limits and community access to care.
"Our union members did not come to this decision [to provide a strike notice] lightly," Heather Howlett, a clinical assistant at Windham Hospital and president of WCMH United Employees, said in a union news release.
"It followed long months of negotiations and numerous inadequate proposals from Hartford HealthCare's lawyers. It's time for these industry leaders to value safe patient care by respecting those who keep their facilities running," she added.
A strike could be averted if both sides reach an agreement. Meanwhile, Windham Hospital said it is making efforts to ensure patients have access to needed care should a walkout occur.