Employees at Butler Hospital in Providence, R.I., protested Thursday against their employer, Care New England, over wages, staffing and time off, according to NBC 10 News.
The workers, which include nurses, housekeepers, medical record keepers and call center staff, are represented by Service Employees International Union Healthcare 1199 NE.
They expressed concerns over staffing and claim executives at Care New England, also in Providence, have delayed other employees' raises, according to the article. Some long-term employees also claim they have lost a significant amount of vacation time.
Butler spokesperson Sara Brandon told NBC 10 News conversations between the hospital and the union are underway.
"We greatly appreciate the contributions Butler Hospital employees make to support our patients' recovery as well as to our organization's work environment," she wrote in statement to the TV station. "We continue to have conversations with SEIU District 1199 and occasionally informational picketing is part of the contract negotiation process."
"We are confident hospital administration and union leaders will finalize a fair agreement through the collaborative engagement underway," she said.
The protest comes as Care New England has laid off employees and scaled back services at Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island in Pawtucket to control losses. The system also plans to merge with New Bedford, Mass.-based Southcoast Health System.
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