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Union Workers At Women & Infants Hospital Vote To Authorize Strike If No Agreement Made

(WJAR) — Women & Infants Hospital's union workers have decided to walk off the job on Dec.12, if a contract agreement is not met with Care New England beforehand.

Care New England is the parent organizer of Woman and Infants Hospital.

Both sides have been in negotiations for months over wages, working conditions, and benefits.

Union workers spent the last three days voting on whether to authorize a strike. They revealed their decision for a strike on Wednesday evening.

The District 1199 Service Employees International Union New England (District 1199 SEIU New England) represents 29,000 health care and service workers in Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Southeastern Massachusetts.

In a news release Wednesday evening, a representative said the "workers' strike vote comes only a few weeks after over 1,200 frontline staff held an unfair labor practice informational picket.

The union claims to have identified several categories of "unlawful and unacceptable" behavior by the hospital to union members; including but not limited to intimidation, threats, and refusal to bargain in specific areas.

NBC 10 spoke to Nancy Chandley Adams, a union member and nurse/lactation consultant with Women and Infants on Wednesday, ahead of the decision to walk out.

" I think on both sides there has been a fair amount of 'This is not acceptable to us. We need to look at it again," said Chandley Adams.

Union workers at Women and Infants are demanding better wages, working conditions, and benefits for employees. Chanley Adams did not lay out the specific requests but said the changes are long overdue.

"They have to keep in mind that we gave up a raise during COVID and we gave up some of our benefits back," said Chandley Adams.

"With the rate of inflation and what has been proposed in terms of our healthcare."

The strike would mean about 2,000 employees walking out. This includes but is not limited to nurses, caregivers, clerical , environmental services, dietary, and service and maintenance staff.

"We're all essential employees. We keep the hospital running and we have a great knowledge, great experience," said Chandley Adams.

"That wouldn't be there so I think that's a huge impact."

Women & Infants released a statement Wednesday evening, saying they were "disappointed" to learn union workers intend to walk out in two weeks.

The statement from the hospital reads in part,

The hospital has contracted with a highly respected national firm to provide nursing, other direct care, and support services over the course of a work stoppage. These professionals have all the credentials and certifications necessary to do an excellent job for the people of Rhode Island.

Care New England said it will continue to negotiate over the next few weeks, hoping to avoid a walkout.

NBC 10 spoke to families, some of who have had children at Women and Infants.

Bethany Boisclair of Woonsocket said the nurses are excellent and she cannot imagine what would happen if they walked out.

"I'd be concerned about the care that I'm going to receive, especially the care that my child is going to receive," said Boisclair.

"You know if they're going to have people who are not experts, in the labor and the delivery part of it. You know they're probably taking nurses who that's not their specialty area. I'd be concerned about that."

Katie Bergantine and Cory McGuire of Coventry had their baby in March. Bergantine experienced complications.

"I can't even imagine having to do that, knowing that I was going to a hospital where they would be understaffed," said Bergantine,

"I think that would oppose immediate risks to patient safety."

But hospital leaders are assuring the public it still plans to deliver excellent patient care if a strike does happen in two weeks.

In the meantime, mothers like Chelsea Gallucci of West Warwick, tell expecting parents to hang in there.

"Just stay strong and just know that they are going to do the best that they can for you and for your child," said Gallucci.

Bergantine referred parents to offices in Boston, telling Women and Infants to support their staff.

"Listen to the nurses. I have a lot of friends who are nurses and I know that they struggle with staffing issues, being overworked," said Bergantine.

"It creates dangerous situations for them and their patients. I think they really need to be listened to."

Both sides released full statements that can be found below.

Hospital leaders said doctors will continue seeing patients for scheduled in and outpatient care.

That includes prenatal visits, fertility care, OBGYN checkups, mammograms, and other screenings.

The emergency department, neonatal ICU and labor and delivery unit will remain open.

The state Department of Health also will be reviewing the hospital's plans to operate safely, in the event of a strike.

SEIU FULL STATEMENT:

90% of the entire workforce of frontline caregivers at Women & Infants Hospital or 99% of workers who participated, have voted to authorize an unfair labor practice strike on Thursday, December 12 after management has continued its refusal to bargain in good faith. SEIU 1199 New England represents over 2,000 frontline staff at Women & Infants including registered nurses, clerical, environmental service, dietary and technical workers who have been in bargaining since early October. Workers' current contract expires November 30.

"Striking as a nurse is never an easy decision, but our choosing to strike stems from a desire to advocate for better working conditions, patient safety, and fair treatment that ultimately benefits everyone, including our patients," said Elsie Lombardi, a Registered Nurse in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Care Center, "By voting for an unfair labor practice strike, we are standing up for a healthier, safer work environment, which translates to better patient care and outcomes. Our goal is to highlight critical issues that need addressing for long-term improvements in healthcare including investing in and respecting the voices of dedicated staff which will ensure Women & Infants Hospital can uphold its high standards and provide the best care possible."

Workers' strike vote comes only a few weeks after over 1,200 frontline staff held an unfair labor practice informational picket, which was the largest in local union history. Throughout bargaining, the union has identified numerous categories of behavior by the hospital that are both unlawful and unacceptable to the union members, including 1) refusal to bargain over several changes in the terms and conditions of employment of union workers, 2) refusing to provide information requested for the purposes of formulating bargaining proposals and responding to the hospital's proposals, and 3) intimidating, threatening, and in the most extreme cases – engaging in impermissive physical acts against union members and staff in retaliation for their testimony against the hospital in a federal unfair labor practice trial before an Administrative Law Judge of the National Labor Relations Board. These clear and numerous violations of the National Labor Relations Act have prompted the union to file multiple unfair labor practice charges against the hospital.

What's more, frontline staff are deeply frustrated by the hospital's refusal to consider bargaining proposals that would address the staffing shortage by raising wages, preserve healthcare benefits, protect union rights and foster inclusivity by having the employer offer all policies and materials in multiple languages. In response, management has offered proposals in return that would greatly drive up healthcare costs, limit union activity and offer jobs to non-union workers.

A recent union survey indicated that 68% of Women & Infants say they feel stressed about not being able to make ends meet as the cost of living continues to rise. In October, the median price of a single-family home in Rhode Island rose 11.5% to $485,000 from the previous year. What's more, lack of competitive wages continues to hinder recruitment and retention of qualified staff, exacerbating a persistent staffing crisis that stretches across all departments and units.

"For me, a vote to strike is a vote to tell management we need change - and we need it now. I work in Diagnostic Imaging where staffing shortages have become the norm. Now with the new Med Surg unit open we will struggle to meet the needs of our patients which will cause burnout and elevate the risk of injuries and preventable harm to staff. I fear for the negative impact this could have on our patients and it needs to stop immediately," said Doreen Engeian, who has been a Diagnostic Imaging Technologist at Women & Infants for 30 years. "Once management finally listens to our concerns and works with us to find a staffing solution, we can move forward, settle a fair contract and get back to the work we love."

The following statement was sent by Women & Infant's Hospital.

"Women & Infants Hospital, which delivers more than 8,700 babies in Rhode Island each year and is one of the nation's leading specialty hospitals for women and newborns, is prepared to provide exceptional care for patients in the event that 1199SEIU chooses to strike."

"We are very disappointed that 1199SEIU has notified us that they intend to have employees walk out on December 12," said Shannon Sullivan, President and Chief Operating Officer for Women & Infants Hospital. "We will continue negotiating in hopes the union changes its mind, but patients can rest assured that the hospital is well-prepared to provide excellent care for all needs if there is a strike."

"Women & Infants has been negotiating in good faith for two months and put forth a generous proposal. The hospital's current proposal includes a $19 million investment over the next 3 years by the hospital in employees' wages and pension alone:

A plan to voluntarily increase the employer pension contribution to 10.7% of an employee's salary.

A minimum 5.5% wage increase over 3 years for all union members. Some union members will receive even more with step increases, differentials and other payments.

Robust health plan options at low or no costs to employees.

The hospital will remain open and provide excellent care if the union moves forward with its plan. The hospital has contracted with a highly respected national firm to provide nursing, other direct care, and support services over the course of a work stoppage. These professionals have all the credentials and certifications necessary to do an excellent job for the people of Rhode Island. They will work alongside the expert physicians who our patients know and trust.

Women & Infants doctors will continue to see patients for scheduled care in the hospital and at outpatient clinics. This includes prenatal visits, fertility care, cancer treatments, OBGYN checkups, mammograms, and other screening and diagnostic tests. The emergency department will be open, the neonatal intensive care unit will continue caring for the smallest newborns, and the labor and delivery unit will be open and ready for scheduled and unscheduled deliveries.

The state Department of Health will review the hospital's plans to operate safely.

As always, the health and safety of our patients is our physicians' and organization's top priority," said Dr. Lisa Rameaka, Chief Medical Officer of Women & Infants. "Our doctors will be in the hospital and in our clinics providing patients with the outstanding care that Women & Infants is known for, regardless of whether a strike occurs."

Hospital leaders have offered to continue negotiating to reach an agreement without a strike that would harm staff financially and force the hospital to spend at least $9 million to continue operations. The union's actions mean that staff will not be paid for any shifts missed due to a strike.

The offer to continue to negotiate remains on the table, but each day closer to the strike, we will need to spend more money, which means there will be less available to invest in our offers to the union," Sullivan said. "I strongly urge 1199SEIU to withdraw its strike notice and return to the negotiating table with us so that we can dedicate our resources to our staff rather than a strike. "

The hospital will provide patients and the public with additional information over the coming days if the union continues with its plans."

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