Women & Infants Frontline Staff Reach Tentative Contract Agreement, Averting Unfair Labor Practice Strike

04 December 2024

Additional details will be available upon ratification

Providence - Frontline caregivers at Women & Infants Hospital who provide specialized care and services to Rhode Island mothers and babies have reached a tentative contract agreement with their employer very early Wednesday morning, thus averting plans for an unfair labor practice strike beginning December 12.

After bargaining for nearly 17 hours, we are pleased that our Women & Infants union bargaining committee was able to reach a tentative agreement with management that includes industry-leading wages increases and improvements to benefits that will help recruit and retain qualified staff across all departments and units. It has not been an easy road but we are hopeful this allows us a new opportunity for respect and communication between union workers and management to the benefit of our patients

Nancy Chandley Adams, Registered Nurse in the Lactation Unit.

Women & Infants’ over 2,000 frontline staff who are members of SEIU 1199 New England began contract negotiations in early October. After over 1,200 union members held an unfair labor practice informational picket on November 12, 2024 and, more recently, a strike vote, union staff reached a tentative agreement with management after their contract expired on November 30.

Women & Infants Hospital is Rhode Island’s premier premier center for women’s and maternal healthcare with approximately 80 percent of Rhode Island women choosing to give birth there. Frontline staff have been fighting for respect, safe staffing and a living wage with 68% of frontline staff indicating they feel stressed about not being able to make ends meet in a recent union survey.

Women & Infants Hospital staff aim to hold a ratification vote later this week, at which time contract additional details and worker statements will be made available.

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District 1199 SEIU New England represents 29,000 health care and service workers in Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Southeastern Massachusetts. In Rhode Island, 1199 SEIU NE represents 5,000 members. 1199 SEIU NE is affiliated with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) – a union of over 2 million members across the country.