Butler Hospital announces the termination of striking workers' health insurance
"This is incredibly disappointing, and I am truly scared for my life," said striking worker Brooke Huminski, LICSW, a Clinician/Social worker in the Inpatient Assessment Center.
From a press release:
Butler Hospital union workers received the following letter in the mail, notifying them that management is terminating the following benefits: medical, dental, and vision (effective May 31, 2025) as well as life, long-term disability, critical illness, accident insurance, and voluntary legal insurance. This will affect the 800 workers in the bargaining unit of SEIU 1199NE.
As reported by RIFuture.news, many Butler Hospital workers live in poverty. Some workers are living in their cars. 60% of the folks who work at Butler Hospital have reported that they’ve had to choose between food and housing costs.
“Today I received a letter from Butler Hospital notifying us that they are terminating our health insurance on May 31. I rely heavily on that health insurance as I take a life-saving medication. Without that medication, I would not be alive. We are also in the process of going through IVF right now to build our family and will likely have to stop the IVF process without insurance. I never thought it would get to this place. I dedicated my career to this hospital and I am just so disappointed, hurt, and scared for myself and for many others with severe health conditions who will not be able to afford the co-pay payments or the cost of medications. This is incredibly disappointing, and I am truly scared for my life.” - Brooke Huminski, LICSW | Clinician/Social worker in the Inpatient Assessment Center
On May 12, the union filed unfair labor practices against the employer, identifying numerous categories of behavior by the hospital that are both unlawful and unacceptable to the union members, including:
refusing to bargain in good faith;
threatening, coercing, and retaliating against workers for protected union activity;
surveilling workers as they engage in union activity; and,
making unilateral changes to the condition of employment after the contract expired.
Workers voted by over 91% to strike and began their open-ended strike on Thursday, May 15, 2025.
“It is plainly obvious that cutting off workers' medical benefits with little to no notice is just the latest in management's illegal retaliation and intimidation against workers throughout the bargaining process. Care New England should be ashamed of this cruel and callous move to break the strike and prevent workers from making critically important changes in their workplace to improve safety and care.” - Jesse Martin, Executive Vice President, SEIU 1199NE
Brazen and cruel!
All over the country, people with the "audacity" to demand they're paid enough to live are being targeted by employers. Waves of layoffs throughout multiple industries are snatching away any protections/gains won by workers since 2020 and then some. Revolution is the only solution. Abandon their broken empire. Build a new world in the cracks beneath their feet. We can do this together.