Butler Hospital Union Workforce announces open strike beginning May 15, 2025
“Our decision to move forward with the strike on May 15 is not one any of us takes lightly but we know it necessary,” said Dawn Williams, RN.
On April 29, the union bargaining committee of Butler Hospital announced a date for an open-ended strike beginning Thursday, May 15, at 6 a.m. after bargaining failed to produce any meaningful progress to address chronic short staffing, low wages, and workplace violence issues. On April 25, 91% of the entire workforce of frontline staff at Butler Hospital, or 99% of workers who participated, voted to authorize the strike, citing management’s refusal to address their ongoing concerns. Workers remain willing to return to the bargaining table to settle a fair contract.
“Our decision to move forward with the strike on May 15 is not one any of us takes lightly, but we know it is necessary to make the drastic improvements we need to feel safe at work,” said Dawn Williams, Registered Nurse in Lippit 2, Intensive Treatment Unit and member of the negotiating committee. “After almost two months of negotiations, Care New England has failed to consider our proposals to offer needed training, raise wages, and confront the workplace violence epidemic we experience almost daily. At the end of the day, if we don’t solve these core issues, it is our patients who will suffer the consequences from the revolving door of staff who refuse to put their safety in jeopardy for the low wages we earn.”
SEIU 1199 New England represents over 800 frontline staff at Butler Hospital, including registered nurses, mental health workers, clerical, environmental service, and dietary staff who began bargaining last month. Workers’ current contracts expired March 31, and there are 116 open positions at the hospital. From 2022 to 2024, there has been a 41% increase in patient assaults on staff. 95% of Butler caregivers say Care New England is not doing enough to keep them safe at work, and 60% say they have struggled to afford food and housing.
Butler Hospital Statement on Strike Notice from SEIU 1199 NE
Butler Hospital is deeply disappointed that SEIU 1199 NE has chosen to issue a notice of intent to strike. Butler Hospital has done everything possible to avoid this outcome, making comprehensive proposals that further our goal of addressing workplace violence and offering a total rewards package that includes generous wage increases and a competitive benefits package.
On April 15, the union responded to the hospital’s opening wage proposal, the largest in over a decade, with a demand for an average 79.3% wage increase from their current rates over two years—the hospital counter-proposed wage increases between 15.6% and 32% over the life of a four-year contract. When talks resumed on April 29, the union offered no meaningful response to the hospital’s April 15 counterproposal, adjusting their wage proposal to an average of 71.1% from their current rates over two years.
Striking will not bring us closer to an agreement. It will only result in lost wages for employees. We will, however, remain open and ready to accept patients during a strike. We have contracted with a third-party vendor to ensure the care our patients depend upon us for remains uninterrupted. We urge the union to reconsider this path and return to the bargaining table prepared to engage in productive dialogue.
Butler Hospital remains committed to reaching a fair and sustainable agreement, but it takes both sides working constructively. After the April 29th bargaining session, the hospital recommended using mediation resources available through the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS). The hospital hopes FMCS’s involvement will help the parties agree.
Raina C. Smith, Senior Director of PR, Media Relations, and Communications