Groden Center caregivers vote overwhelmingly to ratify new contract with life-changing wage increases
Behavioral Specialists will see up to a 42% pay increase
From an SEIU 1199NE press release:
Frontline caregivers at Groden Center who provide essential services for children with autism overwhelmingly voted today to ratify a new three-year contract agreement after bargaining since June 2024. The 38 Behavioral Specialists who are members of SEIU 1199NE were able to win groundbreaking wage increases between 25% and 42% over the length of the contract.
“I am so proud of what we have achieved in our new contract. After 13 years of working at Groden, I was making only $20 an hour; now, I will get a 35% wage increase, which will make a massive difference for my family. Not only that, these raises will go a long way to improve staffing and reduce the use of agency staff to make our classrooms safer for our kids. Those of us who have been here for years finally feel fairly compensated for our hard work and dedication. We want to sincerely thank all the elected leaders and community supporters who helped us every step of the way,” said Katherine Siguenza, Behavioral Specialist.
In their new contract agreement, Groden workers were able to achieve:
Senior staff of 10+ years of employment: Up to 42% wage increase over the length of the contract;
New hires: Up to a 25% wage increase from the current $18/hour over the length of the contract;
Incentive pay is provided for staff who are tasked with driving or staffing bus rides for Groden students from its residential group home and coordinating extra responsibilities.
“I am looking forward to the new wages we will receive while being able to afford to stay at the job I love. I’ve been with Groden for just under three years and have been working 60 to 70 hours a week since last year just to make ends meet as a single mom and a homeowner. Our new raises mean I will not have to work so much, and I’ll finally be able to enjoy myself and take weekends off. What’s more, our starting wage is now pretty competitive, and with the new wage scales, people can move up faster than they ever have before. This will not only cause more staff to refer in new hires but is great for retention as well,” said Jocelyn Johnson, Behavioral Specialist.
Groden Center Behavioral Specialists work with children and youth with autism from preschool age to 22 years old, helping them improve communication and life skills through a robust academic and vocational program. In addition, staff are required to serve as drivers or bus monitors to transport students from Groden’s residential group home to the school.
Staffing shortages - driven by low wages - created ongoing safety concerns and heightened risk of workplace injuries. Groden’s lack of successful recruitment and retention necessitated the use of expensive and inexperienced agency staff, who were regularly paid more than full-time workers. The starting wage for Behavioral Specialists was just $18 an hour, which is just under $35,000 a year. A recent GoBankingrates.com survey determined that a living wage for a single person in Rhode Island is $59,936 per year, ranking 36th on the list in terms of affordability. At the same time, the average cost of rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Providence is $2,051 per month. As such, many Groden employees were forced to work multiple jobs to earn enough income to survive.
After holding a three-day strike on September 11, 2024, and announcing an unfair labor practice strike beginning on Thursday, November 7, Groden Center workers are now on a path to a living wage that will stabilize the care and services Groden Center youth need and deserve.
See:
Groden Center caregivers of children with autism vote for a 3-day strike starting September 11
Groden Center Behavioral Specialists hit the picket line for a three-day strike
Day two of the 3-day Groden Center strike features a dozen General Assembly visitors
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.