UPDATE: Teamsters authorize strike at Rhode Island Hospital
By News Staff
UPDATE: The Teamsters Local 251 voted Wednesday to authorize a 10-day strike notice. A 2nd vote will have to take place in order for a strike to occur.
Results from the votes show that of the 2300 union members, 628 voted to give strike notice, while 35 voted against it. The remainder did not vote.
In a statement, a spokesperson from Rhode Island Hospital said in part, they are “disappointed to learn that the union moved forward with a vote to authorize a strike. The vote process came despite recent movement by the hospital on key wage and benefit proposals.”
Members of the Teamsters Local 251 say that the move to strike could be authorized after they cast votes during three separate meetings throughout the day Wednesday.
The possibility for a 10-day strike notice comes after Teamsters say they tried to negotiate improvements on issues like job security and wages as well as worker and community concerns over patient care.
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