Striking Butler Hospital workers awarded back unemployment benefits, bargaining to resume Wednesday

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Striking employees and Butler Hospital’s management return to the negotiation table Wednesday.

Negotiations resume the day after the state department of labor and training awarded striking workers unemployment benefits.

The department of labor ruled, the workers, represented by SEIU 1199 were owed unemployment benefits from June 1 onward.

However, workers said they will request an amendment to get back pay from as far back as May 19 when the workers first started getting termination of benefits letters.

Ahead of Wednesday morning’s negotiations, we’re hearing from Butler Hospital’s president and COO, Mary Marran.

She said due to the union’s strike, the hospital will continue to hire permanent replacements for the striking workers.

Marran said the hospital is “moving ahead” with virtual hiring events this week.

That statement goes on to add that the striking workers will still be placed on a “preferential hiring list, and may return when and if positions become available in the future.”

The hospital said the striking workers are welcome back at any time, but that they must make staffing decisions that benefit high quality care for patients.