Butler Hospital Workers Ratify Contract, End Rhode Island’s Longest Hospital Strike

The three-month strike at Butler Hospital, the longest hospital labor strike in Rhode Island history, has ended after workers overwhelmingly ratified a new four-year contract. The agreement includes wage increases of at least $3 per hour immediately and up to $5 per hour for the lowest-paid staff, guaranteeing that no current employee will earn less than $20 an hour by the contract's end. The contract also addresses workplace safety by providing financial support for employees injured by workplace violence through a dedicated time bank and maintains health benefits while controlling healthcare costs. Additionally, the deal secures affordable retirement plans for current and future workers and includes a $600,000 educational benefit administered by the union’s training fund. Butler Hospital, operated by Care New England, closed about half of its psychiatric beds and addiction units during the strike, which caused significant service reductions, but plans to restore all services as union workers return. Both the hospital and the union expressed relief in reaching the agreement, emphasizing the importance of caregivers returning to patient care.