Dear Women & Infants community,
I am very pleased to announce that after more than 40 hours of negotiations over the last three days, Women & Infants Hospital and 1199SEIU have reached a tentative agreement on a new nearly 3-year contract. As part of the agreement, SEIU1199 has withdrawn its strike notice. A ratification vote date will be set in the coming days.
This news means that instead of preparing for a strike, we can all focus on moving forward together. The uncertainty of the past several weeks has been challenging for everyone, and I am glad we can now forge a strong path forward. A special thank you to the members of each bargaining team who dedicated many hours, including into the early morning today, to reach an agreement.
The final agreement approved by the union and hospital committees saves the union’s pension and most importantly provides significant contributions to our employees’ retirement. It provides salary increases that are important for our employees and their families, and makes us even more competitive to retain and recruit the best talent to work here.
I believe a mutual agreement is the best possible way to kick off the holiday season, and I remain grateful that we all can care for the people of Rhode Island together.
Sincerely,
Shannon