Latest news with #AlexanderCastro
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Opponents put in their two cents on a proposed $2 event ticket tax at R.I. House panel hearing
The VETS, shown center left in a view from the Rhode Island State, is among the venues that would be affected by a bill that would allow municipalities to add a $2-per-ticket tax for venues with more than 800 seats. (Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current) Members of the House Committee on Finance on Thursday appeared to see the need for a bill that would let municipalities impose a $2 tax on tickets to large venue events despite opposition from event promoters and business owners. Providence Democratic Rep. Rebecca Kislak introduced her bill with a shout-out to her mom in Miami by recounting her mother's words: ''Why are you in the news about this ticket tax? What's the big deal? All big metropolitan areas and cities have taxes like this to support the cities where events are held.' So thanks, Mom, for that.' Kislak's H6334 was submitted at the request of the Providence City Council as part of a multipronged approach to fend off budget chaos following a multimillion dollar settlement last November between the city and the state education department. Kislak is also the sponsor of H6162, by Providence Mayor Brett Smiley, which would allow the city to increase its total tax levy in fiscal year 2026 beyond the state-mandated 4% growth cap. The tax levy bill passed the House floor 56-17 Tuesday after about an hour of heated discussion, with House Republicans joining progressive Democrats in opposing the bill's passage. The legislation lingers still in the Senate, where it was heard in committee for the first time, also on Tuesday. Kislak's event ticket tax bill bears the signature of at least one Providence Democratic co-sponsor, Rep. David Morales, who opposed the levy bill, plus five other Providence Democrats, and Democratic Reps. Brandon Potter of Cranston and June Speakman of Warren. While the bill was designed with Providence in mind, it would authorize any municipality to adopt a local tax of up to $2 per ticket on events held at 'large venues,' or those with 800 or more seats, per the bill's definition. The Division of Taxation would be responsible for collecting the tax and then redistributing it to municipalities. Revenue from ticket taxes would not count toward the tax levy hike cap codified in state law. That complements the tax levy hike legislation, by allowing towns and cities to up their tax income without risking the chance of going over the 4% annual limit on how much municipalities can raise taxes. 'Every city and town, increasingly, is facing difficulties in overreliance on property tax as the main workhorse for how we can do our business, how we can take care of city services,' Providence City Council President Rachel Miller told the committee Thursday, adding that the bill 'is one kind of tool in the toolbox' to help dig the city out of its fiscal hole. Miller estimated the new fee could generate around $3 million annually for Providence, which would help offset the rising cost of services in the capital city without discouraging event attendance. The bill was held for further study Thursday, as is standard practice. City Council Chief of Staff June Rose said in an email Friday that a Senate companion is in the works. Anthony Vega, a spokesperson for Mayor Smiley, said the city administration is still reviewing the bill. The state's Division of Taxation has read the bill, however, and thinks it needs to be redrafted. In a letter to the committee, Neena Savage, tax administrator, testified that parts of the bill as written are 'ambiguous' and suggested filing it under local tax statutes rather than the state's broader sales tax code. Asked about the tax official's take, Kislak said via text Friday that she was planning to review everything over the weekend, and 'would be glad to provide additional clarifications based on the feedback last night.' 'This is enabling legislation and I'm confident the cities and towns will refine this in locally appropriate ways as they write ordinances, if they so choose,' Kislak wrote. Kislak's bill managed to coalesce support among her colleagues. It also did the same for the opposition — venue managers and hospitality lobbyists — who showed up Thursday night to oppose the bill, many of whom argued that the proposed fee is small, it will disadvantage Rhode Island in a competitive live entertainment market. 'It's not so much about passing it on to the patron,' said Dan Schwartz, general manager of The VETS Auditorium. 'You know, what we hear when bills like this come up is, 'We're just going to skip bringing our show to Rhode Island.'' Written testimonies opposing the legislation also came from the legal counsel for the Providence Bruins, South Kingstown Town Councilor Jay G. Wégimont, and Joseph Paolino Jr., former Providence mayor and noted downtown real estate magnate. 'This legislation targets the very institutions that help drive Providence's economic engine, and at the worst possible time,' Paolino wrote, adding that his luxury hotel The Beatrice is always booked when a popular show or game is in town. Contrasting the naysayers was the Finance Committee, including a relentless Rep. Teresa Tanzi. The South Kingstown Democrat asked many questions of the industry advocates who came to testify, although she was befuddled as to why they even showed up. 'This $2 thing — I'm shocked that you guys are even here opposing it, to be quite honest with you,' Tanzi said. 'Because in the larger scheme of things, your ticket holders are being ripped off on so many other levels, and the city is being inconvenienced on so many other levels.' Tanzi suggested that if proprietors were truly concerned about ticket prices, they would investigate different options for ticket delivery — like Dice, a platform that allows people to resell tickets only at face value, and only through its own app, rather than secondary markets. Tanzi also grilled Lawrence Lepore, the general manager of the Amica Mutual Pavilion. Tanzi asked Lepore to what extent the state subsidizes its largest concert venue at 14,000 seats. Lepore replied it's about $27 million a year, including debt service. 'So you're not self-sustaining anyway,' Tanzi said. 'The operation is self-sustaining. But of course, the debt service is not,' Lepore replied. 'We subsidize it to a tune of $27 million a year?' Tanzi asked. 'That's correct,' Lepore said, and Tanzi concluded with a 'Thank you. Thank you very much.' Rich Lupo sold his titular concert venue in 2017, but the longtime music promoter warned that Providence is already 'a secondary city in the booking world.' '[This bill] would just piss them off,' Lupo said of booking companies. 'I think it could be $1, it could be $10. You just don't want to anger the powerful agencies, and bands as well.' From his seat on the committee, bill co-sponsor Hull was canny with Lupo, pointing out that he's known him for decades, and fondly recalls how Lupo grew his titular venue since opening it in 1975. 'I've seen what you're capable of doing,' Hull told Lupo. That's why Hull was firm that the businesses should be capable of weathering a $2 surcharge — especially places like the Amica Mutual Pavilion, which is housed in the tax-exempt Rhode Island Convention Center but still benefits from city services. Sharon Steele, speaking on behalf of the Jewelry District Association, disagreed. She pointed to another Smiley proposal and Kislak bill for a 7% 'consumption tax' on the city's parking lots and garages. The ticket tax would add 'insult to injury' for downtown venues already burdened by tax policies, she said. Hull told Steele he subscribes to the Rhode Island Philharmonic — Steele was once on its board — then narrowed his eyes, smiled, and made a case for the value of expression: 'The arts are special. And if I had to pay an extra $2 to see the arts, I'd be more than happy to pay it.' 'I appreciate that, but the Philharmonic's not doing well these days,' Steele said, adding that such plights are common right now for nonprofits. 'And we're sure not getting any help from the feds.' 'The $2 is necessary,' Hull replied. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Dept. of Homeland Security puts R.I. on notice as a ‘sanctuary jurisdiction.' It's unclear why.
The Trump administration has put the state of Rhode Island on notice. Now a formal notification of its 'noncompliance' with federal immigration policy is forthcoming, says the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. (Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current) Exactly what court order the Trump administration is using to base its declaration that Rhode Island is defying federal immigration policy remains a mystery. But the head of the state's chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has a theory. The state as well as Providence and Central Falls are on a list of 500 'sanctuary jurisdictions' that may lose federal funding released Thursday night by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The list was compiled based on factors like noncompliance with federal law enforcement, information-sharing restrictions, and giving legal protections to undocumented immigrants, the department's website stated. The website also states that Rhode Island made the list because of a 'Court Order Requiring State Sanctuary Requirements.' Rhode Island Current reached out to Homeland Security for specific details and received a statement reiterating the designation factors on the department's website. Steven Brown, executive director of the ACLU of Rhode Island, hypothesized that the federal government may be citing a 2014 federal court order that ruled police officers in Rhode Island cannot hold a person in custody based upon an U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer alone for more than 48 hours. 'It's a very basic Fourth Amendment law,' Brown said in an interview. 'And it appears the Trump administration is upset that the Constitution prevents them from doing what they want to do.' The Department of Homeland Security's list was published as part of an executive order issued by President Donald Trump April 28 mandating federal officials identify and publicly highlight jurisdictions that 'refuse to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.' 'These sanctuary city politicians are endangering Americans and our law enforcement in order to protect violent criminal illegal aliens,' Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement Thursday. 'We are exposing these sanctuary politicians who harbor criminal illegal aliens and defy federal law.' The announcement from the Department of Homeland Security states each jurisdiction on the list will receive a formal notification of its 'noncompliance' with federal policy and must immediately review and revise its policies to align with the Trump administration. Gov. Dan McKee's office has not received any notification as of Friday, said spokesperson Olivia DaRocha. Officials in Central Falls and Providence said their cities have not received any notice either. 'As we have always stated, Rhode Island cooperates with ICE on the lawful detention of criminals in accordance with a binding federal court ruling,' DaRocha said in an emailed statement, referring to the 2014 court order. Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said in a statement that he has no plans to change the city's existing policy regarding immigration. Police officers are prohibited from asking about someone's immigration status and from holding a subject 'based exclusively' on an administrative detainer, nor are they allowed to arrest suspected undocumented individuals unless federal immigration officers provide a criminal warrant signed by a judge. 'The Providence Police are not and will not be immigration officers and are better able to keep our community safe with this policy,' Smiley said. 'Providence remains committed to being a safe and welcoming city for all.' Smiley added that the city remains fully compliant with federal law and does not violate any federal regulations. Central Falls in 2019 enacted its own ordinance that prohibits local police officers from questioning people about their immigration status without probable cause, bar any compliance with detainer requests made without a warrant, and ensure municipal services are available to all residents regardless of their citizenship. Central Falls Mayor Maria Rivera in a statement said her city stands by its values and community. 'Our ordinance is legal and makes our city safer –– building a stronger foundation for public trust in our local police department,' Rivera said. 'Together with the city of Providence, we won this fight before during the first Trump Administration.' Rivera was referring to a 2018 lawsuit against the U.S. Justice Department over requirements that recipients of a federal criminal-justice grant, known as the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant, cooperate with authorities in the enforcement of federal immigration law. U.S. District Court Judge Judge John J. McConnell Jr. ruled in favor of the cities in 2019, which was upheld by a federal appeals court in Boston in 2020. But the chairman of Rhode Island's Republican Party said the state's placement on the list was the result of 'deliberate, reckless choices' by the governor and city officials. 'Let's be clear, this isn't compassion, it's capitulation,' party chairman Joe Powers said in a statement. 'McKee is harboring those who break federal law while turning his back on those who enforce it.' 'President Trump is standing up to this nonsense,' he continued. Brown, however, maintains that there's not legitimate basis from the federal government that Rhode Island or any municipalities are violating federal law. 'They're not, they're upholding the law,' he said. Also making the list were Connecticut, and its cities of East Haven; Hamden; Hartford; New Haven; New London; and Windham. Massachusetts made the list along with 13 of its 14 counties with Hampden County excluded, and 12 cities: Amherst; Boston; Cambridge; Chelsea; Concord; Holyoke; Lawrence; Newton; Northampton; Orleans; Somerville; and Springfield. Vermont and its cities of Burlington; Montpelier; and Winooski were listed as was Maine's Cumberland and Hancock counties and the city of Portland and the New Hampshire cities of Hanover and Lebanon. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Providence tax levy bill clears House committee, but lingers still in Senate
Providence City Hall is pictured in the city's downtown. Providence officials say their fiscal 2026 budget depends on a proposed 7.5% property tax levy increase now under consideration at the State House. (Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current) A proposal to let Providence exceed Rhode Island's tax levy cap cleared a Rhode Island House of Representatives committee Tuesday, moving the city one step closer to the 7.5% increase city officials are seeking in total tax revenue for fiscal year 2026. The House Committee on Municipal Government and Housing voted to move bill H6162, led by Rep. Rebecca Kislak and three other Providence Democrats, to the House floor. The bill authorizes the capital city to exceed Rhode Island's 4% property tax levy cap. The levy comprises owner-occupied and non-owner-occupied residential properties, commercial properties, tangible properties and natural growth, or increase in value, of real estate. But not everyone was on board. Five committee members voted against the bill's passage — a third of the 15-member committee. Kislak predicted as much. 'I don't know that it's going to be unanimous on committee,' she said in a conversation Tuesday in the House chamber before committee meetings began. Providence Democratic Reps. David Morales and José Batista have previously expressed their deep dissatisfaction with the bill and voted to block its passage. Rep. Cherie Cruz, a progressive Pawtucket Democrat, and two Republicans, Rep. Richard Fascia of Johnston and Rep. Robert Quattrocchi of Scituate, resisted the bills alongside Morales and Batista. The only Providence delegate to vote in support of the bill in committee was Democratic Rep. Raymond Hull. Anthony DeSimone, another Providence Democrat, was absent for the vote Tuesday. Kislak's bill would allow an increase up to 8% over the previous year. Mayor Brett Smiley and the Providence City Council have shared their plans to increase by 7.5% the total tax levy for the upcoming fiscal year to help the city weather a court-mandated public school funding settlement from November 2024. Smiley said in April that the next year's budget hinges almost entirely on the tax levy hike. The city's budgeting process is set to end in June, ahead of the new fiscal year's start on July 1, and the City Council will need to review and revise the current spending plan if the levy hike falls through. But the Senate Committee on Finance has yet to schedule a hearing on Sen. Sam Zurier's companion legislation S1041, as of Thursday. The Providence Democrat introduced the bill on May 9. 'I was not able to gain any cosponsors from the PVD Senate delegation,' Zurier wrote in a Wednesday night email. 'I expect the Finance Committee to hear the bill in the next couple of weeks. I am optimistic about its chances, but there is still uncertainty.' The mayor's office is staying calm, said spokesperson Josh Estrella in an email Wednesday. 'We do not have any concerns — we expect the bill to be heard within the next couple of weeks,' he wrote. Estrella called the bill 'critically important' to the city in order to avoid cuts to city services. He noted that similar measures have passed recently for Middletown, Warren, and New Shoreham. Helen Anthony, chair of the City Council's Committee on Finance, shared that view in an email Tuesday. 'Without action by the General Assembly, the mayor's budget cannot move forward,' Anthony wrote. 'That's why the city council passed a one-year exemption to the 4% levy increase cap.' Kislak said she expects House passage. 'When a mayor and a unanimous City Council request something of the General Assembly, we should give it to them,' she said before the committee vote Tuesday. A number of Providence legislators, residents and landlords feel the tax increase will disproportionately affect both owners and occupants of smaller, multifamily homes. Critics like Morales and Batisita have argued the city has not fully explored other revenue sources, such as Providence's industrial waterfront or its myriad of tax-exempt nonprofits both big and small. While Smiley's proposal would actually lower direct tax rates for fiscal year 2026, the sharp increase in Providence real estate pricing during a recent evaluation means that most properties citywide would see increases in their tax bills regardless. Single-family and condo homeowners could see a 4% tax increase. Multifamily homes with between two and five units, owner-occupied or not, could face hikes up to 16%. In her email message, Anthony underlined that the budget process has not yet concluded. 'The City Council is doing our job of vetting the proposed budget in detail, but the city needs flexibility,' she wrote. 'I urge the General Assembly to pass this exemption and to work with us in the months and years ahead to find creative, fair and balanced ways for our state's cities to raise revenue without overburdening residents.' Council spokesperson Marc Boyd said in an email Thursday that the City Council will hold a second public hearing on the budget on Monday, June 9, at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall. Residents can also discuss their concerns with their ward's elected councilor during regularly scheduled ward meetings, Boyd said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Striking Butler Hospital workers take labor dispute to Rhode Island State House
Striking Butler Hospital workers are seen inside the Rhode Island State House rotunda on May 20, 2025. (Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current) Nearly 300 striking workers from Butler Hospital took to the Rhode Island State House around 2 p.m. Tuesday. The purple-clad filled the rotunda and surrounding hallways. They filled the line to get through the metal detector at the front door, and when the House and Senate floor sessions started around 4 p.m., they filled the viewing galleries in both chambers. The throng was there to call attention to the ongoing walkout by about 800 employees of the hospital, demanding better pay and working conditions. Before sitting quietly in the legislative chambers during the session, the workers participated in a series of chants, the collective roaring peaking at around 119 decibels when measured from the third floor balcony by Rhode Island Current. A chainsaw, by comparison, measures about 125 decibels. Jesse Martin, the Executive Vice President of SEIU 1199 New England, told Rhode Island Current after the rally had finished around 5 p.m. that he was confident the legislature was listening to the striking workforce of the Providence psychiatric hospital. 'I think they had no other choice but to listen today,' Martin said. 'And I know that the champions for working people in this state house heard that hospital workers need to be included in how policy is set for funding our hospitals.' On the House floor, Rep. David Bennett, a Warwick Democrat, was listening, and prompted his colleagues to do the same. 'If you notice, there's an ocean of purple above the Speaker, and behind me,' said Bennett, a retired registered nurse who previously worked at Butler. He motioned to the viewing galleries stationed on opposite ends of the House chamber. 'They're fighting for fair wages, a fair contract, and I'm with you.' Bennett was not the only lawmaker to support the strike in their State House rally. Rep. Teresa Tanzi, a South Kingstown Democrat, was coordinating a different but adjacent casino workers' rally the same afternoon, and she greeted the purple-clad SEIU members awaiting the security checkpoint with a smile. A big megaphone slung over her shoulder, Tanzi offered a friendly reminder to the union members to empty their pockets before reaching the metal detector. The line to get in the State House stretched out the front door, but by the time the SEIU members had packed in, the spectacle and noise was unmissable. Over more than an hour, Senators, state employees, lobbyists, and other curious onlookers would crane their head over the marble balustrade on the third floor, their eyes meeting a rotunda filled with purple, yellow, and signs of white and red with the tagline: 'ON STRIKE. DUE TO UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICES.' About 800 unionized workers at Butler Hospital — who comprise mental health staff, nurses, clerical workers, and custodial and dietary employees — have been on strike since May 15, after contract negotiations with Care New England, the 168-bed hospital's parent company, fizzled. During contract negotiations, the workers pushed for higher wages, pension access for future hires, and more robust safety protocols after several years of increased workplace violence. All four of the union's contracts with Care New England expired on March 31. The union voted to authorize a strike on April 25, and the last bargaining session was held May 7. Days into the strike, hospital management notified workers that their health, dental, and vision coverage would conclude on May 31. Employees can elect to continue coverage through COBRA, but those costs will come out of their pockets. The last paycheck for employees will be May 23. A mix of 44 senators and reps added their names to a May 8 letter to Butler President and CEO Mary E. Marran which urged the hospital to resume talks with the union. Missing from that list of allies was House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi — who, immediately ahead of Tuesday's floor session, offered his own statement on the strike. 'Having access to the critical high-quality mental health services provided at Butler Hospital is vital to so many struggling Rhode Islanders, as well as those who love them,' Shekarchi wrote. 'I am calling on both the management of Butler Hospital and health care workers represented by SEIU 1199 New England to get back to the bargaining table to negotiate in good faith and come up with a fair deal. Patients, family, friends and neighbors in every Rhode Island community are being impacted by the ongoing strike at Butler Hospital. My hope is that management and the union at Butler Hospital reach a fair deal in the very near future.' Reps. David Morales and Rebecca Kislak, both Providence Democrats, picketed alongside the workers for multiple days during the strike. Providence City Council President Rachel Miller joined the picket on Monday. Care New England has maintained that it has been transparent about negotiations. The hospital set up a dedicated website with information on the contract process around Jan. 30, according to domain registration information. When bargaining stalled months later, Marran's messages posted to the site argued that media coverage and the union narrative had skewed the reality. Martin disputed that, saying that Butler walked away from the negotiating table. 'What comes next is, we're going to stay on strike one day longer than Butler Hospital is willing to stand,' Martin said. 'When they want to negotiate, they know our phone number.' A Care New England spokesperson did not provide a fresh statement Tuesday, but pointed to a Monday comment from Marran: 'Despite SEIU 1199 NE taking its members off the job, Butler Hospital remains open for business. While we would prefer to have our own employees working with patients, we have highly qualified replacement workers here who will continue to be here, fulfilling Butler's essential role in the community by providing vital behavioral health services.' 'Our team will be here when the union decides it is ready to come back to the table and work toward a solution,' Marran continued. The Butler strike emerges during a volatile stretch for Rhode Island's hospital finances, as shown by hospital leaders ramping up advocacy this legislative session amid shifting federal rules and chronically underfunded Medicaid reimbursement rates. Another example of ailing hospital finances can be found in a recent study by Brown University researchers, which found that the state's 2010 hospital price-growth cap cut average commercial prices by 9% — a win for some consumers, but one that has cost hospitals about $158.3 million since the regulation took effect, researchers estimated. Jillian Scott, a Hospital Association spokesperson, said via email that the coalition does not provide official commentary on labor negotiations, but she did relay a statement from Interim President Howard Dulude on what can be done policywise. 'Right now, Rhode Island's health care system is in crisis, and hospitals face ongoing financial pressures in delivering high-quality care and supporting their workforce,' Dulude wrote. 'Continued collaboration with the legislature on the 2026 State Budget is critical to ensure hospitals have the resources needed to invest in staff and meet the health care needs of Rhode Islanders.' Martin agreed that hospitals aren't getting enough money, but he wasn't sure the money should be going toward 'CEO pay and CEO golden parachutes.' 'It's really hard to take someone seriously when they make multiple millions of dollars in salary, but most of their workers live in poverty on state assistance,' Martin said. 'That seems to be hypocritical.' Martin said he believes the General Assembly is largely sympathetic to union needs, but urged lawmakers to 'first put themselves in the shoes of a health care worker,' and allocate Medicaid dollars to hospitals with guardrails in place. Martin cited a 2022 infusion of $75 million to nursing homes and hospitals from the General Assembly, but argued that money didn't reach unionized workers like those at Butler 'A hospital repaid themselves for the overtime that workers had already worked,' Martin said. 'They used that money to buy them pizza. I'm sorry, but pizza doesn't lift people out of poverty. Might fill your belly for a meal, but it doesn't fill your belly for a lifetime.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Strike appears imminent at Butler Hospital
Unionized workers hold an informational picket at the entrance to Butler Hospital on Blackstone Boulevard in Providence Monday, April 21, 2025. (Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current) Frontline workers at Butler Hospital unable to reach a new contract with hospital management will walk off the job starting at 6 a.m. Thursday, despite a push by state lawmakers to coax both sides back to the negotiating table. A May 8 letter to Butler Hospital President & COO Mary Marran signed by 44 legislators calls on the management of Rhode Island's only private, nonprofit psychiatric hospital to negotiate a new contract with SEIU 1199NE workers, whose last labor contracts expired on March 31. SEIU 1199NE represents nearly 800 professional and clerical staff, registered nurses, mental health workers, and housekeeping and dietary staff at the hospital on Blackstone Boulevard in Providence. The workers are demanding higher wages, pension program access for future employees and greater attention to workplace safety. The union announced April 25 that its members had voted to authorize a strike. 'None of us want to strike,' Ashley Ouellette, an R.N. float nurse who has worked at the 168-bed hospital owned by Care New England since 2016, said in a phone interview. She is a member of the union's executive board and bargaining committee. 'Nobody cares about these patients more than we do,' Ouellette said. 'As scary as it may be, we're going to do whatever we have to protect the work that is done here.' Butler Hospital frontline caregivers working without contract want more safety precautions A message from Marran to the Butler community posted Wednesday on the website indicated a strike appeared imminent. 'Please know we have worked hard to try to reach a satisfactory agreement with the union, but so far have been unsuccessful in these efforts,' Marran wrote. 'No doubt the days ahead will challenge us all. I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt care and concern for each and every one of you. Whether you will be participating in the picketing or remaining on duty to help care for our patients, you are the staff that make this organization a leader in behavioral healthcare and your dedication and hard work are deeply valued and appreciated.' A post on X by the city of Providence warned that traffic may be significant Thursday morning on Blackstone Boulevard, especially on the north side where Butler's entrance is. The 22 state senators and 22 state reps who wrote the letter to Marran expressed concern that the pending strike 'would impact patient care, overwhelm our emergency rooms, and place additional strain on state resources.' Butler serves some of the most vulnerable individuals in the state, with nearly 70% of patients relying on Medicaid or Medicare. The legislators' letter claimed the majority of Butler workers earn under $20 an hour, with some as low as $15.30. Marran disputed those figures in an email to Rhode Island Current clarifying key facts about the hospital's best, last and final proposal to the union on May 7. 'Only 20% of Butler's union employees currently make under $20 per hour, not the overwhelming majority,' Marran said. 'Under our latest proposal, that number would drop significantly within weeks of ratification, and by the end of the contract, 99% of our current union workforce would be above $20 per hour. We also offered substantial raises, preserved the pension for all current employees, guaranteed lower health plan contributions, and committed to partnering with the existing Health and Safety Committee on further improving staff safety.' Marran said she wanted the community to be aware that Butler will remain open and continue to provide care for patients. 'We are committed to reaching a meaningful agreement with the union and continuing to provide safe, compassionate, and uninterrupted care to the community we proudly serve,' she said. The cost of bringing in replacement workers will leave Butler with fewer resources in future proposals to the union, Marran said, She did not confirm how much the hospital will have to spend to cover the striking workers. SEIU 1199NE Executive Vice President Jesse Martin claimed the hospital planned ahead to bring in temporary labor at a cost of $1.8 million. The union said Wednesday there were 116 open positions at Butler. 'We have lost some really, really incredible staff to go work at other hospitals in the state or even out of state because of the wages here,' Ouellette said. Staff shortages have impacted staff training and onboarding, which union members say contributes to diminished workplace safety. SEIU 1199NE says patient assaults on staff increased 41% between 2022 to 2024 while 95% of Butler caregivers say Care New England was not doing enough to keep them safe at work. Ouellette said a friend and fellow nurse at the hospital is out of work with whiplash after being punched in the face by a patient a few days ago. 'We can't have new staff training new staff. That happens here and it's terrifying,' Ouellette said. 'I've seen it happen multiple times and I know my coworkers have seen it happen multiple times. Like there's absolutely no reason that a person who's been here for a couple of months should be training. They're still learning.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
