UNAP: Workers at Our Lady of Fatima, Roger Williams & Prospect Vote for Union to Issue Strike Notice
GoLocalProv News Team
UNAP: Workers at Our Lady of Fatima, Roger Williams & Prospect Vote for Union to Issue Strike Notice
The UNAP and Prospect management have been bargaining for new contracts for months, but the for-profit Prospect CharterCare "refuses to negotiate contracts that provide sufficient wages, benefits and working conditions for these health care workers," says UNAP.
“This vote makes abundantly clear that these nurses and health care workers are not willing to accept the offensive offers put forth by Prospect management,” stated Chris Callaci, UNAP’s General Counsel. “Let’s not forget – this is a for-profit company that came into Rhode Island and used their hospitals, including Fatima Hospital, Roger Williams Medical Center, and Prospect Home Health and Hospice, as collateral to borrow $1.15 billion dollars."
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST"They then turned around and paid half a billion dollars in dividends to top shareholders. Now they want to sit in front of these healthcare workers and tell them they can’t afford to properly invest in them? Their proposals are a slap in the face to the health care workers, and to the patients who depend on their services," he added, "Based on [this] vote, it’s clear that our members won’t stand for Prospect’s unabashed greed any longer.”
In response, Otis Brown, a spokesperson for the hospital group said, "CharterCARE is focused on continuing what has been productive, good-faith negotiations with bargaining units represented by UNAP. At this stage, we are discussing wages and benefits and have presented considerable, market-competitive proposals reflecting the current economic environment. We are optimistic that, like all other previous contract agreements with UNAP, we can reach fair and equitable settlements with our valued employees.”
This story was updated at 2:42 PM