PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE)– Butler Hospital announced that they will be closing their addiction unit next week as a strike by workers nears the three-month mark.
In a statement, the hospital put the blame for the closures on SEIU 1199NE, the union representing striking workers at the hospital.
Unionized workers at Butler have been on strike since May 15, citing poor pay, safety conditions, and healthcare as the reasons for the strike. The two sides returned to the bargaining table this week after 98 percent of workers previously rejected a proposal from hospital leadership on July 30.
The hospital also said that it is operating at 50 percent of its 197-bed capacity due to the strikes.
In a statement, Butler Hospital President and COO Mary Marran said “If SEIU’s political leaders truly