Posts tagged Providence
Labor unions are much stronger in Oregon than nationally
September 2, 2025 // Nearly 300,000 Oregon workers belong to a union, according to federal data, about 1 in 6 workers statewide. Union membership rates have fluctuated since the 1980s but have gradually increased over the past two decades.
The Providence City Council has passed 14 pro-union resolutions. What’s behind the push?
June 20, 2025 // Last month, Miller and Councilors Justin Roias and Miguel Sanchez joined striking workers at the Butler Hospital picket line. The council is currently considering an amendment to the city’s noise ordinance that would exempt striking workers, following a series of $500 fines issued against those at Butler Hospital for violating the ordinance. Miller has a background in labor organizing, but she said that everybody on the council is passionate about supporting working-class people in Providence and that’s why they prioritize causes such as addressing the city's housing and affordability crisis.
Butler workers march, urge Care New England CEO to settle contract
June 4, 2025 // However, no progress was made and SEIU 1199NE claimed the hospital management’s latest offer provided “lower wages, higher health care costs, less on retirement and no movement on our workplace violence committee.” According to SEIU 1199NE, Butler Hospital told the workers it would not respond until sometime this week, despite the fact that the union members’ insurance benefits expired over the weekend. Nearly 800 workers began contract conversations with Butler and CNE in March, seeking competitive wages, paid training, stronger job safety protections, and improved benefits.
Providence, nurses union reach new tentative deal in 6-week-long strike
February 26, 2025 // The strike, which started Jan. 10, is the longest in Oregon’s health care history. Nearly 5,000 nurses walked off the job at Providence’s eight hospitals in Oregon in Hood River, Medford, Milwaukie, Newberg, Seaside and Oregon City and two in Portland. The strike also included nurses, physicians and other staff at Providence’s six women’s clinics in the Portland area and hospital physicians at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center in southwest Portland. The physicians and clinic union members approved their deals but the nurses rejected the early agreement by more than 80%.
Hotel Workers’ Union UNITE HERE Releases Travelers’ Guide to Possible Strikes as Busy Labor Day Travel Weekend Approaches
August 25, 2024 // Hotel workers’ union UNITE HERE today published a guide of travel tips to help hotel guests plan for possible strikes across the United States. Thousands of hotel workers in nine cities have now authorized strikes at Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, and Omni hotels, but hotels rarely notify guests of a strike, and travelers sometimes learn of a strike only upon arriving at their hotel and being met by a boisterous picket line. The union launched the travel guide ahead of Labor Day weekend, when millions of Americans are planning travel.
Hotel workers in 4 cities start voting today on whether to strike
August 8, 2024 // About 13,500 hotel workers in four cities will begin voting today on whether to strike while their new employment contracts are being negotiated, according to their union, Unite Here. The workers are located in San Francisco, Honolulu, Boston and Providence, Rhode Island. The hotels that could be affected include properties in the portfolios of Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott and Omni. The strike votes will be staggered rather than all held at once.
Hotel workers in four US cities to hold strike authorization votes
July 25, 2024 // Workers at 125 hotels in the four cities have sought significant pay raises in new contracts to replace ones that have expired or will expire soon. They are also seeking better healthcare and pension plans and are looking for hotel operators to reverse pandemic-era staff and service cuts like daily room cleaning.
Providence claims nurses union is asking travel nurses to turn down contracts during strike
June 17, 2024 // Hospital leadership is referring to an ONA letter, which calls on "all nurses to stand in solidarity" and to "not accept travel nurse contracts scheduled to start in June or July." Providence announced last week that their facilities would remain open during the strike and that they'd fill those gaps with replacement workers. "The world of replacement nurses, if they feel intimidated or if they're feeling like this isn't a place that they are welcome to come, or safe to come, then it's possible that they wouldn't choose to accept those contracts and that could negatively impact patient care," Gentry said.
Oregon: Providence nurses, clinicians issue strike notice
June 12, 2023 // The union's release states: "Nurses and clinicians are demanding Providence give them a fair contract that will recruit new nurses to the hospitals, retain the highly skilled and valuable caregivers who work at the hospitals and in patients' homes, set safe staffing standards, and ensure high-quality of care for all patients whether they be in the hospital or community care setting." Management shared the following statement with Becker's: "We firmly believe that strikes don't settle contracts, they delay them and keep our hard-working caregivers from getting the pay, benefits and contract enhancements they deserve. They also strain the healthcare delivery system in our communities, which can jeopardize vital care for those who rely on us.
Teamsters at RISD plan open-ended strike amid fight for first contract
April 3, 2023 // Teamsters Local 251 announced Sunday, workers from Rhode Island School of Design will begin an open-ended strike starting April 3. Union members said the strike is in response to RISD’s failure to negotiate with its employees. The proposed strike comes less than two weeks after RISD employees held a one-day unfair labor practice strike. Teamsters Local 251 said they have since filed ULP charges against RISD for failing to pay a general wage increase and changing starting rates for employees without giving them notice or a chance to bargain. The group has worked for the last several months to secure their first contract but has been unsuccessful.