Rhode Island Hospital Workers Approve New Contract

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Healthcare workers at Rhode Island Hospital celebrate the successful ratification of their new contract.

News Summary

Nearly 2,500 healthcare professionals at Rhode Island Hospital have ratified a new three-year contract with the United Nurses and Allied Professionals (UNAP). Approved after six months of negotiations, the contract includes salary enhancements costing approximately $50 million. This agreement addresses previous labor tensions and replaces an expired seven-year contract. Ongoing layoffs at other hospitals have added urgency to labor discussions across the healthcare sector in Rhode Island, highlighting broader challenges in employee retention and patient care.

Providence, Rhode Island – Workers at Rhode Island Hospital have successfully ratified a new three-year contract, bringing relief to nearly 2,500 healthcare professionals represented by the United Nurses and Allied Professionals (UNAP). The contract, approved on July 18, 2025, comes after protracted negotiations that began in January with Brown University Health, the parent organization of both Rhode Island Hospital and Hasbro Children’s Hospital.

The negotiations lasted for six months, comprising 30 bargaining sessions. On July 3, 2025, a memorandum of understanding was reached between the hospital and the union, leading to the agreement’s ratification just weeks later. The new contract promises a market-competitive compensation package that includes retroactive raises, step increases, and Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA). Over the next three years, these enhancements total approximately $50 million.

This new contract replaces a previous seven-year agreement that expired in March 2025. Full negotiations had not occurred since 2018, prompting urgency for both sides to reach a new deal. The union’s approval indicates a degree of satisfaction with the terms, especially in light of ongoing labor tensions that have recently emerged within the healthcare sector in Rhode Island.

Amid the backdrop of these negotiations, Butler Hospital workers began a strike on May 15, which has now become the longest hospital strike in Rhode Island’s history. On the same day, Women & Infants Hospital delivered layoff notices to nine employees, heightening tensions and prompting protests among union members at both facilities. Union representatives argue that these layoffs decimate the entire Pre-Admission Testing (PAT) department at Women & Infants, a crucial unit that ensures patient safety prior to surgical procedures.

Lawmakers have voiced concerns over these layoffs, specifically regarding workers’ rights and the repercussions these actions might have on patient care. A letter opposing the layoffs was signed by 34 state lawmakers, drawing attention to Care New England’s financial stability, as the organization reported record profits for eight consecutive quarters. Both hospital management and lawmakers are under pressure to work towards resolutions of these labor disputes, with an emphasis on addressing the rights and needs of healthcare workers.

The situation has underscored critical issues in the healthcare sector, such as rising costs of employer-sponsored health coverage and the potential diminishing stability of the workforce, especially as many healthcare professionals are leaving Rhode Island for better opportunities in neighboring states. Critics have highlighted discrepancies in compensation and the morale among hospital staff, advocating for better conditions and more favorable terms of employment to retain skilled labor.

As these labor negotiations unfold, discussions regarding hospital funding and guidelines for state expenditures for health institutions are becoming increasingly pertinent. The successful ratification of the UNAP contract represents a significant moment in labor relations in the healthcare field, yet it also points to the broader challenges faced by workers under pressure from layoffs and management decisions.

With both sides committed to addressing the core concerns, stakeholders in Rhode Island’s healthcare system remain watchful of ongoing discussions related to employee treatment, patient safety, and the financial health of hospitals in the region.