In light of new potential budget funding, The Hospital Safe Staffing Study Commission would create greater transparency of hospital spending amid ongoing staffing crisis
Providence: On Wednesday, June 3 at 2PM, frontline union caregivers at Women & Infants Hospital will hold a press conference demanding greater transparency for how Care New England spends public tax dollars amid a chronic staffing crisis that stretches across the hospital system. Caregivers will call for the passage of the Hospital Safe Staffing Study Commission (Sen. Melissa Murray (S-2258) and Rep. Deborah Fellela (H-7031) which would hear from hospital workers and patients, review staffing and safety data and make recommendations on how to tackle the staffing crisis.
On Tuesday, May 26, Women & Infants administrators informed union delegates there would be no additional full-time positions created until the next fiscal year. Hours later, hospital leadership announced they were cutting 30 managerial positions because “current financial conditions have made additional cost-saving measures unavoidable.”
Despite their assertions of economic scarcity, the latest tax filings tell a different story. In 2024, former Care New England CEO and President, James Fanale received almost $1.5 million in total retirement compensation following over $2 million in 2023.
With millions of additional funding and a Medicaid reimbursement rate increase for hospitals in the latest state budget proposal, caregivers know now is the time to demand accountability for how that money is spent - not on golden parachute payments, but ensuring every unit is appropriately staffed to ensure safe, quality patient care.
With millions of additional funding and a Medicaid reimbursement rate increase for hospitals in the latest state budget proposal, caregivers know now is the time to demand accountability for how that money is spent - not on golden parachute payments, but ensuring every unit is appropriately staffed to ensure safe, quality patient care.
- WHAT: Women & Infants action and press conference to demand financial transparency from CNE & passage of Hospital Safe Staffing Study Commission
- WHEN: Wednesday, June 3 | 2:00PM
- WHERE: Women & Infants Hospital: 101 Dudley Street, Providence
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District 1199 SEIU New England represents 29,000 health care and service workers in Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Southeastern Massachusetts. In Rhode Island, 1199 SEIU NE represents 7,500 members.1199 SEIU NE is affiliated with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) – a union of over 2 million members across the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada.