Continuing our Best of 2024 series, the America’s Work Force Union Podcast will revisit our Nov. 14 interview with Kelli Price, a member of Service Employees International Union Local 1199NE and a Registered Nurse at Women's and Infants Hospital in Providence, R.I. Price shared her firsthand experiences on the challenges faced by healthcare professionals today, and how the members of Local 1199NE are working towards change.
Price discussed the state of affairs at Women's and Infants Hospital, highlighting a shift from patient-centered care to a focus on financial gain. Patient-centered care was the hospital’s priority, but now, she said, it centers around money. According to Price, this change has led to alarming situations, such as patients delivering babies in the emergency room due to staffing shortages in labor rooms.
In October, nearly 1,500 Women & Infants Hospital frontline staff, about 99 percent of the bargaining unit, voted yes to authorize a ULP informational picket, and in early November, over 1,000 workers went on strike to demand change, Price said.
There were many reasons behind the picket, but Price said that staffing shortages, inadequate wages and a lack of respect from management were the most prevalent reasons. She said members seek living wages, better staffing and a voice in decision-making processes. Price underscored the importance of union representation, noting that management's attempts to erode union rights have only strengthened the resolve of SEIU Local 1199NE members.
To learn more about the challenges faced by healthcare professionals and their fight for better working conditions, listen to the full episode featuring Price on America's Work Force.