The current four-year agreement between the union, which represents roughly 2,300 nurses, therapists, technologists and other allied professionals at the hospital, and Rhode Island expired June 30.
Union members are now working under an agreed upon one-month extension, according to the report. The union has agreed to four more bargaining sessions in July.
UNAP Local 5098 President Helene Macedo called for Providence-based Lifespan, of which Rhode IslandHospital is a part, to “invest in patient care.” The hospital said in the report its goal is “to achieve a fair contract that reflects the valuable role of our 2,200 nurses and tech staff, while recognizing the reality of a challenging economic climate and supporting our ability to respond responsibly to changing patient needs and care delivery.”
The union plans to issue a strike notice “in the event an equitable agreement can’t be reached.”
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