Union Wages Successful Fight For State Funding

Legislative Leaders Step Up

Kent Hospital to Remain Free Standing Non-Profit

   Last week, the CNE board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve a new model to keep Kent Hospital free standing and non-profit. This decision was based on substantial funding from the state legislature in the most recent budget.

   This is great news! Instead of lining the pockets of out of state for profit hospital chains and adding to the bloated dividends of Wall Street venture capital firms at the expense of quality patient care, employee pay, benefits and staffing levels, we can continue to serve our community as a Rhode Island based non-profit hospital.

   Keeping our hospital out of the hands of greedy for profit hospital chains has been a top priority for the Union for over 5 years now. Our union put all of its lobbying skills and political action efforts and resources behind securing ARPA funds and higher Medicaid reimbursement rates to stabilize CNE’s finances to allow it to continue as a stand-alone non-profit.

   UNAP President Trish Criner wrote letters to legislative leaders explaining the importance of state action. She published opinion pieces in the Warwick Beacon calling for state support and led an informational picket in front of the hospital demanding state support.

   In the end, the Union is very pleased to report that Speaker Shekarchi made sure the state budget made Kent Hospital a priority. We can all be proud of a successful outcome.