The city of Providence reversed course on a half-dozen noise violations issued to striking Butler Hospital workers earlier this year, each carrying a $500 fine.
The backpedal comes three days after striking Butler Hospital workers voted to approve a new labor agreement that concluded their three-month-long walkout. Approximately 720 members of SEIU 1199NE work at the Providence psychiatric hospital.
The six violations were issued early in the strike, during late May and early June. All six violations involved what the city’s municipal code calls “excessive” or “amplified” noise from bullhorns or vehicle horns on the picket line on Blackstone Boulevard.
Josh Estrella, a spokesperson for Providence Mayor Brett Smiley, said via email Thursday that the city made “an administrative decision” not to pursue further action on the matter and has dropped the fines.
“As with all municipal court cases, the Solicitor’s office reviews the matter and evaluates whether or not to prosecute,” Estrella wrote. “This is done on a case-by-case basis.”
The Providence City Council took partial credit for the reversal in a Thursday morning press release, citing “sustained pressure from Council leadership” as an impetus for the fines’ negation.
“Earlier this week, we celebrated the ratification of a contract that meaningfully improves their lives,” Council President Rachel Miller said in a statement. “Today, we welcome the reversal of unjust noise citations that should never have been issued.”
“$500 fines could not quiet the striking workers, whose tenacity and solidarity led directly to a strong new contract,” Miller continued. “When the City punished workers for raising their voices, we raised ours, and I’m happy today to see the penalties dropped.”
Over the course of the strike, several councilors, including Miller, marched the picket line alongside workers. The City Council also passed a resolution on June 5 in support of the workers.
An update posted Thursday to Butler’s negotiations website, ButlerInfoForYou.org, noted that back-to-work instructions were sent to union workers on Tuesday via certified mail.
SEIU 1199NE did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday.
This story was originally published by the Rhode Island Current.
