Dear Butler Community,

In the coming weeks, we will begin negotiations for new contracts with our colleagues represented by 1199SEIU. Before that process begins, I want to first and foremost express gratitude for the hard work and dedication that all our employees and staff have displayed over the past few years. You have acted with professionalism and compassion as behavioral health needs in the community have evolved over the past few years in the wake of the pandemic. On behalf of myself and our patients: Thank you.

As we approach the negotiation sessions, our goal is to develop a contract that acknowledges the outstanding work you do to serve our community every day, while allowing the Butler organization as a whole to be at its very best – together. As one of the leading behavioral health institutions in the nation, we play a critical role in the health of our region, and the country. Continuing to lead the way demands an environment that is patient-centric, respectful, rewarding, and sustainable.

Sustainability as an organization requires that we take into account all aspects of the employee experience as we negotiate, and we encourage you to examine the total value of each proposal put forward. Doing so will be critical in maintaining our reputation as a best place to work so we can continue to recruit and retain the top professionals in our field well into the future.

These are the elements we will be striving for with every proposal that we put across the table. It is our goal to have productive and collaborative conversations as we strive for a contract that benefits you, the hospital, our patients, and the communities we serve.

With Open Communication as another of our guiding principles, we are committing to providing frequent and factual information about the negotiations. The Butlerinfoforyou.org website has been launched as a simple, easily accessible source for the latest proposals, process, or other negotiation-related topics. The site is accessible anywhere – you don’t have to be logged on to your work computer to get there. We encourage you to submit questions in the Ask Us section and we will post responses to the website. And, as always, your managers are excellent resources.

My promise to all of you is that we enter these conversations with a commitment to do our very best. We will get creative and curious to find solutions, and we will negotiate with respect and professionalism so that this is not a distraction to you but rather a thoughtful and collaborative process that makes the organization better.

Respectfully,

Mary Marran
President and COO, Butler Hospital