Health Care

Charlesgate Nursing Center workers win $10/hour hazard pay; Caravan turns to Dept of Health

“As of early this week, over 75% COVID-19 related deaths in Rhode Island were in nursing homes or other congregate settings.” Today, April 22 at 3:15pm, frontline nursing home workers – including those from Charlesgate Nursing Center that won $10/hour in hazard pay late yesterday – and community supporters will call on the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) to

Rhode Island News: Charlesgate Nursing Center workers win $10/hour hazard pay; Caravan turns to Dept of Health

April 22, 2020, 11:45 am

By Uprise RI Staff

As of early this week, over 75% COVID-19 related deaths in Rhode Island were in nursing homes or other congregate settings.”


Today, April 22 at 3:15pm, frontline nursing home workers – including those from Charlesgate Nursing Center that won $10/hour in hazard pay late yesterday – and community supporters will call on the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) to begin engaging and communicating directly with frontline caregivers, provide more onsite testing of workers and hold nursing homes more accountable. Since last week, caregivers in nursing homes and other congregate settings have held emergency caravans to demand safe staffing, proper PPE, better testing and hazard pay.

As of early this week, over 75% COVID-19 related deaths in Rhode Island were in nursing homes or other congregate settings. Frontline caregivers need a seat at the table information about safety guidelines, testing, and services like emergency housing communicated directly to them. The state should not exclusively rely on nursing home administrators and congregate care employers who in large part have underpaid, understaffed, and undervalued frontline caregivers for decades.

These employers also need to be more accountable to DOH when reporting cohorting, levels of staff, employment of staff working at other facilities, and number of workers and residents being tested.

Additionally, workers are calling on the Department of Health to conduct onsite testing of workers, along with residents, instead of asking them to travel to Twin River.

FROM A PRESS RELEASE