Woonsocket Radio News Room

Rhode Island General Assembly

 Office of the House Minority Caucus

 

 

RI House Minority Reps Response to the Contracted Vaccine Bonuses for Council 94 State Workers

 

State House, Providence, RI - Members Rhode Island House Minority office offer the following statement regarding the ratification of the Council 94 contract that includes a $3000 bonus for vaccinated state workers:

 

“People should be paid for their work, not their private medical choices. The hundreds of thousands of vaccinated Rhode Islanders should not be forced to pay bonuses to state employees who have also chosen to be vaccinated. The union’s role is to negotiate the best deal for their members – and they clearly have.  On the other hand, it is up to the Governor to advance the best interest of all taxpayers – and he has failed.

The Council 94 bonuses are estimated to amount to over $11 Million. Undoubtedly, other state employees will soon seek parity, which will soon cost taxpayers tens of millions dollars more. At a COVID press update yesterday, it was stated that RI is 94% vaccinated, one of the highest national vaccination rates. Clearly, this bonus provision is not geared to incentivize our unvaccinated population. Rather, it is an electoral gimmick cast on the backs of taxpayers. Rhode Island can and must do better.”

 

Israel has launched a retaliatory strike against Iran. U.S. officials confirm missiles have struck a number of locations inside Iran, with several explosions reported near an airbase in the city of Isfahan, home to a number of sites linked to Iran's nuclear program. The International Atomic Energy Agency says it can confirm that none of the sites sustained any damage.        Oil prices surged three dollars a barrel overnight after Israel's attack before easing a bit. Concerns over the potential disruption of Middle East oil was behind the jump. Israel's actions were in retaliation for an Iranian attack on Israel last weekend, itself a retaliation for an Israeli strike on an Iranian diplomatic compound in Syria.       Lawyers in the Donald Trump "hush money" trial are hoping to wrap up jury selection today by selecting six alternates. A 12-member jury is already chosen for the New York trial, which could begin Monday. The former president is accused of falsifying records to cover up a "hush money" payment to an adult film star before he was elected in 2016.        Taylor Swift is releasing a second installment to her new album, "The Tortured Poets Department." The highly-anticipated new album dropped at midnight, featuring 16 songs including the first single, "Fortnite." Shortly after 2am Eastern, Swift announced that it was actually a "secret double album," and released 15 more songs.       The FAA is investigating a near-miss on a runway at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport outside Washington, DC. It happened Thursday morning when a plane crossed the runway as another was starting its take off. The planes - one a Southwest flight, the other JetBlue - were reportedly just 300 feet away from each other.       Prince William is returning to public duties for the first time since his wife's cancer diagnosis. On Thursday, he visited a food charity and youth center. William has been absent from official engagements ever since Kate Middleton revealed last month that she was undergoing chemotherapy. The Princess of Wales will reportedly return to public duties once her medical team gives her the okay.       

Old News Archives