PROVIDENCES

PAIN
PROBLEM
PROCACCIANTI HOTELS
HURT WORKERS

Hotel housekeeping is challenging and dangerous work anywhere. In Providence, workers at

Procaccianti Group hotels suffer injuries more frequently than their peers nationally and locally.
The Procaccianti Group (TPG) is a Cranston-based real estate investment and management
company. It currently owns three hotels in Providence: the Hilton, the Renaissance, and the
Wyndham. With 3 out of 9 full-service hotels in Providence, The Procaccianti Group is the
largest hotel owner in the city.

Higher Rates of Injuries at Procaccianti Group Hotelsi

Health and safety records maintained by the Renaissance and Hilton hotels show that hotel
workers across all job classifications at the Procaccianti Group hotels have suffered
injuries more frequently than their peers nationally:
The incidence rate for work-related injury and illness was 69% higher at the Hilton
and 85% higher at the Renaissance Hotel than the national average rate for hotel
workers in 2013.ii
Workers at the TPG hotels suffered injuries resulting in days away from work at a
rate nearly four times the national average in 2013.iii
Additionally, workers at the TPG hotels suffered injuries resulting in job
restrictions, job transfers, or days away from work at a rate nearly three times the
national average in 2013.iv
Workers at TPG hotels also suffer injuries more frequently than their peers locally at two union
hotels in Providence, the Omni and the Biltmore:
The incidence rate for work-related injury and illness that resulted in days away
from work was 42% greater at the two TPG hotels than the two union hotels.v
Workers at the two TPG hotels suffered injuries resulting in job restrictions, job
transfers, or days away from work at a rate 33% greater than workers at the two
union hotels.vi

HEAR HOW PROCACCIANTI HOTELS HURT ME...

I was injured in May 2015 while cleaning a
room I was told to clean quickly. While cleaning the shower curtain I fell and injured my
leg, back, and head. I am unable to work or
even walk without the use of a cane. I am
in constant pain. I moved to Providence to
provide a better life for my family and this isnt
it.

-Susana Ramirez,
Hilton housekeeper, 13 years

Procacciantis Painful Workloads

During the spring of 2015 a majority of housekeepers at the TPG-owned Renaissance and
Hilton hotels were surveyed about their experiences.
74% of respondents reported that they were in pain while taking the survey and
72% of respondents reported that they took medicine for their pain.
A majority of respondents indicated that they had long term physical effects due
to working at the hotel.
93% of survey respondents believe they will be in pain for the rest of their lives
from working at their hotel.

The incidence rate for

work-related injury and illness was 69% higher at the
Hilton and 85% higher at the
Renaissance Hotel than the
national average rate for hotel
workers in 2013.

Housekeepers at The Procaccianti Group hotels

report high workloads. At the Hilton workers are
expected to clean anywhere from 17 to 23 rooms
in one shift. This means that housekeepers at the
Hilton may need to clean each room in 20 minutes or
less. At neither TPG hotel are reductions in workload made for more strenuous work such as cleaning check-out rooms, deep cleaning, and traveling
between floors.

Housekeepers at unionized hotels in Providence have much reduced workloads. vii The workload per shift is 15 at the Omni and 14 at the Biltmore. Contracts at both hotels reduce the
workload for more strenuous work.

Like many of my coworkers, I was injured many

times while working at the Renaissance Hotel. I
have been out of work due to my latest injury for
over a year now. I have difficulty using my arms,
and suffer from nearly constant pain in my neck,
arms, and hands. The pain Im in affects my twoyear old son and husband. There are days when the
pain and the stress of this situation make me feel
overwhelmed.

-Santa Brito,
Renaissance Housekeeper, 3 years

When The Procaccianti Group bought the

hotel in 2013 the number of rooms I cleaned
more than doubled. In July 2014 I injured my
back removing a rollaway bed. I now use a cane
to walk and cant sleep because of the pain.
My injury has prevented me from returning to
work and I have had to ask for assistance from
local charities. It has been my dream to retire
in my house. Now that Im facing foreclosure,
Im not sure thats possible.

-Julian Bello,
Renaissance Houseman, 8 years

The Procaccianti Group

is Hurting Providence.
Housekeeping staff who work at the Procaccianti Group hotels should not have
to suffer pain and injury as a result of their work. Elsewhere in Providence,
housekeepers are able to work under conditions that result in significantly lower rates of injury.
As the largest hotel owner in Providence, The Procaccianti Group should be a
leader in the hospitality industry. Instead, The Procaccianti Groups silence on
pain and injuries of its hotel workers is hurting our city.

319 Broadway, Providence, RI 02909

The analysis was performed using the Bureau of Labor Statistics Injuries, Illness and Fatalities calculator and records accessed from the Hilton Providence, the Providence Renaissance Hotel, the Omni Providence, and the Biltmore Hotel. National comparisons were made between the hotels data and
the national rates (rates for RI were unavailable) for Hotels (except casino hotels) and Motels (NAICS code 721110) in 2013 (the most recent year for
which information was available from the BLS). Comparisons between TPG hotels and union hotels were made while comparing data from 2014 as the
2013 records for the Biltmore were incomplete. Rates are calculated as the number of incidents per 100 full-time employees per given year.
ii
In 2013, the total injury and illness incidence rate was 10 for the Renaissance and 9.1 for the Hilton, which is respectively 85% and 69% higher than the
national rate of 5.4.
iii
The days away rate for the TPG hotels was 6.2 in 2013, which is 3.88 times the national days away rate in 2013 of 1.6.
iv
The DART rate for the TPG hotels was 8.45 in 2013, which is 2.91 times the national DART rate in 2013 of 2.9.
v
The incidence rate for days away from work was 4.05 for the union hotels and 5.75 for the TPG hotels, which is 41% greater. This is comparing data from
2014 (2013 records from the Biltmore were incomplete).
vi
The DART rate was 4.3 for the union hotels and 5.75 for the TPG hotels, which is 33% greater. This is comparing data from 2014 (2013 records from the
Biltmore were incomplete).
vii
Biltmore Contract Appendix B and Omni Contract Article 25.
i