Preparations continue for our upcoming bargaining with Planned Parenthood! Legal counsel for Planned Parenthood requested initial dates in May, but didn’t include the information we need to prepare proposals or address that our schedules are already set through May.
Read MoreOn May 5, our union, along with other UFCW locals across the country, received notice that Rite Aid is filing for bankruptcy again and plans to close all store locations in the coming months. They aim to sell all their stores by August 2025. As we learn more information, we will send communications out through email and through our website.
While we do not yet know the timeline, it is important for all our members at Rite Aid and Bartell Drug stores to know their rights under our current contract.
If you have any questions about the closures or if you’re considering retirement, please call your union representative, Aaron Bailey, at (206) 436-6631.
Members have severance pay rights if their store is closed (see enclosed)
Your pension is still available and will not be affected by Rite Aid’s closure. For any pension questions, please call our pension office, Sound Retirement Trust, directly at (206) 282-4500.
For Bartell Drug members’ healthcare related questions, please call Sound Health and Wellness at (206) 282-4500.
King County Labor Council also has an online union hiring hall to see other union job openings in our area at www.unionhiringhall.org
If you have any questions about the closures or if you’re considering retirement, please call your union representative, Aaron Bailey, at (206) 436-6631.
Our contracts at Bartell Drugs and Rite Aid have strong language in Article 6.9 (2) around you receiving severance if you are laid off due to a store closure:
Years of Service Severance Amount Two (2) through four (4) years 1 week severance Five (5) through six (6) years 2 weeks severance Seven (7) through eight (8) years 3 weeks severance Nine (9) through ten (10) years 4 weeks severance Ten (10) years or more 5 weeks severance
Article 6.9 (3) — Severance pay will equate to the average hours paid in the fourteen (14) weeks, Sunday through Saturday, preceding separation, not to exceed forty (40) hours straight time pay.
Article 6.9 (4) — Workers who receive severance pay shall be paid accrued, unused personal holidays and accrued, unused vacation.
As union members at Rite Aid and Bartell, we have the right to be transferred to a union store in order of seniority. Work with your union rep and Rite Aid HR on relocating to a store nearby.
If you have any questions or concerns, reach out to your Union Reps, Aaron Bailey (206) 436-6631, or our Member Resource Center (866) 210-3000.
We have gotten reports that Bartell Drugs has told members to put in their two weeks’ notice if workers are leaving the company or moving to a non-union store—you will not receive severance pay if you put in your two weeks’ notice instead of being laid off! In order to receive the severance as outlined in our contract, you will need to be laid off by Bartell Drugs/Rite Aid.
Bartell Drugs Contract
https://ufcw3000.org/find-your-contract/2015/2/4/bartell-drugs-contract
Rite Aid Contract
https://ufcw3000.org/find-your-contract/2015/2/25/rite-aid-contract
The Unemployment Law Project: a free service that supports workers receiving their unemployment benefits at (206) 441-9178 or online:
UFCW Represented Work Locations: Stay protected through a union contract at our other represented locations—on our website find “Who We Represent”:
If you are laid off, you should qualify for unemployment benefits through the Washington State Employment Security Department if all have worked at least 680 hours within the last year. You can file a claim for benefits at 800-318-6022 or online:
On Thursday, May 8, our union bargaining team met with Providence Centralia management for our third session of contract negotiations. Today marked a notable step forward, as we received the employer’s first counter to our wage and compensation proposal.
We were cautiously optimistic in reviewing management’s response, as their initial proposal similarly addressed a few of the key priorities we’ve raised at the table—most notably, eliminating “ghost steps” on the wage scale, as well as providing an outline for an experience audit process to ensure Technical workers at PCH are paid at the rate which aligns with their years of experience.
But there’s still room for improvement: the employer’s counter showed little movement on premiums—aside from a proposed increase to evening and night shift differentials; rates for standby (on-call), lead and preceptor pay, and weekend shift differentials were proposed at the current rates in our CBA.
In response to the employer’s counter, our team got to work drafting a response of our own—carefully reviewing each job classification’s current pay, comparing these to the rates being earned by healthcare workers at other regional hospitals, and building a strong second proposal on compensation and wage rates. We presented this proposal to management in the afternoon, and in our response highlighted that while we recognize the employer’s movement toward increasing compensation, our position still stands that the high number of vacancies across many of our units proves that stronger action is needed to truly attract and retain technical workers from across the region—management must offer highly competitive compensation to make Providence Centralia the destination caregivers want to commute to—not away from.
Beyond our wage scale, we maintained a proposal to increase various premium rates and included changes to the structure of some existing premiums to incentivize career growth, and reward skill development for workers who hold additional certifications or bachelor’s or master’s degrees.
We’re looking ahead to our next-scheduled bargaining date on May 28 to continue negotiations and working toward a strong contract!
Bargaining Team: Jennifer Frunz, Mammography Technologist; Jennifer Mullins, CT Technologist; Shauna Allen, Pharmacy Tech; Shea Carney, Respiratory Care Practitioner
"Our focus is to win a contract that respects our hard work, addresses staffing, and makes Centralia a place Techs choose to stay!"
— Shea Carney, Respiratory Care Practitioner
May 15
7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Sign the strike pledge card: We need to show Providence we’re ready to do what it takes to get what we deserve. Sign the strike pledge card >> or ask a fellow member to sign it if they haven’t already.
Leaders in Action:
May 31
10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Olympia Labor Council Building
How to Strike and Win >>
Step up! We need department leaders to keep members engaged in the fight. Providence United – UFCW 3000 >>
Organize, organize, organize: Know a worker who wants to join the union? Send them here >>
Please come vote on the Annual PTO Cashout Election proposed change. This is a change to the current language that was voted on in January and requires another vote.
Read MoreWe have made over 40 contract language proposals to management covering topics including: Union Recognition, Definitions of Full Time & Part Time, Probationary Employee, Preceptor, Seniority, Change of FTE, Discipline, Non-discrimination, Safety and Labor Management Committee.
Read MoreWe’re excited to announce that RN contract negotiations with Multicare will begin at the end of this month!
Read MoreWE WON! The 11 unionized stores across the country successfully turned out tens of thousands of members to reject the cherry-picked corporate Board candidates! This was a huge sign to the co-op that REI members and workers want to bring the co-op back to its founding values. Members across the country sent a message to the co-op: STOP UNION BUSTING and BARGAIN A FAIR CONTRACT WITH WORKERS!
Read MoreWelcome to our Union! As we transition from winning our vote for recognition to bargaining our first contract – it is vital that we stay united, transparent, and communicative throughout the process.
Read MoreOn Thursday, May 8, our bargaining team returned to negotiations with the hospital and presented a comprehensive set of both economic and non-economic proposals. We are still apart on elements of our proposed workplace safety language. That said, we were able to tentatively agree on items such as:
Enhanced new hire orientation language to better support incoming staff
A shortened review window for per diems—from six months to three months—to assess eligibility for an FTE position
Clearer language on paycheck errors, ensuring timely resolution
Refined staffing committee language to align more closely with the staffing law SB 5236
Our economic package proposal was met with some familiar objections, particularly to our pension proposal, which management claimed would strain their ability to provide more significant wage increases. We reiterated that whether we're talking about a pension, a longevity bonus based on years of service, or staffing ratios with associated premium pay, all of these are designed to encourage retention of experienced RNs at SMMC.
We asked management directly: What do you propose to retain RNs?
In response to our proposal allowing RNs to access EIB after eight hours (instead of the current sixteen), management countered with language from the SMMC Professional and Technical Workers' contract that would significantly reduce the total amount of PTO we currently accrue. Their justification? It would allow for first-day use of all sick leave. This is not the trade-off we were looking for.
We're asking everyone to start wearing gold and blue UFCW 3000 swag on bargaining days! We'll be distributing bandanas and other items to show unity and solidarity.
May 15
May 21
Sign our Strike Pledge Card >>
May 15
7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Virtual via Zoom
"We need EVERYONE to sign the dang strike pledge cards to show management we are serious about getting the BEST contract possible!"
— Tammy Olson (ICU)
Bargaining Team: Kim Fraser, Pre-Op; Janice Brown, FBC; Tammy Olson, ICU; Lindsey Gearllach, Obs; Meredith Francisco, Med Surg
Join your coworkers at a monthly Contract Action Team meeting—Let’s stay organized to win a strong contract this year.
Read MoreOn Monday, May 5, our union bargaining team representing the Professionals at Providence Everett returned to the table for our fourth session of contract negotiations with management.
Over the past several weeks, we've laid the foundation for these negotiations by presenting strong non-economic proposals focused on safety, equal opportunity, and critical workplace protections. At our most recent session prior to this one—April 8—we began the shift toward economic issues by introducing proposals related to wage premiums and differentials.
This week, we took a major step forward: our team presented Providence with our initial proposal on compensation and wage scales—a key priority for Professional workers across Providence Everett.
From the early stages of this process—dating back to our contract audit on January 8—it's been clear that our wage scale needs serious improvement, and we identified several high priorities:
"Ghost steps": years of service with no pay increase
Low progression between steps, often just 1.75% increase for each step
Overall wage rates that fall below regional standards for comparable Professional roles—and fail to reflect the value of the skilled, life-saving work we do every day
Taking all of this into consideration, we delivered a comprehensive, forward-thinking proposal designed to correct these inequities, which includes:
Clearer standards for recognizing prior relevant experience, ensuring new hires and current employees are fairly placed on the wage scale
A restructured wage scale that removes all ghost steps, increases the percentage between steps (so members progress faster), and shortens the overall length of the scale—helping us reach top pay sooner
Management listened to our presentation and took the proposal under review. While they have not yet offered counters, we made it clear that our approach is both transparent and data-driven. We walked through the rationale behind each of our structural changes, because we believe there should be no mystery in our demands: we are calling for fair compensation.
May 14
6:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Teamsters Local 38 Union Hall
2601 Everett Ave
Everett, WA 98201
"We are proud of the work we did to build a strong, evidence-based proposal. We feel like it represents the priorities of our coworkers, and the reality that our pay here is just too low... we're looking forward to keeping up the conversation and ensuring that we earn what we deserve!"
— Taylor Widener, Dietitian
Taylor Widener, Senior Dietitian
Holly Gramse, Physical Therapist
Sara Dillon, Senior Discharge Planner (Case Manager)
Sign the strike pledge card: Show Providence we're ready to do what it takes to get what we deserve. Sign the strike pledge card or ask a fellow member to sign it if they haven't already.
Leaders in Action: "How to Strike and Win"
May 31
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Labor Temple
Register here
Step up! We need department leaders to keep members engaged in the fight >>
Organize: Know a worker who wants to join a union? Send them here >>
Update your contact information: Click here >>
In his first digital town hall for UFCW 3000, nationally recognized public health expert Dr. Vin Gupta, a Washington resident and a practicing pulmonologist, joins our union to highlight the five most important things we can do to advocate for our health and the health of our loved ones.
Read MoreOn Wednesday, April 30, our union bargaining team representing the technical workers at Providence Regional Medical Center Everett (PRMCE) met with management for the first session of contract negotiations for the 2025 bargaining cycle.
To prepare for our first day, our team held a planning session on April 21 to review feedback from bargaining surveys submitted by our union siblings, and we used this input to conduct a comprehensive audit of our current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and identify areas for improvement. In addition, we've been collaborating closely with our coalition partners—SEIU 1199NW and WSNA—to research strong contract standards for healthcare workers both regionally and nationally. All of this groundwork has helped shape the proposals we're bringing to the table.
For this first session, we opened with proposals focused on several key non-economic articles—contract provisions that don't directly impact wages or benefits but are essential to protecting and improving our working conditions. Our initial proposals included:
Free on-site parking for PRMCE employees.
Priority access to extra shifts for bargaining unit members—before those shifts are offered to travelers or agency staff.
Stronger workplace safety protections, including comprehensive proposals to prevent and respond to incidents of workplace violence.
Later that afternoon, the employer responded to our opening proposals, and we engaged in a productive dialogue around the priorities we brought forward. While no tentative agreements were reached on day one, the conversation marked a constructive start, and we are already working on thoughtful responses to management's counterproposals.
As we continue preparing for upcoming sessions, our team also spent time reviewing union contracts at neighboring hospitals to inform our upcoming economic proposals—including competitive wage scales, shift differentials, and premiums that reflect the value and skill of technical workers in our region.
"We're looking forward to returning to the bargaining table soon to continue this work. Our goal is clear: secure a stronger contract that delivers real improvements in pay, protections, and working conditions for the dedicated technical workers at Prov Everett!"
— Cris Cassady, IR Technologist
Your bargaining team:
Maria Goodall, Vascular Technologist
Cris Cassady, IR Technologist
Terryl Smith, Pharmacy Technician
Noah Holland, Sr. Surgical Tech
Darryl Keffer, Respiratory Care Practitioner
Rodney Powers, Radiology Technologist
May 14
6:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Teamsters Local 38 Union Hall
2601 Everett Ave
Everett, WA 98201
Sign the strike pledge card: We need to show Providence we're ready to do what it takes to get what we deserve. Sign the strike pledge card or ask a fellow member to sign it if they haven't already.
Leaders in Action:
May 31
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Labor Temple
"How to Strike and Win"
Event details
Step up! We need department leaders to keep members engaged in the fight.
Organize, organize, organize: Know a worker who wants to join a union? Send them here.
On May 8, we're heading back to the bargaining table to present our counterproposal in response to the hospital's comprehensive economic and non-economic offer. Unfortunately, the hospital's proposal showed little movement—especially on our staffing priorities. In our response, we'll reinforce the urgent need for real staffing guardrails to protect both nurses and patients.
While we haven't been at the table the past few weeks, we've kept the momentum going in the community. Just recently, the Kitsap Sun reported on our ongoing efforts to win a strong contract.
As we continue bargaining, we need your support to show the hospital that we are united and serious about achieving meaningful change. That's why we're asking everyone to wear UFCW 3000 gear or yellow and blue scrubs to work on May 8. A strong visual message of unity helps build power at the table.
After the May 8 bargaining session, we'll hold a Contract Action Team (CAT) and bargaining update meeting. Please join us to hear the latest and find out how you can stay involved in the fight for better staffing and a fair contract.
Dockside first contract bargaining has begun! After preparing proposals based on our survey answers in early April, our bargaining team met with representatives from management for our 1st session last week.
Read MoreWe presented two major economic proposals today: a revised wage scale, and a comprehensive staffing article—both crafted to raise standards at PSPH and recognize the skill, experience, and dedication of our nurses.
Read More
Bargaining Team Member Todd Heuer on a Background of UFCW 3000 Blue with the quote “At First I Thought I Couldn’t Afford to Strike, but Now I Know I Couldn’t Afford Not To” in white and “The Better wages, Better Staffing, Better Stores” logo in the bottom right corner
By Todd Heuer
When you’re living paycheck to paycheck, the word “strike” can send chills down your spine. You can’t even afford to pay rent and put food on the table—how can you even think about not working?
At this point, I’ve worked at Fred Meyer for 17 years. I’m a vice president on the executive board for UFCW 3000, and I’m sitting across the table from Kroger and Albertsons on the bargaining team right now.
I support doing whatever we can do as a union – up to and including a strike – to get the contract we deserve. But I wasn’t always like that.
Back when I first got the job, the word “strike” scared the hell out of me.
Like many of my co-workers, I was working part-time, couldn’t afford the rent, and was weeks away from eviction. At that time, I felt like I couldn’t support a strike in good conscience.
But then I started talking to other workers about it.
My co-workers told me the union has a strike fund that pays benefits out to workers who walk the picket lines, helping us support ourselves and our families.
On my way into the store one morning, I was chatting with a bus driver, and he said their union and others would stand with us and support our strike.
Then I talked to the truck drivers, and they said they wouldn’t deliver food to striking stores. How long could the CEOs keep the stores open when the supply lines dry up?
Then I talked to customers, and many of them said they’d honor our line. Because – look, we all know this – the customers don’t keep coming back because they want to fatten corporate pockets – they keep coming back because of the customer service we provide.
But we can’t provide that customer service if the bosses run skeleton crews, cut pay, gut health care, and fire people for no reason.
Without a strike-ready union, that’s our future.
As a matter of fact, at a bargaining session last month, Kroger and Albertsons proposed a pay and benefit package that would have amounted to a pay cut and worse health care.
But with a strike-ready union, we can fight back.
Join me and our bargaining team and thousands of other grocery store workers, sign the strike pledge, become a strike captain, and support your coworkers in our fight for us all to have a better life.
From April 28 to 30, our member-led Bargaining Team yet again sat across the table from Albertsons and Kroger. We presented data to the companies showing that they have made record profits over the last five years—and yet their CEOs keep slashing staffing to fatten their own wallets and line the pockets of their investors.
Read MoreOur bargaining team has had multiple bargaining sessions with management but we haven’t received a response on any of our economic proposals. We have however received some proposals from management:
Read More“After intense negotiations we have reached a tentative agreement pending a vote by the Union members. We didn’t get everything we wanted, but positive changes to come!”
Read MoreWe are the Union. The members of UFCW 3000 are over 50,000 members working in grocery, retail, health care, meat packing, cannabis, & other industries across Washington state, north-east Oregon, and northern Idaho. UFCW 3000 is a chartered member of UFCW International with over 1.4 million workers in North America.
To build a powerful Union that fights for economic, political and social justice in our workplaces and in our communities.
