United For Quality Care

When UFCW 21 health care members at Providence Everett joined together with OPEIU Local 8 members at the hospital on a common petition to Management for improved contracts and working conditions, they found greater strength than if either had acted alone. That is the story we know to be true and we need to repeat time and again. Taking action together works. This helped both groups of workers from two unions win improved contracts. 

Taking a Break is Good for Everyone

For health care workers breaks are not only an issue for our own health and safety but for all of our patients and co-workers too. In many hospitals and clinics people work through breaks and/or get disciplined if they report missing one. For two years our members at Capital Medical Center have taken action together and documented problems, pushing a grievance and recently winning new contract language for taking breaks and documenting missed breaks. The new language secures all employees’ right to take a paid 15 minute break for each four hours of working time and requires employees to record any missed meal/rest periods without any retaliation. Way to go Capital Medical Center members!

Another Job Saved by Strong Contract & Action

Renee Gebre is a cashier at Safeway (1845 Greenwood). Every day grocery store checkers process WIC checks (a federal program to help moms with lower income get better nutrition for their kids). One day Renee made a mistake when processing a WIC check and was suspended. Our agreement with Safeway is that there must be two written warnings before a suspension for this type of violation. After contacting the employer’s labor relations, the suspension was reduced to a written warning and Ms. Gebre was paid for the hours of work she missed for her suspension. 

Steward Trainings Keep Growing our Union

Eight members from PCC, led by Deli worker Atsuko Koseki (second from right) were recently trained up to be Stewards. Though PCC workers negotiate their contract independently, when they heard that the vast majority of UFCW 21 grocery store workers were soon to be going into their own contract negotiations, these PCC workers wanted to be trained up as Stewards and help as much as possible for everyone to achieve better wages, benefits and working conditions. Great work Atsuko and all the other PCC Stewards who went through the training pictured here.