“Significant progress was made today, however, Management is still trying to divide us on healthcare and wages.”

OUR PRO-TECH BARGAINING TEAM: Judy Shoesmith, Kain Mcleod, Connie Baker, Rob Shauger, Don Szabo, Ona Burkett, Sonja Hammes

Your Bargaining Team met with Management again on July 28 and significant progress was made towards a new contract. At this session we were able to win an improvement on annual leave accruals, received movement from the Employer on pandemic safety language, are closer to an agreement on wages, and fended off management’s attempt to create a new probationary period when moving to a new position.

However, significant issues remain before we can reach an agreement. While the Bargaining Team is agreeable to some of the proposed wage increases, Management continues to propose an unacceptable “lump-sum” bonus for some members in leu of hard wage increases. We strongly believe that ALL members deserve a fair wage increase and will continue to fight until we get an equitable economic offer from the employer that benefits everyone. 

The other major issue is the employer’s new healthcare proposal that would enable management to coerce new hires to sign up for the CHI Healthcare Plan instead of our current Sound Health & Wellness plan. We are concerned about this proposal because (1) Management tried to sell the plan to the Bargaining Team by leaving out key information, which they would undoubtably do to mislead new hires and, (2) this proposal would significantly weaken our ability to keep our affordable healthcare in future negotiations. 

Management understands they cannot win the healthcare fight this round so, as an alternative, they are strategically working to create weakness in our unit to be exploited in future negotiations.

We will take to the streets and unmask the employer’s behavior to a community that has always stood in solidarity with workers under attack. Please bring your friends and family to our “CHI Unmasked Banner Action,” where we will have banners and signs that ask the community to support our fight for a fair contract. This will be a joint action with our fellow members at The Doctors Clinic who are dealing with similar issues in their own contract negotiations. 

The action will be held on Thursday August 6 at three roadside locations:

12:00PM – 1:30PM: HWY 305 NE & 7th Ave NE (Poulsbo)
(Near Poulsbo Central Market) 

2:00PM – 3:30PM: Greaves Way & NE Waaga Way (Silverdale)
(Near “The Trails at Silverdale”)

4:00PM – 6:00PM: South End of Warren Ave Bridge (Bremerton)
(Near Lower Roto Vista Park)