On December 7, we met for the third time with Providence’s negotiating team. In this session, we discussed the remaining non-economic articles like employment practices, seniority, definitions of contract terms, hours of work and overtime, and leaves of absence. Providence responded with language like other new contracts like the PCH Tech and Service contracts. 

A point of contract is that Providence rejected our proposal to implement job classification seniority. Their proposal is to implement bargaining unit seniority. Your seniority date and hire date are different. Your hire date never changes, but your seniority date begins when you enter the bargaining unit or when you move into a new job classification. Under bargaining unit seniority, a worker would retain their seniority even if they moved into a new job classification. This means a therapist with five years of bargaining unit seniority could be laid off instead of the new therapist with 15 years of bargaining unit seniority. We believe job classification seniority is more equitable and other Providence technical units use job classification seniority. 

We also proposed wages, benefits, and premium pay on December 7. We proposed that 1) all workers should receive a bonus for the lack of wage increase in the last year and to acknowledge our work during the pandemic 2) at least a 7% increase upon ratification of the contract 3) a competitive wage scale with 28 steps 4) annual anniversary date wage increases 5) annual cost of living increases 6) internal equity language to ensure new hires with the same experience as current employees do not get paid more than incumbents. 

Providence rejected our proposals and proposed to continue their current merit pay system. We voiced our concerns about merit pay. Providence told us that they do not have a metric to quantify merit and they believe workers should not reach the “maximum” on their pay ranges. We are extremely disappointed with Providence’s proposal given that we have made a lot of progress on non-economic issues. 

We will be responding on December 15 and reiterating that we need a wage scale and do not want a merit-based pay system! On December 16 at 5:45 PM, we will hold a Contract Action Team (CAT) meeting over Zoom to review bargaining and plan future workplace actions! If you have any questions, please talk to your bargaining team or Union Rep Erin McCoy emcccoy@ufcw21.org. 

In solidarity, your PRCS bargaining team: Branden Raftery (Lacey - Dosimetrist), Paul Lofing (Aberdeen - RT), Kelly Covington (Lacey - RN) Winter Everson (Lacey - RT)