UFCW 3000 Member Story: Ralph Leads by Example!

Ralph Stumbo, UFCW 3000 member and worker at Kaiser Permanente, with his grandkids

#MemberMonday is here and today’s spotlight is on Ralph Stumbo, who is currently an Alliance Partnership Representative at Kaiser Permanente. Ralph has worked at KP (formerly Group Health Cooperative — GHC) for almost 35 years!

Ralph grew up in Federal Way and went to college in Portland. After he graduated, he had the opportunity to return to Washington State and began working at Group Health as a respiratory therapist. Ralph loves working in healthcare and says he works hard because it is so rewarding for him to help patients and his coworkers.

Within a few years of starting at Group Health, Ralph attended training sessions and became a shop steward for his workplace. Through the years, he has been actively involved with contract negotiations and helping to advocate for his coworkers. In fact, Ralph is currently serving as part of the Labor Management Partnership (LMP) and continues to center his patients through that work.

Ralph says that he did not set out with the intention of being a shop steward or any other kind of workplace leader. Rather, he says that his service to others, whether his patients or his coworkers, has brought him tremendous joy — and that joy is what motivates him every day.

“Shortly I will return to the pulmonary lab and once again be giving awesome care to my patients whom I have missed…Whether you work in healthcare, in grocery, food service, retail, etc., it doesn’t matter, you are serving your fellow humans and that is something for which you should be proud!”

Ralph — your generosity, humility, and joyfulness are so inspiring to witness. You are an incredible example of the UFCW 3000 members who step up every day as worker-leaders, advocating for their coworkers and for change in the workplace. Thank you for leading by example!