Prior to June, we requested bargaining dates from Management to start wage reopener negotiations. Finally in July, Management provided us with a bargaining date and a wage proposal which Management sent to all employees. The wage scale that Management released was a proposal and needs to be approved and voted on by YOU, UFCW 3000 members! Management has said this proposal is a “done deal,” but that is NOT THE CASE!

Management has the right under the contract (Article 18) to give everyone a wage increase, but they cannot implement a new wage scale. For example, they can implement a percentage wage increase for all current employees in all classifications while we are in negotiations and keep the wage scale as is.

On July 28 the Pro/Tech/LPN and Support Services bargaining team met with the WhidbeyHealth management bargaining team. We reviewed Management’s wage proposal and there are several classifications whose pay rates are below area hospitals. Management proposed higher wage increases for some classifications anything between .5% to 2.5% for other classifications. Given this, we proposed a 25% wage scale increase for both Pro/Tech/LPN and Support Services, along with the removal of all ghost/zero steps and replacing those steps with a 2.5% step increment. Management did not meaningfully respond to our proposal and gave us a second bargaining date for late August.

We are disappointed with Management’s lack of response and delay to the bargaining process! We have request sooner bargaining dates. It is important that we show Management that we need higher pay and they should not delay implementing wage increases!

We will be holding a contract action team meeting on Thursday, August 4, 1:00pm and 6:00pm over Zoom and Tuesday, August 9 at 6:00pm (tentatively in the Education conference room at WhidbeyHealth) where we will be talking about actions and discussing bargaining.

If you have questions, please contact your union representative Celia Ponce-Sanchez cponcesanchez@ufcw3000.org 360-419-4678 or your bargaining committee.

Your bargaining committee,

Jennifer MacNeill, Rosalie Nguyen, Qiana Johnson, Marty Riley, Gwendolyn Cole, Lisa Olds, Marilyn Faber, Elke Rogers

Join the Contract Action Team Meeting!

Thursday, August 4

1:00 PM • 6:00 PM