MultiCare Auburn Medical Center Professionals TENTATIVE AGREEMENT REACHED!
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On November 25, after more than a year of dedicated negotiations, we are excited to announce that we have reached a tentative agreement on our first-ever union contract with MultiCare Auburn Medical Center!
Following the successful unionization vote by the professionals at Auburn Medical Center—representing essential healthcare workers such as pharmacists, social workers, and physical/occupational therapists—in the summer of 2023, we entered into contract negotiations. This was no small task, and new challenges seemed to arise at each and every bargaining session.
The outcome of these negotiations is a historic first union contract that we believe sets a new standard for healthcare workers, and we feel that we have secured some of the strongest workplace protections, wages, and benefits we’ve ever seen in a new contract.
For starters, the vast majority of the workplace protections, premiums, and wages we’ve achieved (spanning around sixteen (16) Articles) reflects similar language found in the tenured MultiCare Tacoma General Professionals contract- which has been through numerous negotiations cycles. In addition, we’ve also won new contract language which is specific to the work performed by us at Auburn Medical Center.
Key Achievements: Just Cause Protections: We cannot be disciplined or terminated without just cause. Union Representation: We now have the right to request union representation during fact-finding or investigatory meetings with the employer. Wage & Pay Certainty: Our contract establishes clear minimums for hourly wages, shift differentials, and specialty premiums. Grievance Procedure: We now have access to a structured grievance process to hold the employer accountable and ensure our contract is enforced. Perhaps our most significant victory is the wage scales. We successfully negotiated an “experience audit,” which ensures that workers who complete the experience form are placed on the union pay scale based on the employer’s years’ experience process- and further, a guarantee that nobody will take a decrease to their pay as a result.
It's also worth noting that the wage rates we achieved for Auburn Medical Center are in line with those negotiated earlier this year for the MultiCare Tacoma General Professionals, with the exception of social workers, whose wage scale was increased to reflect the unique nature of their work at Auburn.
“This process didn’t just start with bargaining this contract- it’s been years in the making, and now have our first union contract as Auburn Medical Center Professionals. Together, we’ve made history and this is just the beginning!” —Marci Pindi, Hospital Social Worker & Bargaining Team Member
