St. Michael Medical Center Professional-Technical-Clinical Support Bargaining Update

Our Union Bargaining Team: Robel Haile (Clinical Pharmacist), Bryson Andrews (ED Tech), Olivia Almeida (Respiratory Therapist), Merry Brandt-MacFann (CT Technologist), Lara Williams-Graham (Certified Surgical Technologist), Angela Roberson (EP Technologist), Rob Shauger (CNA)

Our Union Bargaining Team met with the Employer again on July 16, to continue negotiations for our next Union contract. Given the Employer’s conduct during recent sessions, we did not expect significant progress. Unfortunately, we were proven right.

When the Employer presented another inadequate economic counterproposal, our Bargaining Team asked a straightforward question: Which facilities are you using for your market comparison?

The Employer struggled to provide a clear answer, initially stating only that it was comparing wages internally within the CommonSpirit system. When we pressed for more information the Employer finally admitted its approach:

“There are not wages [in this proposal] that get pay up to market…. that is not our philosophy going into negotiations this year” —Employer’s Bargaining Committee

There you have it. The Employer has now admitted, in plain language, that its wage proposal is not intended to bring St. Michael workers up to market, and that they have no intention of doing so.

If CommonSpirit succeeds with this strategy, Kitsap County’s largest hospital will end up paying some of the lowest wages in the region. That will make it nearly impossible to recruit new employees and will drive experienced staff to other employers that better recognize and compensate their work.

The Employer’s latest wage proposal is:

•Year 1 (2026): 2.75%

•Year 2 (2027): 2.75%

•Year 3 (2028): 3.00%

“I didn’t think I could feel more unimportant to this employer but they proved us wrong” -Merry Brandt-MacFann, CT Technologist

As the Employer continued presenting its proposal, we also saw signs that raise serious concerns about whether it is bargaining in good faith. For example, the Employer:

•Presented a regressive proposal regarding recognition of prior experience for new hires that was worse than its previous proposal. The Employer corrected it only after our team pointed out the regression.

•Proposed more healthcare funding at ratification than the Union had proposed in our last pass, demonstrating that it had apparently failed to carefully review our proposal.

•Regressively removed two certifications from certification-pay eligibility after previously agreeing to restore them.

This was not meaningful movement toward an agreement. It was another session that demonstrated the Employer is not currently bargaining with the urgency or seriousness necessary to settle a fair contract.

Our Union Bargaining Team ultimately ended the session early and informed the Employer that we needed to consider how to respond to its unacceptable proposal. We also made one thing very clear: If this remains the Employer’s position, CommonSpirit will have a serious labor dispute on its hands.

“Looks like we have a long road and a big fight on our hands” —Angela Robertson, EP Technologist

Next Steps:

As we have said in previous updates, nothing will change unless we take action together. Join your coworkers throughout the hospital and sign the Strike Pledge Card>>

Join our virtual Contract Action Team (CAT) meeting on Wednesday July 22 at 6:00PM via Zoom, where we will announce the next step in this campaign for a fair contract.

CAT Meeting July 22 at 6pm Zoom>>
Member ID: 868 3387 8798

Our next bargaining dates are August 4, 25 and September 3.