St. Michael Medical Center Professional-Technical-Clinical Support - Bargaining Update - A Big Waste of Time

We met with the Employer again on Thursday, June 25. All proposals were in the Employer’s court for response. Our Bargaining Team came prepared and hopeful that real progress could be made.

Unfortunately, the Employer was not ready to present proposals until 1:30pm. When they finally did meet with us, we were disappointed and frustrated to learn that they only had non-economic responses. They cited a lack of approval from higher management as the reason they could not respond to key economic proposals.

On economics, the Employer specifically pointed to a lack of approval to provide a meaningful response on health care, an issue we have still not received any counterproposal on. At this point, even if the Employer provided a counterproposal on all other economic issues, it would be extremely difficult for our Bargaining Team to respond without first receiving answers about the future of our health care costs.

Therefore, the Employer’s proposal on wages from our last session still stands:

• 2.50% in year one

• 2.50% in year two

• 2.25% in year three

What little the Employer did counter made almost no meaningful progress and did not address the issues that matter most to workers. The Employer continues to hold firm to its proposal to force workers to wear specific scrub colors by job classification, at workers’ own expense. They also proposed lopsided language that would treat members of our bargaining unit inequitably when it comes to recognizing experience, depending on job classification. And they continue to reject our reasonable safety proposal to increase security presence in the Family Birth Center.

Our Bargaining Team was able to quickly respond to the limited proposals the Employer did pass. But after only a few hours of actual bargaining, the Employer stated that they still did not have the approvals needed to provide further responses. As a result, we ended the day early, even though bargaining had already started late.

Our technical UFCW 3000 Union siblings at St. Joseph Medical Center, who have the same contract expiration date, also bargained this week and experienced a similar lack of progress. Our Bargaining Team is working to coordinate with their team to discuss how we can work together to win fair contracts for both units, keep Virginia Mason Franciscan Health facilities competitive with the market, and set standards that will recruit and retain high-quality staff.

We encourage everyone to join our next virtual Contract Action Team (“CAT”) Meeting on July 1 at 4pm, where we will announce the next steps in this campaign.

“The Employer came totally unprepared to be productive in bargaining.”

— Merry Brandt-MacFann

“They wasted our time and came back unprepared. So let’s be prepared and have everybody join our CAT Meeting at 4pm on July 1!”

— Rob Shauger

“When we bargain with the Employer, we are pulling resources from the hospital because our shifts need to be covered. So when management isn’t ready to bargain, it is just a waste of those resources.”

— Angela Roberson

• CAT Meeting

• July 1

• 4pm

• Zoom

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

MultiCare - United at MultiCare

We are the thousands of UFCW 3000 members at MultiCare Health Systems. We provide care for our patients every day. As we say, “We put the Care in MultiCare.” But for years we have known that there are thousands of workers at MultiCare who are not part of our union but could be. Over the past year, more and more workers are joining together in UFCW 3000. Just last week 138 more officially joined at the Mary Bridge Therapies. And 32 PROs at Cap Medical Center who joined last year are in their first contract bargain. And 15 more at the Women’s Clinic will begin to bargain their first contract soon.

“Since we won our union at MultiCare, they have dragged their feet in negotiations for a first contract. Now, after a year of hard bargaining, they appear willing to move on some major items – but ONLY if we accept terms that weaken our power before we even get started. If we’re patient, stand together and refuse to be played, we can overcome this hurdle and get the contract we need. MultiCare fought us when we tried to form our union, and now they want us to accept a contract that weakens our ability to defend and improve our working conditions. We need to stay strong. We work in the same hospital. We need the same rights.”

— Ruyang He, Pharmacist, one of 32 PROs negotiating for a first contract with MultiCare

Having more members is part of what we need to build our power so we can sit down and negotiate with MultiCare on issues that impact all workers and our community—safety, staffing, benefits, and wages that result in recruitment and retention. Another part is ensuring all contracts maintain our most basic rights, including Union Security. Union Security is a foundational clause in all of our MultiCare contracts, and it is what allows us to build power as a union and negotiate better contracts with this Employer. Without that clause, our union would become weaker over time.

Right now MultiCare is trying to deny that right to the newly organized PROs at Cap Med Center, who are going back into bargaining on June 29. We all support the UFCW 3000 workers at Capital Medical Center when they say “Same Hospital. Same Rights.”
 

“It’s such great news that 32 Pros at Cap Medical are growing our union and bargaining a first contract. Getting a first contract settled with MultiCare can be tough because they don’t like giving up their unchallenged power over our wages and working conditions. Union Security is a basic standard that we have in all 18 of our union contracts with MultiCare. Union Security means we have true shared power—and that’s why MultiCare is trying to deny it to the Pros at Capital Medical Center. No way! Same Hospital. Same Rights.”

— Dennis Verellen, RN, Capital Medical Center

 “Union security in a contract is like management rights. Union security allows us to be a union. Management rights allow MultiCare to run their hospital. MultiCare would never let us tell them how to run their hospitals. And we can never let them tell us how to run our union by denying union security. They’ve decided to pick on you because you’re just thirty-two Pros at Cap Medical and you are rightfully determined to set high standards in your first union contract. But since you voted to form your union, you’re no longer thirty-two—you’ve become part of the thousands of UFCW 3000 health care workers at MultiCare. We stand with you.”

— Patricia Brown, LPN, Tacoma General 

And this current battle for a fair contract is connected to all of our contracts. We need to begin coming together and getting ready for 2027. Stay tuned for more information as this campaign grows and as more and more workers at MultiCare join our union.

Preparing for 2027

We are preparing for the big 2027 MultiCare bargains, and part of that preparation is standing in solidarity with our coworkers who are fighting for first contracts.

If you know of others at MultiCare who want to join UFCW 3000, please contact a UFCW 3000 Union Organizer by calling or texting 206-414-9601.

Learn more about organizing your union >>

If you have questions about what you can do to build power for your contract so we can negotiate improved safety, staffing, pay, benefits and protect our rights at work, contact your Union Reps:

• Penny Cramer, 206-436-6559

• Ian Jacobson, 206-436-6550

• Charlie King, 206-436-6518

“This has been a long, hard process for the Pros. And they didn’t come all this way to let MultiCare take away your power at the starting line. We’ve had hard bargains with MultiCare before, and we know how to bring them around. We can’t get everything we want, but we sure won’t allow them to take away what we need. And we need Union Security. Stay strong. We’ve got each other’s back. Same Hospital. Same Rights!”

— Demarious Jenkins, Dietary Tech, Capital Medical Center

“The PROs have been in bargaining for a year. MultiCare made them wait, wait, and wait some more for a serious response to your proposals. And now they’re saying they’ll give PROs lots of stuff if they just give up Union Security. Why? Because they want to permanently weaken our union by picking on this newly organized group. They tried things like this with us at Tacoma General. But we stood firm on the things we absolutely needed, and we won a strong contract, including union security. It is imperative that we maintain our Union Security and stand strong in solidarity with all our union co-workers throughout the MultiCare system.”

— Gregg Barney, Print Shop Operator, Tacoma General 

“MultiCare is not being honest with you. When MultiCare tries to push a contract without Union Security, we need to be careful and patient, or they’ll take one of the foundations of our power—union security. We are united in support of the PROs. Unless everyone is included in a union contract, all our contracts are at risk of becoming weaker. Union Security is a basic standard in all of our union’s contracts with MultiCare.”

— Alex Kolva, Nutritionist, Tacoma General

Whidbey Health Pro Tech LPN - Bargaining Update

Management met with us Tuesday, June 16 for a short bargaining session. In response to their proposals, we provided them a comprehensive package that addresses our need to stay competitive with other employers and around our community. We are waiting to hear back from them and also anticipating future bargaining dates.

Attend the Contract Action Team meeting on July 8 from 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm at the Sno-Isle Public library meeting room for updates and information about your contract:

Sno-Isle Public Library
1000 SE Regatta Dr
Oak Harbor, WA 98277

For additional information, contact Union Rep Marilyn Faber at 360-419-4678 or a Bargaining Team member.
 

Bargaining Team: Jennifer MacNeill, Caitlyn Korkoskie, Cassie Anderson

Pacific Dental Alliance (Affordable Dental & Sterling Dental) - Contract Ratified

Pacific Dental Alliance (Affordable Dental & Sterling Dental)
Contract Ratified

On Monday, June 15, we unanimously ratified our next Collective Bargaining Agreement. Some of the new wins in this contract include:

• Wage increases

• Increased 401(k)

• Increased Employer health care contribution

• Improved grievance process

Links to the Redline and Vote Summary here! >>

"Negotiations provide an opportunity for workers to have a voice and influence decisions that directly affect their lives."

If you have questions, please reach out to our Union Rep David Trujillo at (206) 436-6606 or Charlie King at (206) 436-6518.

Tri Cities Health Community Health RNs - Tentative Agreement Reached! Contract Vote Scheduled

Tri Cities Health Community Health RNs
Tentative Agreement Reached! Contract Vote Scheduled

Our Bargaining Team met with the Employer and reached a Tentative Agreement (TA) on June 17, 2026.

After bargaining and standing together, we are excited to announce that we are saying goodbye to a four-year contract and hello to a three-year contract!

Some of the highlights of the Tentative Agreement include:

• Wage increases

• Temporary assignment pay

• Retroactive pay

"Every gain at the bargaining table is the result of workers speaking with one united voice."

What's Next

The Tentative Agreement will be presented to the membership, followed by a vote.

Contract Vote

June 26
6:30am - 7:30am
Bridges Conference Room
800 Court Street
Pasco, WA

Bargaining Team: Sophia Rubalcava, RN; Hilda Torres, RN; Carina Gonzalez, RN

UFCW 3000 members in good standing are encouraged to attend a meeting, ask questions, and vote on the contract. Please reach out to our Bargaining Team or our Union Rep, Juanita Quezada, at (509) 340-7407, if you have any questions or concerns.

Linked Union FRS Ratified June 17, 2026

EvergreenHealth Kirkland Tech - Bargaining Team Pushes Late Into the Night for a Fair Deal

Our Bargaining Team met with management and bargained late into the night with the hope of reaching a tentative agreement. The team worked hard, stayed focused, and made meaningful progress at the table.

Unfortunately, we were unable to close the deal and had to call it a night because we remain too far apart on a few key issues, including callback and wages. These are important priorities for our members, and our Team continues to stand firm for a fair and equitable contract.

“We bargained late and long. We made a lot of progress, but we were unable to close the deal. There are still a few remaining issues where we are too far apart.”

— James Kerr, Bargaining Team Member

What We Are Still Fighting For

Our Team continues to push for improvements that reflect the work Kirkland Tech members do every day, including:

• Fair wages that recognize our skill, experience, and dedication

• Strong callback language that protects members’ time and work-life balance

• A contract that respects the priorities members have raised throughout bargaining

While we are disappointed that we were not able to reach a deal, our Bargaining Team remains committed to getting the strongest agreement possible.

Stay United and Stay Ready

This is the time for members to stay engaged and united. Our strength at the table comes from the support and solidarity of the membership. We will continue to keep members updated as bargaining moves forward.