On Wednesday, September 11 our Union RN bargaining team & RN Case Manager bargaining team met with MultiCare to continue negotiations on our successor CBA, & to introduce the Case Manager RNs into our union!
Read MoreWe had aimed to present our proposals up front hoping that it may inspire Management to do the same; the sooner we get to a final tentative agreement, the sooner we get the union protections, premiums, and wages we negotiate! Not to mention this expedites the Case Manager RNs transition from being non-union, to being official union members!
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“Disappointed, but not surprised- now it’s time to take collective action.” -Brent
After more than ten months of negotiations, the patience of our Bargaining Team with MultiCare is wearing thin. While we have come to negotiations ready to work hard and fight for a contract that supports all of us, it increasingly feels that the Employer may not be matching our commitment. August 21 marks the third consecutive session with Management where we have left feeling that despite our earnest efforts and the tough decisions we’ve faced, MultiCare has come unprepared to make tough decisions themselves.
We know that as dedicated hospital workers, our years of experience make us the most valuable asset that MultiCare has, and while we recognize that progress is being made on wages and credit for experience—numerous delays and proposed wage take-aways have us feeling like our work at the bargaining table is not enough to push our Employer to finalizing our first union contract.
We can no longer allow MultiCare’s delays to hold us back from getting the wages and union benefits we deserve. Now is the time to show-off our collective power and make MultiCare hear our voices!
All Union Professionals need to stand together and fight for a strong first contract! Signing-up helps our Bargaining Team get updates and details out as early as possible. Talk to your coworkers! https://www.mobilize.us/ufcw3000/event/668217/
*If your collective bargaining agreements do not permit joining our informational picket while your contract is in effect, You can support our Professional co-workers by wearing union swag and showing solidarity in the workplace!
RSVP here to work together before our informational picket to build signs, build solidarity, and get ready to rally! https://www.mobilize.us/ufcw3000/event/674068/
Please reach out to your union representative Ian Jacobson with any questions at 206-436-6550
Our Auburn Medical Center Professionals union Bargaining Team met with Management on Friday, August 2, ready to work hard, and get to an agreement on strong first union contract with MultiCare.
Read MoreOn Tuesday, July 30 MultiCare Auburn Medical Center registered nurses kicked-off union contract negotiations with MultiCare. We’re feeling energized and ready to keep the momentum going; recognizing wins achieved by our union siblings in other contract negotiations at MultiCare recently.
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Our Union Bargaining Team (L-R): Marci Pindi. Social Worker; Ramona Strassburg,Mental Health Technician; (Not Pictured: Brent Kirshenbaum,Pharmacist)
“It was a nice change to be able to pass proposals back & forth today, it felt productive! However- I didn’t like hearing that they’re not planning to move much on their wage proposal…” —Marci Pindi, Social Worker, Bargaining Team member
Our Bargaining Team met with MultiCare Management on May 8, to continue negotiations on our first Union Contract.
Throughout this process, we have felt increasingly frustrated about Management’s approach to working towards a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with us; for the most part, rejecting our proposals time and time again, or holding their position with little to no change for weeks (or even months) at a time.
While we’re not sure we can confidently say that this pattern has changed entirely, we are feeling very positive about the work achieved at the bargaining table on May 8. We’ve come to agreements with Management on some issues like shift differentials (evening & nights), the minimum guaranteed hours we’re paid when we’re called into work (On-Call), and memorializing our participation in the MHS Gainsharing Plan.
This progress is encouraging, but we still have a fight ahead of us on some of our highest priorities, considering management confirmed that they have not increased their wage scale proposal at all.
Are MultiCare feeling the pressure? We think so! However, we need to stand together now more than ever to make sure management understand that our wages need to reflect the life-saving care we provide every day.
Join our next Contract Action Team meeting:
Thursday, May 16 @ 11:30am—12:30pm
MultiCare Auburn Medical Center, Cascade Training Room
On Wednesday, April 10, your bargaining team met with MultiCare to continue negotiations on our first union contract. After nine suspenseful weeks of awaiting management’s response to our wage proposal—we finally have it in hand!
However, the suspense isn’t over yet. We did extensive market research and proposed wages, premiums, and differentials that we believe match the rates of some of the highest paid union professionals in the region, because we know MultiCare has aspirations to be the premier healthcare provider in the region!
But these aspirations don't seem to extend to the compensation we earn for the care we provide.
Even after just a quick review of their proposal, we were frustrated to see that the wage rates offered at the top end of their proposal are what some of our current coworkers are already being paid!
Furthermore, our proposal contained language which would honor existing employees' years of experience in our positions and compensate us accordingly. This recognition was unfortunately nowhere to be found in MultiCare's counter.
"We waited nine weeks to receive a proposal on wages, only to be disappointed by MultiCare's counter, which appears to only offer small increases to many of us!"
—Brent Kirshenbaum, Pharmacist, Bargaining Team Member
Join our upcoming Contract Action Team meetings to get details about our ongoing bargain, the proposal we got from management, and some events for MultiCare workers to make this an action-packed spring!
CONTRACT ACTION TEAM MEETINGS:
Thursday, April 18
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Cascade Training Room
Thursday, May 16
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Cascade Training Room
Mark your calendar and join UFCW members from Auburn Medical Center, Tacoma General, Allenmore, and many more for a spring kick-off with Union Family Day for MultiCare Workers.
Saturday, May 4
11 AM - 2 PM
IBEW Local 76 Hall
3049 S 36th St
Tacoma, WA 98409
BARGAINING TEAM: Brent Kirshenbaum, Pharmacy; Ramona Strassburg, Psychiatry Adult; Marci Pindi, Social Work
Our Bargaining Team met with MultiCare on March 7 to continue negotiations on our first Union contract.
While we did get responses back from MultiCare on some outstanding articles regarding our working conditions - like scheduling and FTE concerns, required health exams, and where members of our union can address staffing concerns, we received a similar response to MultiCare on our insurance benefits to what appears to be MultiCare’s current approach to insurance benefits - in short - rejecting the proposal almost in its entirety.
Furthermore, we are still awaiting a formal response to many of our other economic proposals: i.e; our wages!
We’re eager to see what MultiCare comes to the table with at our next bargaining session, which is scheduled for Wednesday, March 20.
“So many of my coworkers came to me with frustrations on our benefits… and MultiCare came back and just dismissed all of them.” —Brent Kirshenbaum, Pharmacy, Bargaining Team member
Our Bargaining Team: Pharmacist Brent Kirshenbaum, Social Worker Marci Pindi (standing in), and Mental Health Technician Ramona Strassburg
"We are excited to enter the next chapter of bargaining, as we have proposed all contact articles to MultiCare Management.” —Brent Kirshenbaum, Pharmacy
Our Bargaining Team has proposed all articles of contract language to the Employer, with the most recent including:
Improved healthcare benefits
Maintaining salaried positions for Social Workers
We ended our last bargaining session in February early in the day, as we continue to wait for MultiCare’s response to our wage proposal.
Our Bargaining Team is working diligently on your behalf and will continue to focus on securing the best contact possible including economics. Other bargaining dates that have been confirmed include March 7, 20, April 4 and 20; we will be requesting additional future bargaining dates from the Employer if necessary.
Throughout this negotiation process, we are committed to keeping you informed and engaged. We will schedule regular bargaining update meetings.
Thursday, March 21 @ 11am—1pm
Cascade Training Room
Engagement and involvement in this process are vital. Stay informed and stand together as a union demonstrates our collective strength. Our unified efforts and voices have the power to shape the future of MultiCare Auburn Medical Center.
Questions? Contact Union Rep Ian Jacobson @ 360-409-0587.
BARGAINING TEAM: Pharmacist Brent Kirshenbaum, Social Worker Marci Pindi (standing in), and Mental Health Technician Ramona Strassburg
"While there's been some progress in negotiations, there's deep concern over Management's proposals to strip away existing benefits. Furthermore, it's troubling that Management is insisting bargaining committee members use their PTO for negotiations, a departure from the norm observed at other MultiCare bargaining tables." – Ramona Strassburg, Mental Health Technician.
Our Bargaining Team continues to negotiate with MultiCare Management and is pushing to hold on to existing benefits while securing union standards and improved working conditions. At this point:
MultiCare is holding on their proposal to take away of pay in lieu of benefits Employees who opt out of healthcare and PTO.
Management is not agreeable to our proposal to cover employment required vaccinations and testing for confirmed work exposures to TB and COVID - 19.
MultiCare is not agreeable to any proposal outlining a fair process for FTE reduction.
MultiCare Management has proposed to reduce PTO accrual rates for all salaried Employees.
MultiCare’s last proposal on February 7 included NO MOVEMENT on their prior proposal showing that they are not unwilling to compromise on many important issues.
Our Bargaining Team is working hard on behalf of coworkers and will continue to focus on the above issues as well as proposed economics. Other bargaining dates that have been confirmed include February 14; we will be requesting additional future bargaining dates from the Employer.
Being informed and standing together as a union demonstrates our collective strength. Our unified efforts and voices have the power to shape the future of MultiCare Auburn Medical Center.
Questions? Contact Union Rep Ian Jacobson at 360-409-0587.
After over a month of pushing MultiCare for dates, our Union Negotiating Committee has confirmed this Thursday, February 8 as our first bargaining date with the employer. We have also confirmed the following dates for negotiations:
Due to the employer’s delay, we are unlikely to reach an agreement before our contract expires at the end of this month. However, we will work with MultiCare to sign a contract extension to ensure that all provisions of our contract remain in place after scheduled expiration.
UFCW 3000 members in the new Auburn Medical Center (AMC) Professional unit already started negotiations a few months ago for their very first contract. Their negotiations have foreshadowed what we can expect with MultiCare, with management telling the AMC Professional Negotiating Committee that they plan to propose similar takeaways when they get to the table with our committee.
Specifically, MultiCare has already signaled their intentions to propose the removal of pay in lieu of benefits, a reduction in Union Representatives’ access to our workplace, and the potential elimination of consecutive weekend pay.
Our Union Negotiating Committee is preparing for what could be a difficult fight with MultiCare, and the best way you can help is to join regular Contract Action Team (CAT) meetings. CAT meetings bring together workplace leaders for in-depth discussions about negotiations and strategic planning to secure a fair contract.
BARGAINING TEAM: Pharmacist Brent Kirshenbaum, Social Worker Marci Pindi (standing in), and Mental Health Technician Ramona Strassburg
Our Bargaining Team has met with MultiCare Management since the new year started, and talks have mostly been productive.
MultiCare Management has been agreeable to copy much of the language from the Tacoma General’s Professional contract.
However, a fight is brewing on economics with the Employer already proposing to take away pay in lieu of benefits and consecutive weekend pay - both of which are guaranteed in other UFCW contracts.
MultiCare is also threatening to convert all Employees to hourly. While that works for some, it doesn’t for other positions, so our Bargaining Team is proposing to maintain a salary option in some classifications.
Our Bargaining Team is working hard and will continue to focus on the above issues. Other bargaining dates have been confirmed for January 31, February 7 and 14; we will be requesting additional future bargaining dates from the Employer. We are committed to keeping everyone informed and engaged and will schedule regular bargaining update meetings.
Engagement and involvement in this process are vital. Staying informed and standing together as a union demonstrates our collective strength. It’s important to remember that our unified efforts and voices have the power to shape the future of MultiCare Auburn Medical Center.
QUESTIONS? Contact Union Rep Ian Jacobson @ (360) 409-0587.
BARGAINING TEAM: Pharmacist Brent Kirshenbaum, Social Worker Marci Pindi (standing in), and Mental Health Technician Sandra Williams
Our Union Bargaining team has met will MultiCare a few times and exchanged proposals. Through commitment to the process and advocacy for coworkers, we have made some progress.
Contract Language that has been tentatively agreed to include:
Status Review: A process for part-time Employees to have a review of their FTE if continuously working over their assigned FTE
Evaluations: Requiring the Employer to maintain a system which provides for Employee evaluations on a probationary and annual basis
Recall: A process the Employer must follow to reinstate any Employee who has been laid off
Nondiscrimination: The absence or avoidance of discrimination, officially affirming a federal government policy of nondiscrimination in employment
Proposals we are still working on are:
Staffing: Working to address critical issues related to staffing levels, workload, and patient care
Floating: Establishing fair guidelines and restrictions for floating to other facilities
Preceptor: Clarifying the role and responsibilities of preceptors within our workplace along with a market competitive premium
Labor Management Committee (LMC): Establishing a committee to give workers a voice after contract negotiations is over.
Our Bargaining Team is working on other issues and will continue to focus on the above topics, as we reserve most economics proposals for later in the process. Other bargaining dates that have been confirmed include January 19, 24, 31, February 7 and 14; we will be requesting additional future bargaining dates from the Employer.
Throughout this negotiation process, we are committed to keeping everyone informed and engaged. We will schedule regular bargaining update meetings and disseminate important communications through multiple channels, including text and email.
Staying informed and standing together as a union demonstrates our collective strength. It's important to remember that your unified efforts and voices have the power to shape the future of MultiCare Auburn Medical Center.
QUESTIONS? Contact Union Rep Ian Jacobson @ 206-436-6550.
Bargaining Team: Pharmacist Brent Kirshenbaum, Social Worker Brittany Owen, and Mental Health Technician Ramona Strassburg (stand-in)
“I am excited about being a part of the bargaining process and to advocate for my fellow healthcare professionals.”
—Brittany Owen, Social Worker
Your Union Bargaining Team has met with MultiCare a few times and exchanged proposals. Through their commitment to the process and advocacy for their coworkers, we have made some progress.
Contract language that has been tentatively agreed to include:
Status Review: a process for part-time employees to have a review of their FTE if continuously working over their assigned FTE.
Evaluations: requiring the employer to maintain a system which provides for employee evaluations on a probationary and annual basis.
Recall: a process the employer must follow to reinstate any employee who has been laid off.
Nondiscrimination: the absence or avoidance of discrimination, officially affirming a federal government policy of nondiscrimination in employment.
Important proposals we are still working on are:
Staffing: working to address critical issues related to staffing levels, workload, and patient care.
Floating: establishing fair guidelines and restrictions for floating to other facilities.
Preceptor: clarifying the role and responsibilities of preceptors within our workplace along with a market competitive premium.
Labor Management Committee: establishing a committee to give workers a voice after contract negotiations are over.
Our Bargaining Team is working on other issues and will continue to focus on the above issues as we reserve most economic proposals for later in the process. Other bargaining dates that have been confirmed include November 2 and 9; we will be requesting additional future bargaining dates from Management.
Throughout this negotiation process, we are committed to keeping you informed and engaged. We will schedule regular bargaining update meetings and disseminate important communications through multiple channels, including text and email.
Your engagement and involvement in this process are vital. Staying informed and standing together as a union demonstrates your collective strength. It’s important to remember that your unified efforts and voices have the power to shape the future of MultiCare Auburn Medical Center.
If you have any questions, concerns, or would like to discuss the negotiations further, please do not hesitate to reach out to your dedicated Union Representative Ian Jacobson at 206-436-6550.
BARGAINING TEAM: Pharmacist Brent Kirshenbaum, Social Worker Brittany Owen, and Mental Health Technician Sandra Williams
Our Union Bargaining team is excited to announce that negotiations with MultiCare begin tomorrow, October 19, for the first Professional contract at Auburn Medical Center! Our team has already met to review the issues and have drafted our initial proposal to present to the Employer.
Key points in the proposal include:
Union Recognition with Successor Language: Ensuring a strong Union and ensuring our recognition remains intact in the event of an unlikely sale of AMC
Preceptor: Clarifying the role and responsibilities of preceptors within our workplace along with a market competitive premium
Staffing: Working to address critical issues related to staffing levels, workload, and patient care
Floating: Establishing fair guidelines and restrictions for floating to other facilities
Seniority: Safeguarding the principles of seniority in employment decisions such as layoff, rebids, promotions, scheduling, and much more
Grievance Procedure: Defining a clear, fair, and effective process for addressing violations of our contract
Labor Management Committee: Establishing a committee to give workers a voice after contract negotiations are over.
Our Bargaining Team is working on other issues, but our initial proposal will focus on the above issues as we reserve most economics proposals for later in the process. Other bargaining dates that have been confirmed include October 19, 26, 27, November 2 and 9.
Throughout this negotiation process, we are committed to keeping you informed and engaged. We will schedule regular bargaining update meetings and disseminate important communications through multiple channels, including text and email.
Engagement and involvement in this process are vital. Staying informed and standing together as a union demonstrates your collective strength. It's important to remember that your unified efforts and voices have the power to shape the future of MultiCare Auburn Medical Center.
If you have any questions, concerns, or would like to discuss the negotiations further, please reach out to Union Rep Ian Jacobson @ 206-436-6550.
Bargaining Team: Cory Larsen, Caroline Bellinger, Kathleen Vukelich
We’re excited to announce that Nurses at Auburn Medical Center overwhelming voted to ratify their new contract yesterday! As a reminder, our new contract includes:
Unprecedented wage increases, giving Auburn Medical Center one of the highest RN wage scales in Washington State. Includes full retro pay back to August 15, 2021!
Some of the highest premiums in the region with increases to shift differential, standby pay, weekend premium, charge nurse pay, preceptor pay, and float pay.
Maintained annual bonuses for members at the top of the wage scale.
New language that forbids the Employer from forcing nurses to float to other hospitals,
Improved charge nurse language allowing nurses to object to the assignment,
And so much more!
If you have questions about your new contract, please reach out to a workplace steward or contact Union Rep Kent Tse at (206) 436-6512.
Your Bargaining Team has reached a tentative agreement with management on a new three-year collective bargaining agreement for Registered Nurses at Auburn Medical Center. We are very excited to tell you that this agreement includes the following:
UNPRECEDENTED WAGE INCREASES that would give Auburn Medical Center one of the highest RN wage scales in King County.
INCLUDES FULL RETRO PAY BACK TO AUGUST 15, 2021!
SOME OF THE HIGHEST PREMIUMS IN THE REGION! Increases to shift differential, standby pay, weekend premium, charge nurse pay, preceptor pay, and float pay.
Maintained annual bonuses for members at the top of the wage scale.
New language that forbids the employer from forcing nurses to float to other hospitals,
Improved charge nurse language allowing nurses to object to the assignment,
No health care premium increases next year with caps in subsequent years,
Permanently added the Spot Bonus Incentive plan into our contract,
And so much more!
The full details of the offer will be made available during our online vote meeting on October 25.
Auburn Medical Center (RN) Online Meeting
Monday, October 25
6:00PM
Contact your Bargaining Team or Union Rep for call-in details. Details will be also emailed out.
It’s extremely important that members attend the zoom meeting to get a full understanding of the employer’s offer and have your questions answered. However, voting will not take place at this meeting.
We will be voting online via “SimplyVoting” on Tuesday, October 26 from 6:00AM to 8:00PM. You will be receiving an email from UFCW 21 via “SimplyVoting” with your unique login information.
In order to vote, everyone needs to make sure their personal email is up to date in our records. If you did not receive this announcement via email, please visit ufcw21.org/update-your-information and update your information. If you do not receive an email to vote on Tuesday October 26, then please reach out to Union Representative Kent Tse at ktse@ufcw21.org no later than 5PM on the day of the vote to provide an updated email address.
We’ve been negotiating with MultiCare for a few months and, while significant progress has been made, we remain apart on many items.
The major problem we’re facing is that MultiCare is trying to copy and paste the agreements we’ve recently won at their Pierce County facilities, unwilling to agree to anything different. Auburn Medical Center is a unique facility with different issues, and most importantly, in a different labor market.
Please sign our petition demanding that Management recognizes that Auburn Medical Center nurses deserve more than a copy and paste agreement! Demanding that Management offer an economic package that will attract and retain nurses in King County not only today, but for the entire duration of our contract.
Survey Link: bit.ly/MC-Staffing21
You’re Invited! Please join us for our next Contract Action Team (CAT) meeting to hear the latest from your bargaining team.
MHS Auburn Medical Center CAT Meeting
Wednesday, October 6 @ 6:30 PM
Contact your Bargaining Team or Union Rep for Zoom details
Bargaining Team: Cory Larsen, Kathleen Vukelich, Caroline Bellinger
We met with the Employer again on September 14, and it was one of the more productive days of negotiations thus far. After expressing our frustration with Management’s constant delays, we’re pleased to report that they were ready to accept the Union’s proposal first thing in the morning.
In our proposal, we continued to push the narrative that our new contract should include a wage scale that is not only competitive today but will remain so for the entire three-year duration of the agreement. Nurses are being worked to the point of burnout because of the staffing crisis and our wage proposal would make it easier for the Employer to hire and retain staff, providing much needed relief.
We’ve also held firm on our demand that members receive some form of compensation as a result of the delays caused by Management. Our contract was originally scheduled to expire last month, which is when we should have received our wage increases. Therefore, each day that passes without an agreement is more money the Employer is pocketing that should have been added to our wages.
Your Bargaining Team will meet with Management again on Wednesday, September 22.
Join the Bargaining Team at our next virtual Contract Action Team (CAT) meeting on Monday, October 6 @ 6:30 PM to hear the latest from negotiations, have your questions answered, and learn how you can help us win a fair contract! Contact your Bargaining Team or Union Rep for Zoom details. The direct link to join will also be emailed.
We are the Union. The members of UFCW 3000 are over 50,000 members working in grocery, retail, health care, meat packing, cannabis, & other industries across Washington state, north-east Oregon, and northern Idaho. UFCW 3000 is a chartered member of UFCW International with over 1.4 million workers in North America.
To build a powerful Union that fights for economic, political and social justice in our workplaces and in our communities.
