Covington Medical Center - Memorandum of Understanding Vote Scheduled

“40-Hour” Alternative Work Schedule

This has the potential to allow members to have the option of a flexible workweek schedule. Patient care will still need to be met, and the schedule is available only by mutual agreement.

This is an additional benefit that would be offered in all contracts at Covington Hospital. All changes to existing contracts must be voted on by the affected membership.

The full Memorandum of Understanding will be available at the vote.

Vote Scheduled

• August 21

• 11am - 1pm

• MOB Conference Room 3

You must be a member in good standing to vote.

Please reach out to your Union Rep, Charlie King, at 206-436-6518 with any questions or concerns.

MultiCare Allenmore - A Common Vision

We all want health care workers and patients to have the best possible support. Better recruitment and retention of quality staff, and improved experiences for caregivers and patients, are good for everyone. Allenmore members, joining with thousands of other UFCW 3000 members across MultiCare, can achieve this vision if we come together and stand united around what we agree is needed to improve our workplaces.

Two Steps Toward Progress

Two necessary steps for us to advance our contracts across the MultiCare system are growing our numbers and standing together. Even though bargaining does not begin at Allenmore until next year, the effort to move forward on these two paths is already underway.

Organizing More Workers Into Our Union

• Newly organized members at Capital Medical Center ratified a first contract, and their contract expiration date aligns with the Tech contract.

• Newly organized members at Women’s Clinic are accreting into the current Clinic Contract, and we are bargaining with MultiCare about how these workers will be placed on the wage scale.

• Newly organized workers at Mary Bridge Therapies will begin bargaining for a first contract soon.

If you know of workers at MultiCare who are not yet Union members but are interested in joining UFCW 3000, please contact a UFCW 3000 Union Organizer by calling or texting 206-414-9601.

Building Unity Across All Locations and Contracts

We are in the midst of conducting a MultiCare-wide pre-bargaining survey to identify members’ concerns and hopes for the next round of bargaining in 2027. If you have not yet filled out your survey, now is the time. Your opinions matter.

Complete the survey >>

Solidarity Sticker Up on Tuesday, August 18!

MultiCare is not treating all the members at Women’s Clinic with respect. Disrespecting one is disrespecting all—that is part of what being in a Union is all about. Women’s Clinic workers held a successful sticker action in early August and need broader support.

We are holding a Solidarity Sticker Up at Allenmore on Tuesday, August 18, to show our support for the Women’s Clinic members. Stickers will be distributed that day by workplace leaders and Union Rep Ondrea Shallbetter.

MultiCare Tacoma Women’s Clinic and Urogynecology - Bargaining Update—Taking Action Together to Reject Wage Cuts

Our sticker action was a huge success on August 5!

We will make sure everyone has stickers for the next round on August 19.

In bargaining, management continues to take an anti-union position by proposing to cut the wages of some workers who were hired above scale as we bargain to accrete workers into the MultiCare Clinic contract. Their proposal to place workers on the wage scale based on years of experience is generally good, but we have made it clear that this would result in cuts for some workers, and we are pushing back.

Next Contract Action Meeting

Wednesday, August 19, 2026

6pm

Join Zoom Meeting >>

If you have questions or would like to get more involved, please contact Union Rep Ondrea Shallbetter at (206) 436-6525.

“Equality opens the door, equity makes sure everyone can walk through it.”

— Timeka Gist

Bargaining Team: Violet Barkley, Kristina Matushevskaya, Timeka Gist.

MultiCare Women's Clinic & Urogynecology - Stop the Union Busting—No Wage Cuts at MultiCare!

Management has proposed cutting the wages of some workers who were hired above scale when they are placed into our Union wage scale. While management has proposed placing all workers on the wage scale at a rate of pay that reflects their years of service—which is good—this proposal to cut the wages of some workers is not fair and comes across as Union busting.

We have been working hard to achieve wage placement that creates wage equity without wage cuts. Let’s stand united for wage placements that are fair to everyone.

We are also excited to announce that we are having a Union Visibility Day at MultiCare: August 5th, 2026

Our message is clear:

Stop Union Busting—No Wage Cuts at MultiCare!

For more information, talk to Bargaining Team Members or Union Organizer Ondrea Shallbetter at (360) 409-0337.

Bargaining Team: Kristina Matushevskaya, Timeka Gist, and Violet Barkley.

“No member left behind—because when one of us moves forward, we all move forward together.”

— Timeka Gist

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

MultiCare Covington Service, Tech and RN Bargaining Update

“We may not have it all together but together we can have it all.” - Derek Howard, Engineer
 
We had a lot of productive discussions and the employer agreed to a quick turnaround for a bargaining session next Wednesday, June 3. 

Solidarity Days

Wear your union buttons, stickers and union colors for solidarity with our Bargaining Team on June 2 and June 3.

Make sure you have signed your strike pledge cards >>

Reach out to our union Rep Penny Cramer at 206-436-6559 if you have any questions.

MultiCare Capital Medical Center Professionals - Organizing to Win a Strong First Contract

Our Union Bargaining Team held our 11 and 12 bargaining sessions with MultiCare on May 19 and 26, respectively. On Tuesday afternoon, May 26, after a day of working with management to wrap up remaining issues, it became clear that despite our efforts, the Employer had already made up its mind on certain positions. Not only do these positions differ from what MultiCare has agreed to in the other two Union contracts within Capital Medical Center—but also from the existing UFCW 3000 contracts at Tacoma General, Mary Bridge, Auburn Medical Center, Covington Medical Center, and many more.

MultiCare’s position not only could weaken and undermine us as newly-organized Professionals at Capital Medical Center—but also has implications that could harm unionized workers across Washington State.

In response, our Union has urgently assigned a team of UFCW 3000 staff to reach out to every worker in this bargaining unit to discuss MultiCare’s position and its implications, and ensure that all Professionals at Capital Medical Center and beyond understand the next steps we may need to take.

Be on the lookout—we will be in touch.

In the meantime, attend our Contract Action Team meeting to learn more about ongoing negotiations and strategies to build power to win a strong first Union contract!

Contract Action Team Meeting

Thursday, May 28
7pm - 8pm
Zoom
Meeting ID: 857 7757 1974 / Passcode: 412935
Join Zoom Meeting >>

“There are crucial issues on the table that we have worked diligently to reach an agreement with MultiCare on, and all we have gotten back from the Employer is a continuous digging in of its heels. It feels like it might be time for us all to take a stand. We need to show MultiCare they cannot use us as a precedent, make an example of us, or undermine our Union by treating us differently from the other thousands of workers across Thurston, Pierce, and King Counties.”

Covington Medical Center Service, Technical, and RN - Bargaining Update Session #11, February 26

As we are working to move some clinic workers into the hospital contract, we have had to expand our bargaining to include people who currently fall under the clinic contract. The reason for this move is that several departments are operating under the hospital license, and it was determined they should be under the applicable hospital contract. This is beneficial to all members because we can bargain some of the more favorable terms from the clinic contract into the hospital contracts. We are working diligently to make sure that the affected clinic workers do not lose any rights or benefits by moving contracts, while strengthening the hospital contracts at the same time.

Bargaining on Thursday, February 26 felt productive. We received the Employer's response at 9:35am and worked the rest of the day to come back with responses. As mentioned previously, the clinic contract differs from the hospital contract, and we made sure to capture the terms (including premiums) that we wanted to carry over. At the end of the day, we left everything in their court and are awaiting responses on our next bargaining day: March 13.

It's good to see buttons and stickers popping up everywhere around the hospital! If you don't have yours yet, please see a Bargaining Team member or your Union Rep.

Next Contract Action Team (CAT) Meeting

Thursday, March 19: Three Options

• 6am Zoom

• 11am - 2pm in-person: Conference Room 2 (third floor of the clinic side)

• 6pm Zoom

Come visit with your Rep, Penny, and get updates on how you can support your Bargaining Team and win a fair contract!