Providence Centralia Hospital Technical - Bargaining Update

Providence Centralia Hospital Technical
Bargaining Update

Working to Raise Wages at All Steps

On Thursday, May 8, our union bargaining team met with Providence Centralia management for our third session of contract negotiations. Today marked a notable step forward, as we received the employer’s first counter to our wage and compensation proposal.

We were cautiously optimistic in reviewing management’s response, as their initial proposal similarly addressed a few of the key priorities we’ve raised at the table—most notably, eliminating “ghost steps” on the wage scale, as well as providing an outline for an experience audit process to ensure Technical workers at PCH are paid at the rate which aligns with their years of experience.

But there’s still room for improvement: the employer’s counter showed little movement on premiums—aside from a proposed increase to evening and night shift differentials; rates for standby (on-call), lead and preceptor pay, and weekend shift differentials were proposed at the current rates in our CBA.

In response to the employer’s counter, our team got to work drafting a response of our own—carefully reviewing each job classification’s current pay, comparing these to the rates being earned by healthcare workers at other regional hospitals, and building a strong second proposal on compensation and wage rates. We presented this proposal to management in the afternoon, and in our response highlighted that while we recognize the employer’s movement toward increasing compensation, our position still stands that the high number of vacancies across many of our units proves that stronger action is needed to truly attract and retain technical workers from across the region—management must offer highly competitive compensation to make Providence Centralia the destination caregivers want to commute to—not away from.

Beyond our wage scale, we maintained a proposal to increase various premium rates and included changes to the structure of some existing premiums to incentivize career growth, and reward skill development for workers who hold additional certifications or bachelor’s or master’s degrees.

We’re looking ahead to our next-scheduled bargaining date on May 28 to continue negotiations and working toward a strong contract!

Bargaining Team: Jennifer Frunz, Mammography Technologist; Jennifer Mullins, CT Technologist; Shauna Allen, Pharmacy Tech; Shea Carney, Respiratory Care Practitioner

"Our focus is to win a contract that respects our hard work, addresses staffing, and makes Centralia a place Techs choose to stay!"

— Shea Carney, Respiratory Care Practitioner

Contract Action Team Meeting

May 15
7:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Take Action

• Sign the strike pledge card: We need to show Providence we’re ready to do what it takes to get what we deserve. Sign the strike pledge card >> or ask a fellow member to sign it if they haven’t already.

• Leaders in Action:
  May 31
  10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
  Olympia Labor Council Building
  How to Strike and Win >>

• Step up! We need department leaders to keep members engaged in the fight. Providence United – UFCW 3000 >>

• Organize, organize, organize: Know a worker who wants to join the union? Send them here >>

PRMCE Professionals - Bargaining Update — Wage Scale Overhaul Begins

On Monday, May 5, our union bargaining team representing the Professionals at Providence Everett returned to the table for our fourth session of contract negotiations with management.

Over the past several weeks, we've laid the foundation for these negotiations by presenting strong non-economic proposals focused on safety, equal opportunity, and critical workplace protections. At our most recent session prior to this one—April 8—we began the shift toward economic issues by introducing proposals related to wage premiums and differentials.

This week, we took a major step forward: our team presented Providence with our initial proposal on compensation and wage scales—a key priority for Professional workers across Providence Everett.

From the early stages of this process—dating back to our contract audit on January 8—it's been clear that our wage scale needs serious improvement, and we identified several high priorities:

• "Ghost steps": years of service with no pay increase

• Low progression between steps, often just 1.75% increase for each step

• Overall wage rates that fall below regional standards for comparable Professional roles—and fail to reflect the value of the skilled, life-saving work we do every day

Taking all of this into consideration, we delivered a comprehensive, forward-thinking proposal designed to correct these inequities, which includes:

• Clearer standards for recognizing prior relevant experience, ensuring new hires and current employees are fairly placed on the wage scale

• A restructured wage scale that removes all ghost steps, increases the percentage between steps (so members progress faster), and shortens the overall length of the scale—helping us reach top pay sooner

Management listened to our presentation and took the proposal under review. While they have not yet offered counters, we made it clear that our approach is both transparent and data-driven. We walked through the rationale behind each of our structural changes, because we believe there should be no mystery in our demands: we are calling for fair compensation.

Contract Action Team Meeting

May 14
6:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Teamsters Local 38 Union Hall

• 2601 Everett Ave

• Everett, WA 98201

"We are proud of the work we did to build a strong, evidence-based proposal. We feel like it represents the priorities of our coworkers, and the reality that our pay here is just too low... we're looking forward to keeping up the conversation and ensuring that we earn what we deserve!"

— Taylor Widener, Dietitian

Your bargaining team:

• Taylor Widener, Senior Dietitian

• Holly Gramse, Physical Therapist

• Sara Dillon, Senior Discharge Planner (Case Manager)

Take Action

• Sign the strike pledge card: Show Providence we're ready to do what it takes to get what we deserve. Sign the strike pledge card or ask a fellow member to sign it if they haven't already.

• Leaders in Action: "How to Strike and Win"
  May 31
  10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
  Labor Temple
  Register here

• Step up! We need department leaders to keep members engaged in the fight >>

• Organize: Know a worker who wants to join a union? Send them here >>

• Update your contact information: Click here >>

PRMCE Technical - Bargaining Begins!

On Wednesday, April 30, our union bargaining team representing the technical workers at Providence Regional Medical Center Everett (PRMCE) met with management for the first session of contract negotiations for the 2025 bargaining cycle.

To prepare for our first day, our team held a planning session on April 21 to review feedback from bargaining surveys submitted by our union siblings, and we used this input to conduct a comprehensive audit of our current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and identify areas for improvement. In addition, we've been collaborating closely with our coalition partners—SEIU 1199NW and WSNA—to research strong contract standards for healthcare workers both regionally and nationally. All of this groundwork has helped shape the proposals we're bringing to the table.

For this first session, we opened with proposals focused on several key non-economic articles—contract provisions that don't directly impact wages or benefits but are essential to protecting and improving our working conditions. Our initial proposals included:

• Free on-site parking for PRMCE employees.

• Priority access to extra shifts for bargaining unit members—before those shifts are offered to travelers or agency staff.

• Stronger workplace safety protections, including comprehensive proposals to prevent and respond to incidents of workplace violence.

Later that afternoon, the employer responded to our opening proposals, and we engaged in a productive dialogue around the priorities we brought forward. While no tentative agreements were reached on day one, the conversation marked a constructive start, and we are already working on thoughtful responses to management's counterproposals.

As we continue preparing for upcoming sessions, our team also spent time reviewing union contracts at neighboring hospitals to inform our upcoming economic proposals—including competitive wage scales, shift differentials, and premiums that reflect the value and skill of technical workers in our region.

"We're looking forward to returning to the bargaining table soon to continue this work. Our goal is clear: secure a stronger contract that delivers real improvements in pay, protections, and working conditions for the dedicated technical workers at Prov Everett!"

— Cris Cassady, IR Technologist

Your bargaining team:

• Maria Goodall, Vascular Technologist

• Cris Cassady, IR Technologist

• Terryl Smith, Pharmacy Technician

• Noah Holland, Sr. Surgical Tech

• Darryl Keffer, Respiratory Care Practitioner

• Rodney Powers, Radiology Technologist

Contract Action Team (CAT) Meeting

May 14
6:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Teamsters Local 38 Union Hall

• 2601 Everett Ave

• Everett, WA 98201

Sign the strike pledge card: We need to show Providence we're ready to do what it takes to get what we deserve. Sign the strike pledge card or ask a fellow member to sign it if they haven't already.

Leaders in Action:
May 31
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Labor Temple
"How to Strike and Win"
Event details

Step up! We need department leaders to keep members engaged in the fight.

Organize, organize, organize: Know a worker who wants to join a union? Send them here.

Help Support Our Striking Union Allies by Donating to Their Strike & Defense Funds

Right now, nurses with Providence in Oregon and grocery workers with Kroger-owned King Soopers in Colorado are on strike for better staffing and safer workplaces. Join us and contribute to their strike and defense funds by using the links below. Donations help provide supplies like food, hot beverages, warm clothing, childcare, signs, and other needs as workers battle the cold rains in the PNW and the freezing temperatures in the Denver area. Their fight is our fight—and when we fight, we win!