Summit Pacific Medical Center RNs Contract Ratified!
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We are happy to announce that our RN contract was ratified on Monday December 16, 2024.
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Summit Pacific Medical Center RN Tentative Agreement Reached! Contract Vote Scheduled
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Our Union Bargaining Team is excited to announce that after several months we have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract for Nurses!
Read MoreSummit Pacific Medical Center - Bargaining Update
/Our Bargaining Team is working hard to make sure that everyone has competitive wages and a fair and equitable place to work!
We have provided Summit with wage charts from many other area hospitals and clinics. We have discussed the cost of living and how competitive pay is for jobs in the area. Management has said they are listening and understand how recruitment and retention works. Our last bargaining session, management came to bargaining and told us why competitive wages are important to Summit's success.
WE AGREE! It's what we have been saying all along.
We all need to make enough money to pay bills and support our families.
Summit will be expanding soon and we know this means better service to our community. Management needs to understand that we are part of this community and we need to be paid fair wages.
OK Summit Management, it's time to put money in people's pockets.
Our next bargaining session is Friday, November 8.We hope that management will be ready for us.
Bargaining Team:Kimberly Starkweather, Allison Felder, Monica Ortiz, Barb Ford, Judea Prouty, Kurt Phillips.
To update your contact information:
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Summit Pacific Medical Center - Bargaining Update
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We have been bargaining for several weeks. Summit management has been receptive to our proposals, but we have not reached agreement on wages and other economics. We have reviewed the wages of several local hospitals with management to show them how much workers need to be paid for Summit to be competitive. We have discussed the high cost of living and management is speculating that the cost of living will level out. Although they have acknowledged what other employers are paying for the same jobs, management has not committed to paying competitive wages at Summit. We are continuing to advocate for wages that will be competitive and sustainable.
Our next bargaining session is scheduled for September 9.
For more information contact a member of our Bargaining Team: Kim Starkweather Patient Coordinator, Allison Felder RN ED, Monica Ortiz RN ACU, Barb Ford ED Tech, Judea Prouty Medical Assistant, McCleary Clinic, Kurt E Phillips Lead Building Engineer.
Union Representatives: Kiambo White (206) 436-6515, Madison Derksema (206) 436-6603
"Management is hearing our concerns and has been somewhat responsive."
— Barb Ford
"We are collaborating and hope to come to agreement soon."
— Kimberly Starkweather
Summit Pacific Medical Center - Bargaining Update
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Our bargaining Team met with SPMC management Friday and received their initial economic proposal. The proposal included increases to wages, premiums and differentials.
Management provided lists of the wages paid at neighboring hospitals and clinics and made a proposal to try to bring us closer to those facilities. The data they provided did not include wages from contracts that have been recently ratified.
We are reviewing the accuracy and effective dates of the wage scales that SPMC used for their comparisons, to figure out how they determined the proposed increases. Our bargaining team questioned management about the accuracy of their information and management seemed interested in making sure the data they are using is up-to-date.
We are working on a counter proposal and will present our data on wages and other compensation.
It is important that SPMC fully understands our goals for this contract. We need to be competitive to retain current employees and recruit new ones.
Next bargaining dates: August 12 and 19.
For more information contact a member of our Bargaining Team: Kim Starkweather Patient Coordinator, Allison Felder RN ED, Monica Ortiz RN ACU, Barb Ford ED Tech, Judea Prouty Medical Assistant, McCleary Clinic, Kurt E Phillips Lead Building Engineer.
Union Representatives:
Kiambo White (206) 436-6515
Madison Derksema (206) 436-6603
"Management is being very receptive and open to feedback."
"They're willing to meet us and are looking at data that shows them where we need to be."
Management provided lists of the wages paid at neighboring hospitals and clinics and made a proposal to try to bring us closer to those facilities. The data they provided did not include wages from contracts that have been recently ratified.
We are reviewing the accuracy and effective dates of the wage scales that SPMC used for their comparisons, to figure out how they determined the proposed increases. Our bargaining team questioned management about the accuracy of their information and management seemed interested in making sure the data they are using is up-to-date.
We are working on a counter proposal and will present our data on wages and other compensation.
It is important that SPMC fully understands our goals for this contract. We need to be competitive to retain current employees and recruit new ones.
Next bargaining dates: August 12 and 19.
For more information contact a member of our Bargaining Team: Kim Starkweather Patient Coordinator, Allison Felder RN ED, Monica Ortiz RN ACU, Barb Ford ED Tech, Judea Prouty Medical Assistant, McCleary Clinic, Kurt E Phillips Lead Building Engineer.
Union Representatives:
Kiambo White (206) 436-6515
Madison Derksema (206) 436-6603
"Management is being very receptive and open to feedback."
— Judea Prouty, MA, McCleary Clinic
"They're willing to meet us and are looking at data that shows them where we need to be."
— Monica Ortiz, RN
Summit Pacific Medical Center Tech, Service and RN
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We have made additional proposals on equity, wages, PTO, premiums, differentials, incentive pay, holiday work, scheduling, staffing, and more. Our Bargaining Team members are waiting for Management’s response and hope that they will see that it is critical that we have sustainable living-wage jobs. Management needs to recognize the hard work that we do and the challenges we face on a daily basis. We are essential to the success of Summit and our community.
Read MoreSummit Pacific Medical Center - Bargaining Update
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Our Union Bargaining team met with management and gave them a powerful message that we all need to feel valued at work. Strong equity language has been proposed for the contract. Management needs to understand that we are important to the success of the organization. Everyone needs to feel physically and emotionally safe at work. We made proposals that allow workers to bring concerns to management without fear of retaliation. We have heard that often one-on-one meetings with management feel unfair, so we are making proposals towards a more collaborative process.
The cost of living has gone up significantly, and Summit needs to keep up with other local hospitals. We have assessed the competition and are getting ready to give economic proposals to management during upcoming bargaining sessions.
Our next bargaining session is Friday, July 12.
For more information, contact a member of our Bargaining Team:
Monica Ortiz, RN ACU
Allison Felder, RN ED
Kim Starkweather, Patient Coordinator
Barb Ford, ED Tech
Judea Prouty, Medical Assistant, McCleary Clinic
Kurt E. Phillips, Lead Building Engineer
The cost of living has gone up significantly, and Summit needs to keep up with other local hospitals. We have assessed the competition and are getting ready to give economic proposals to management during upcoming bargaining sessions.
Our next bargaining session is Friday, July 12.
For more information, contact a member of our Bargaining Team:
Summit Pacific Ratifies First Contract
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On Thursday, we ratified our first contract with UFCW 21! It was great to see our coworkers turn out to support this first contract that guarantees wage increases and other economic improvements. More importantly, we now have the protection of a union contract and can hold management accountable.
The Bargaining Team and your Union Rep have paper copies of the contract and wage scales if you were unable to make it to the vote.
Fill out your Membership Application
Join our Union by filling out your membership application! join.ufcw.org/join/21
Thanks you for all your support through this process!
Your Bargaining Team: Angi Swinhart, Barbara Ford, Jessee Bednarik, Michael Granstrom
Summit Pacific Medical Center - Vote Date and Time Scheduled— Bargaining Team Unanimously Recommends a YES Vote!
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After close to a year of bargaining, we have finally reached a recommended tentative agreement on a contract with UFCW21. Thank you for all of your support throughout this process. All that remains is the final step of voting.
Come vote for your contract!
Thursday, June 10
10 AM - 12 PM
2 PM - 4 PM
5 PM - 7 PM
Elma Grange 26
401 W Waldrip St
Elma, WA 98541
These are drop-in times when voting will be open. You will have the opportunity to review the full document when you come to vote. We will have COVID safety precautions in place to make sure we all stay safe while voting in person.
For our first contract (3 year duration) we won:
Respectful wage increases each year of the contract
Increases to many premiums, and new premiums for some job classifications
Just Cause and a fair grievance procedure to handle contract disputes
Creation of a Labor Management Committee to address ongoing issues in between bargaining cycles
Clear, enforceable definitions of practices for seniority, pay, scheduling, hours, leaves, and more
The right to join and participate in your union free from retaliation
Details of the agreement will be available from your bargaining team members as we finalize our documents. The full document will be available at the vote.
Your Bargaining Team: Angi Swinhart, Barbara Ford, Jessee Bednarik, Michael Granstrom
Summit Pacific Medical Center - Tentative Agreement Reached—Bargaining Team Unanimously Recommends a YES Vote!
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After close to a year of bargaining, we have finally reached a recommended tentative agreement on a contract with UFCW21. Thank you for all of your support throughout this process. All that remains is the final step of voting.
For our first contract (3 year duration) we won:
Respectful wage increases each year of the contract
Increases to many premiums, and new premiums for some job classifications
Just Cause and a fair grievance procedure to handle contract disputes
Creation of a Labor Management Committee to address ongoing issues in between bargaining cycles
Clear, enforceable definitions of practices for seniority, pay, scheduling, hours, leaves, and more
The right to join and participate in your union free from retaliation
Details of the agreement will be available as we finalize our documents. A vote announcement with details of time, date, and location will also be out soon via email and on our website, www.ufcw21.org.
Your Bargaining Team: Angi Swinhart, Barbara Ford, Jessee Bednarik, Michael Granstrom
Summit Pacific Medical Center - Getting Closer!
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Our Bargaining Team met with Management Wednesday and bargained into the night. We were able to make a lot of headway on our outstanding issues. Just a few issues remain including:
Daily Overtime
Unpaid time off in certain circumstances
Grievance and arbitration process to handle contract violations
We were ready and willing to come to an agreement Wednesday night, but Management has said that they need to review our proposals further. We are eagerly awaiting a response from them so that we can move to voting on a fair contract for workers.
Your Bargaining Team: Angi Swinhart, Barbara Ford, Jessee Bednarik, Michael Granstrom
Summit Pacific Medical Center - Progress with Meditation but Major Issues Still on the Table
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We had another productive mediation session on Wednesday where we were able to narrow down our economic package. However, management still has some proposals on the table that we don’t agree with:
» Denying longevity increase if you have received discipline in the last year
» Limiting the cases we can take to arbitration to only terminations
» Overreaching management rights clause
These topics are critical to a fair union contract. We are working to schedule our next mediation session to hear a response from management.
YOUR BARGAINING TEAM: Angi Swinhart, Barbara Ford, Jessee Bednarik, Michael Granstrom
Summit Pacific Medical Center - Progress with Mediation
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We had our first mediation Friday with Management and a PERC mediator. We were able to have good discussions and come to agreement on some outstanding non-economic issues. We reached tentative agreements on:
Feedback (Evaluations)
Union Bulletin Boards
Job Postings
Introductory Employee (Probation Period)
Department Orientation
There’s still a lot of hard work ahead. We have not yet discussed economics with the mediator, and we are still awaiting Management’s response to our last economic proposals. Our next mediation date is March 24.
“It’s good to see progress with the mediator. Now we can really focus in on our economic issues and win a fair contract.”
—Your Bargaining Team
Your Bargaining Team: Angi Swinhart, Barbara Ford, Jessee Bednarik, Michael Granstrom
Hear more about how mediation went at our Contract Action Meeting this Thursday @ 7PM!
Thursday, March 18
7:00 PM
Summit Pacific Medical Center - RSVP to a Contract Action Meeting
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Join our Bargaining Team at a Contract Action Meeting on Thursday, March 18 @ 7 PM to hear the latest bargaining update and how we can support our fight for a fair contract.
RSVP for the Zoom information
Thursday, March 18
7 PM
Contact your Bargaining Team or Union Rep for call-in details. Details will be also emailed out.
Click HERE for the CAT Meeting RSVP
Our Bargaining Team:
Angi Swinhart- RN, Clinic; Barbara Ford- ED, HUC; Alicia Wood- RN, ED; Jessee Bednarik, RN, ED; Michael Granstrom, ED Tech
Summit Pacific Medical Center - Mediation Dates Scheduled
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We have scheduled dates for mediation to continue our negotiations. We will be meeting with Management and a mediator on March 12 and March 24. The mediator can help us come to resolution, but their recommendations are non-binding. We will still get to vote on our contract. We are still open to receiving a response from Management before mediation.
We are happy to welcome our newest bargaining team member, Michael Granstrom!
“I joined the Bargaining Team to do my part in bringing this negotiation process to a resolution by helping to produce a fair contract that benefits our community, our staff, and our hospital district.”
—Michael Granstrom
Your Bargaining Team: Angi Swinhart, Barbara Ford, Jessee Bednarik, Michael Granstrom
RSVP to Our Contract Action Meeting!
Thursday, March 4
7:00 PM
Summit Pacific Medical Center - Summit Pacific Finally Gives COVID Hazard Bonus
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Our Bargaining Team has been sharing our stories for months at the bargaining table of what life is like on the front lines of this pandemic. Over the last two months, we’ve also been sharing our stories with Summit’s Board of Commissioners.
Summit has finally agreed to offer a one-time COVID Bonus on the March 19, paychecks based on hours worked in 2020.
$1000 if you worked 1560 hours or more in 2020
$500 if you worked 520-1559 hours in 2020
We are still waiting on dates for mediation to continue our negotiations with Management. Join us at our next Contract Action Meeting on Thursday, March 4 at 7PM. RSVP for details.
If you have any questions, please contact a Bargaining Team member or your Interim Union Rep, Alex Gallo-Brown @ 205-490-8334, agallobrown@ufcw21.org
Your Bargaining Team: Angi Swinhart—RN, Clinic; Barbara Ford—ED HUC; Jessee Bednarik—RN, ED
RSVP to Our Contract Action Meeting!
Thursday, March 4
7:00 PM
Summit Pacific Medical Center - Bargaining Moves to Mediation
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“I took the leap to join our Bargaining Team to fill in for our team members that have been pushed out by Management. Like a lot of you, I have many commitments outside of work, but this is important. We deserve a fair contract with better pay and to be treated with respect by Management.”
— Your newest Bargaining Team member, Jessee Bednarik (RN, ED)
Last Friday, we responded to Management’s latest economic proposals. We have made fair compromises to focus in on our core issues of wages, pay equity, staffing and PTO. Unfortunately, Management does not think we have compromised enough and they told us they will not be making any more economic proposals to us at the bargaining table.
What does Mediation mean?
An impartial mediator will be assigned by the WA-Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC) to help both sides define our issues, explore solutions, and reach a mutual agreement. The mediator can help us come to resolution, but their recommendations are non-binding. We will still get to vote on our contract.
“We are disappointed in Management’s decision to put up roadblocks in this process. We are open to mediation and any path to a fair contract for Summit Pacific workers.”
— Your Bargaining Team member, Barb Ford
Did you see our letter in the Daily World?
Summit Pacific Medical Center - The Employer Produces Another Shameful Economic Response
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“The frustrating thing is that we are proposing a fair economic package and Summit doesn’t want to even meet us at our reasonable demands.”
— Angi Swinhart, Clinic Resource RN
On Friday, January 22, the employer made many flip-flop arguments regarding current policy; it seems like when it is financially beneficial to them, they’d like to stick to current policy, yet when it benefits employees, they’d like to get rid of it. For example, SPMC would like to deny pay raises to employees they issue discipline to, which they justify by citing existing policy; yet they also want to eliminate paid lunches for ED RN’s which has long been standard practice at SPMC.
Other highlights from last Friday include:
Education Leave—The union has proposed to expand paid educational leave for Tech and Service, but the employer continues to reject this proposal.
“I would think SPMC would want to support and encourage their staff to move up the ranks especially if they plan on working within the organization.”
— Bailey Walczak, BSN, RN, DNP-S
Wages—the Employer produced another shameful wage proposal which is nowhere near area competitor’s wages with minimal movement to slightly increase Hospital RN’s wages and only in year one of the three-year deal. Most employees would only see a 4.5% increase over the course of 3 years in the employer’s most recent proposal, well below what most other area hospitals have been offering.
“We are the employees that go into the trenches with these patients and put our health and safety on the line for this company. We are what makes Summit Pacific what it is. Many of your employees are scared to express how they feel and how disconnected they feel administration is. Stop stalling on fair and doable changes!”
—Mandy Jo, Ultrasound Tech
We are still asking for you to join us at our next board of director’s meeting and to share our stories; this has been a powerful way to make sure our voices are heard and will help hold the administration accountable.
Join Us Thursday, January 28
@ 6PM (via Zoom)
Contact your Bargaining Team or Union Rep for call-in details. Details will be also emailed out.
Even if you can’t attend the board of director’s meeting, share your stories here:
Summit Pacific Medical Center - Union Bargaining Team Holds the Line
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Our Bargaining team is standing firm on a number of issues that Management wants us to bend on.
We’re fighting for:
Educational Leave for Tech/Service
On call pay comparable to surrounding hospitals
Two hours’ notice if you don’t need to report to work
Increasing PTO Accruals to account for holidays
Creating one PTO Cap for all employees
Allowing Cert pay for Tech/Service
Double time for violation of rest between
On Wages, we have held at our earlier proposals. Today we drew a line in the sand about Management saving money by drawing out our bargain.
We have proposed that wage increases be effective January of 2021—no matter how long it takes us to ratify a contract!
Our Bargaining Team: Angi Swinhart—RN, Clinic; Barbara Ford—ED HUC; Alicia Wood—RN, ED
Summit Pacific Medical Center - Major Progress in Friday's Bargaining Session
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On Friday, January 8, we got the employer to agree to several lingering issues.
Recognition
Preceptor Definition
Non-Discrimination
Union Security
Union Access and Stewards
Disciplinary Meetings & Personnel Files
Low Census
Seniority
Leave without Pay
Committees: Labor Management Committee, Nurse Staffing Committee, Safety Committee
Innovative Work Schedules
Schedule Posting
Health Tests
Duration of the Contract
Split Shift Protections
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY our renewed COVID-LOU; agreed to through the end of June 2021. Employees will not be required to use PTO for quarantine! Employer will now provide exposure information to members and the union. Minimum orientation requirements for float assignments.
“We started the new year off strong with a productive bargaining session!”
– Barb & Alicia
Major Issues still on the table! Sick leave, PTO, Wages, grievance procedure, bulletin boards, benefit eligibility
Your involvement is CRITICAL for our success at the table and winning a strong contract!
For more information, discussion, and ideas on how to get more involved - Come to the CAT Meeting!
