Olympic Medical Center (ProTech and Support Services) - WORKING FOR BETTER WAGES

Olympic Medical Center (ProTech and Support Services)
WORKING FOR BETTER WAGES

We had a productive day of bargaining on September 14 and continue to stay focused on compensation. Our Bargaining Team told Management what it’s going to take to keep the hospital sustainable. The hospital must pay competitive wages and premiums to retain and recruit workers.

Management said that they are offering “competitive” wages based on their research. Our Bargaining Team continues to challenge them on this. We have reviewed local wages and know that many workplaces have recently settled contracts or given market increases. Wages are constantly changing and our data shows this.

Darryl Wolfe dropped into our bargaining session and talked about the economic state of the hospital. Our Bargaining Team was very clear with him that workers are being stretched and competitive compensation is essential to the hospital’s success. Each member of the team spoke directly to Darryl, giving him examples of how wage disparities directly affect workers and patient care.

We are scheduling additional bargaining sessions and will keep you posted.

Wear a sticker to show Management that we stand in solidarity!
Stickers are available from Bargaining Team Members.

Petitions are being circulated for both Support Services and Pro Tech workers letting Management know we all stand together for a good contract. Ask a Bargaining Team member or Union Rep Aimee Oien 360-662-1981.

Olympic Medical Center - Bargaining Begins at Olympic Medical Center

Bargaining has begun for Pro-Tech and Support Services workers.

Your Bargaining Team has met several times to create contract proposals that address the challenges of retaining and recruiting workers. Low wages are at the center of the staffing crisis, resulting in long hours of work for the dedicated staff who are the foundation of OMC.

OMC needs to offer competitive wages and benefits that will not only get workers, but also keep them. Staffing issues need to be addressed, including the high number of travelers who have no commitment to the community.

On Friday, June 23, we had a full day of bargaining and made both economic and non-economic proposals.

Management seemed interested in what we had to say, but have not yet given any response to our proposals. The next bargaining date is July 13.

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Our Bargaining Team

Pro-Tech: Amanda Beck, Surgery Tech; Nancy Dahl, Ultrasound Tech; Robert Elofson-Gilbertson, Radiology Tech; Joshua Johnston, CT Tech; Hector Pozernic, Physical Therapist; Jake Purvis, Pharmacist; Patricia Wood, Technical Specialist;

Support Services: Deviney Blore, Imaging Services Rep II; Cameron Van Winkle, Laundry Worker; Terry Wray, Patient Access Rep

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For additional information, contact a bargaining team member or Union Representative Aimee Oien 360-662-1981.

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https://ufcw3000.org/update-your-information

Providence Centralia Hospital Support Service overwhelmingly approved their first contract

On September 15, the Providence Centralia Support Service overwhelmingly approved their first contract! About fourteen months after organizing, we were able to obtain a great first contract with competitive wage increases and job protections.

Our next step is for both parties to sign the contract and then we will distribute the contract, and post the contract on www.ufcw21.org. This process usually takes about one to two months. Your wage increases will go into effect the first full pay period following September 15, 2021, which starts on September 26.

If you have any workplace or disciplinary issues please reach out to Erin McCoy (Union rep) or the Membership Resource Center at 206-436-6570.

Find more information HERE about your union rights, shop steward training, free college, union discounts, and how to sign a union membership application!

Welcome to UFCW 21 PCH Support Service and congratulations on winning your first contract!

Providence Centralia Hospital - Contract Vote is Scheduled!

We reached a tentative agreement with Providence Centralia on August 27. The next step is for you to vote on the agreement. 

We will be going over the agreement on September 13 via Zoom. The full agreement and wage rate will be available during the in-person vote on September 15. The contract must be ratified by a simple majority of voters. You cannot submit an absentee vote or electronic vote.

PCH Support Services Vote Meeting via Zoom
Monday, September 13
4:30PM - 5:30PM

Contact the Bargaining Team or Union Rep for call-in details. Details will also be emailed out.

In-Person Vote @ Peppermill Inn
Wednesday, September 15
6:30AM - 9:30AM
11AM - 2PM
4PM - 7PM

 1233 Alder St
Centralia, WA 98531 

If you have any questions, please contact your union rep Erin McCoy or the bargaining team. 

Our Support Services Bargaining Team: Necole Moore, EVS; KayCee Grimm, Lab; Kim Jorgenson, ED HUC; Aaron Green, Kitchen; Laura Norton, Endo Tech

Providence Centralia Hospital Support Services - We Have Reached an Agreement! Your Bargaining Team Fully Recommends a “YES” Vote!

Late night on August 27 we reached a tentative agreement with Providence Centralia! After eleven months at the bargaining table and thirteen months after unionizing, we were able to obtain a great first contract for the Service unit. Our contract has a wage scale, longevity step increases, annual across-the-board wage increase, health insurance benefits, retirement benefits, and other job protections. The next step is for our unit to ratify the contract agreement. The full details of the agreement will be available in-person during our contract vote. 

We will be holding a vote meeting in the next few weeks to go over the highlights of the agreement and to answer any questions. A follow-up update will be sent out next week with the vote date/location and vote meeting dates. 

If you have any questions, please contact your union rep Erin McCoy or the bargaining team. 

In Solidarity, Your Support Services Bargaining Team: Necole Moore, EVS; KayCee Grimm, Lab; Kim Jorgenson, ED HUC; Aaron Green, Kitchen; Laura Norton, Endo Tech

Providence Centralia Hospital Support Services - Hands Off Our PTO!

After hundreds of us marched on the picket line including nurses and techs at Everett and St. Peter’s on May 5, Providence continues to disrespect us at the table! We have worked through an entire pandemic short staffed and being undervalued! Providence is trying to frustrate us so we will accept a bad deal. We are essential workers and deserve more than what Providence is offering. 

On May 17, we discussed proposals regarding PTO, leaves of absence, recognition, definitions, grievance, and no strike/no lockout. One of the main reasons we unionized was to keep our EIB/PTO plan. Providence announced the elimination of EIB prior to bargaining, but never announced any changes to our PTO plan until we were in contract negotiations. Due to this change in the status quo, we will be filing an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). We filed a charge for St. Peter’s and the NLRB found merit in our case! This means that Providence must reinstate the original PTO plan at St. Peter’s. At Centralia, we need to show Providence that we want to keep our original PTO plan and they must bargain with us to change it!

We also asked Providence for their wage proposal, but they told us they are still working on their proposal. At the PCH Tech table, Providence proposed merit wage increases and a “minimum, midpoint, maximum” pay scale which mirrors their current practice. We expect that Providence will propose something similar to our unit.

If this is the case, our next action will most likely be to vote down Providence’s proposal. We will be holding a contract action team meeting to discuss bargaining on May 26 and 27.

In Solidarity, Your Support Services Bargaining Team: Necole Moore, EVS; KayCee Grimm, Lab; Kim Jorgenson, ED HUC; Aaron Green, Kitchen; Laura Norton, Endo Tech

PCH will have in person meetings at Fort Borst Park in Centralia on Wednesday, May 26 from 1-3 pm, and Thursday, May 27 from 5-7 pm!

Providence Centralia Hospital Support Service - Providence Ignores Our Demands and Will Eliminate EIB January 1!

On December 9, we met and bargained with Providence. In our last bargaining session, we made a proposal to keep our EIB/PTO, but Providence has not responded! Instead, they presented their new PTO plan which would eliminate EIB. Our position is that Providence should not implement the new plan until we bargain over PTO/EIB and it is a change to the status quo. Under the National Labor Relations Act, employers cannot change policies or procedures, the “status quo,” after a workplace has unionized. Because of this, we have demanded that Providence not implement their new PTO plan until we reach a contract agreement!

Their new PTO plan will 1) freeze your EIB accrual 2) reduce your PTO accrual rate, especially for employees with 10 years or more of service 3) your PTO will also be used for sick time 4) their short term disability plan provides wage replacement only if you are on medical leave and doesn’t apply if you are on leave for a family member. In addition, WA State Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML), which Providence is calling “short term disability” is a state-run program which all Centralia employees can currently use for 12 weeks with partial wage replacement and use their EIB to reach 100% wage replacement. Providence is selling this program as an additional benefit, but the reality is that all employees can access this program and employees are paying into the PFML program.

In addition, we exchanged proposals around recognition of the bargaining unit, union access, grievance procedure, no strike/no lockout, and management rights. 

We will go more in-depth about bargaining at our “Contract Action Team” meeting on Monday, December 14 @ 5:30 PM via Zoom. Furthermore, we will be planning a banner action in Centralia and a financial transparency petition, in order to hold Providence accountable for receiving COVID-19 relief money and not distributing that money to caregivers. If you have any questions or wish to participate in these actions, please contact your Union Rep, Erin McCoy: emccoy@ufcw21.org or 206-436-6598

In Solidarity, Your Support Service Bargaining Team: Necole Moore, EVS; KayCee Grimm, Lab; Kim Jorgenson, ED HUC; Aaron Green, Kitchen; Laura Norton, Endo Tech

Providence Centralia Hospital Support Services - Bargaining Commences

On Tuesday, October 27, the Support Services Bargaining Team—which represents housekeeping, phlebotomy, endoscopy techs, surgery, food services, CNAs, imaging assistants, emergency department techs, HUCs, emergency department techs—met and bargained with Providence Centralia Hospital. The team proposed articles around bargaining unit recognition, union access to the workplace, union membership, grievance procedure, notification of sale, and duration of the contract. These articles are standard in union contracts and strategically we always start with easier non-economic articles in order to reach agreements and then move on to more contentious articles like wages and EIB/PTO.

The Hospital was willing to discuss adding more classifications to the bargaining unit which were not part of the union authorization vote. We have heard from several employees that they wish to be part of the Union, so we are invested in adding those classifications to the unit. On the other hand, the Hospital wishes to circumvent employees’ union rights. They wish to limit the union representative’s access to the Hospital, prevent access to new hire orientation, and limit the number of union stewards.

It is clear the Hospital wishes to undercut our Union’s strength! We must show the Hospital that Support Services wants their Union present throughout the workplace in order to have a strong and empowered unit!

One way we can show that we are united and willing to fight for our union rights is by participating in the car sign action. If you are interested in participating and distributing signs to your coworkers/ community, please reach out to your union representative, Erin McCoy @ 206-436-6598 (office line).

We will also have a Contract Action Team meeting via Zoom on November 19 @ 5:30 PM where we will be talking about bargaining/workplace issues.

Our next bargaining date is on November 18.

In Solidarity, Your Support Service Bargaining Team: Necole Moore, EVS; Kaycee Grimm, Phlebotomist; Kim Jorgenson, ED HUC; Laura Norton, Endo Tech

Olympic Medical Center - OMC Support Services and Pro-Tech Unit will be receiving retroactive pay!

Due to COVID-19, we were not able to hold an in-person contract ratification vote for the Pro-Tech and Support Services units. UFCW 21 has been conducting all contract ratification votes via mail-in ballots. 

But due to the staffing shortages and reduction in machines within the United States Postal Service, ballots and returned ballots were extremely delayed. We have been in talks with OMC to implement the new contract wage increases before the dates the two contracts were ratified and OMC has agreed!

Retroactive bonus pay shall be dispersed on the October 9 paycheck. OMC sent out an email last week listing how the retroactive pay would be calculated.

If you have any questions about your retroactive pay or believe it is incorrect, please contact your Union Rep Aimee Oien (360) 662-1981.

Olympic Medical Center Support Services - Contract Vote Scheduled

Our Bargaining Team for Support Services has reached an agreement with OMC. We began bargaining in late June 2020 due to the pandemic. Our main concerns during bargaining were wages and ensuring that we fixed the wage compression given the increased State hourly minimum rate. Initially OMC proposed lower increases than we expected given the loss in revenue due to the pandemic. But at the end, we were able to fight and win higher increases than in past contracts!  

The next step is to vote to approve the contract. We will be sending out a second notice with a vote date/time or we will be running a mail-in ballot contract vote. Please update your email/address on our website in order to receive your vote documents. 

We will be holding a contract vote meeting to explain the tentative agreement via Zoom on August 18, from 8AM - 9PM and 5PM - 6PM.

If you have any question, please contact your Union Rep, Aimee Oien @ 360-662-1981.

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Virtual Vote Meeting
Tuesday, August 18 • 8AM - 9PM • 5PM - 6PM
Contact your Bargaining Team or Union Rep for call-in details.

Details will be mailed / emailed out with vote instructions.

To make sure you receive your vote documents please update your address!

Providence Centralia (Tech Unit and Support Services) - Register now to discuss your first UFCW 21 contract

Welcome to UFCW 21 Providence Centralia Tech Unit and Support Services Unit

Our next step is to fight and win a good collective bargaining agreement! We will be having a Zoom Webinar on Tuesday, July 21 from 5pm to 6:30pm to talk about contract bargaining and to answer any questions. In addition, a bargaining survey has been sent out via email to both units. We will compile survey results, comments from the Webinar, and your bargaining committee’s advice to create our first contract proposal. Please attend the Zoom meeting or fill-out the bargaining survey to have your voice heard!

Please register with the following link and an email with the Zoom Webinar link will be sent to your email: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Ev5wvrSNQJqvsO_dFE667w
OR
If you do not have a computer/smartphone, you may call in
Phone: (253) 215-8782
Webinar ID: 824 2705 5245 (no password required)
 
If you have questions please contact your Union Rep, Erin McCoy (206) 436-6598