Union statement on vaccination requirement for health care workers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Mon., Aug. 9, 2021

CONTACT:

Amy Clark,
SEIU Healthcare 1199NW
amyc@seiu1199nw.org
425-306-2061

Ruth Schubert
Washington State Nurses Association
rschubert@wsna.org 
206-713-7884

Anna Minard
UFCW 21
aminard@ufcw21.org
206-436-6587

Seattle, Wash.— The Washington State Nurses Association, SEIU Healthcare 1199NW and UFCW 21 issued the following joint statement on COVID-19 vaccination requirements for health care workers:

“As unions representing nurses and health care workers in Washington state, the Washington State Nurses Association, SEIU Healthcare 1199NW and UFCW21 support science-based public health directives on COVID-19 vaccination requirements for frontline health care workers, with medical and religious exemptions. We stand firmly behind vaccination as the best way to save the lives of patients, family members and members of our communities.

At the same time, we fully expect employers to bargain with us over this change to working conditions.

We are facing an extraordinary staffing crisis in our hospitals and continue to advocate for reasonable deadlines and options for frequent testing as well as masking, as required in all health care facilities, for those who are unvaccinated. These provisions mirror those included in mandates in other states that allow health care workers to stay on the job caring for all of us through this ongoing crisis.

We also know that while the vaccines are incredibly effective, they do not replace PPE, universal masking or other infection control measures. We will continue to demand universal access to N95 masks and push employers to improve ventilation in facilities where needed.”

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About SEIU Healthcare 1199NW
SEIU Healthcare 1199NW is a union of nurses and healthcare workers with over 30,000 caregivers throughout hospitals, clinics, mental health, skilled home health and hospice programs in Washington state and Montana. SEIU Healthcare 1199NW’s mission is to advocate for quality care and good jobs for all.

About WSNA
WSNA is the leading voice and advocate for nurses in Washington state, providing representation, education and resources that allow nurses to reach their full professional potential and focus on caring

U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, nurses and healthcare workers call on Trump administration

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, April 3, 2020 

CONTACT: 
Nina Jenkins, SEIU 775 nina.jenkins@seiu775.org 206.618.6718
Amy Clark, SEIU Healthcare 1199NW amyc@seiu1199nw.org 425.306.2061
Tom Geiger, UFCW 21 tgeiger@ufcw21.org 206-604-3421
Ruth Schubert, WSNA rschubert@wsna.org 206.713.7884

U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, nurses and healthcare workers call on Trump administration to drive coordinated, transparent response to protect healthcare workers, patients and communities

Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) and frontline healthcare workers from SEIU 775, SEIU Healthcare 1199NW, UFCW 21 and WSNA today called on the Trump administration to show the leadership the country needed since before this crisis began, and ensure all healthcare workers have the personal protective equipment they need to safely care for their patients and elderly clients.  

Union members are demanding the Trump administration immediately invest in the health and safety of every worker, including taking the following actions to increase the supply of PPE: 

Immediate distribution of the masks and equipment held in the Strategic National Stockpile.

Identifying reserves of masks/equipment in other industries, such as construction, and redistributing them to healthcare providers.

Using all powers of the federal government to speed immediate production of new equipment and ensure it is routed to states for distribution across acute care, home care and long term care settings.

Ensuring that all frontline healthcare workers across all settings and emergency response workers can be tested easily to slow the spread of the virus.

Desirae Hernandez, Home Care Provider, Tri-Cities, SEIU 775
“Healthcare workers are on the frontlines of this crisis and we need personal protective equipment to care for our clients’ safely,” said Desirae Hernandez, a home care aide in the Tri-Cities. “I can’t do my job while staying stay 6 feet. This is intimate, personal work with a high-risk and vulnerable population. No one knows if they have this virus for weeks before symptoms. I need PPE now so I can prevent my clients from getting and spreading this virus.”

Katy Brehe, Hospital Registered Nurse, Seattle, SEIU Healthcare 1199NW
“What we need is action,” said Katy Brehe, an RN in the critical care unit at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. “Adequate supplies, not someone’s old t-shirt that was sewed into a mask. Expanded testing, so all healthcare workers will know whether or not we have been exposed and could infect others. And administrative flexibility for healthcare workers in high-risk categories such as immunocompromised, so our coworkers can stay on the job and not get needlessly sick. This is a call for help. We’re all in this together, and we need action today to keep us safe."

Katherine Piana, Emergency Room Registered Nurse, Everett, UFCW 21
“Our hospital had one of the earliest confirmed COVID cases in the country,” said Katherine Piana, an ER nurse at Providence Everett and member of UFCW 21.  “Now, six weeks later we are still suffering with a serious lack of supplies to do our work safely.”

Adam Halvorsen, hospital registered nurse, Richland, WSNA
“Nurses and health care workers are stepping up to meet the needs of patients in the face of this pandemic. But we are going to get sick. We are going to die. That is a hard truth to swallow, and it isn’t right,” said Adam Halvorsen, a registered nurse at Kadlec Regional Medical Center and a member of the WSNA Board of Directors. “We are calling on the federal government and private businesses to do everything possible to step up and make more protective equipment available.”

U.S. Senator Patty Murray, Washington state
“I’m so incredibly grateful for the frontline health care workers in Washington state and across the country, who are going above and beyond to keep us all healthy. I’ve repeatedly pushed this Administration to give Washington state the supplies we need to address this pandemic and ensure that our workers on the frontlines can stay safe. We have a long, hard road ahead of us and I’ll keep doing everything I can to make sure those on the frontlines of this response get the protection and support they so deeply deserve,” said Senator Murray.

As COVID-19 spreads, members of Washington state healthcare worker unions are calling on Congress to join Sen. Murray in working to ensure all working people have healthcare coverage and paid sick time, and that elected officials and corporations put financial relief for working people first.

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About SEIU 775
SEIU 775 represents more than 45,000 long-term care workers providing quality home care, nursing home care, and residential services in Washington and Montana. SEIU 775’s mission is to unite the strength of all working people and their families, to improve their lives and lead the way to a more just and humane world.

About SEIU Healthcare 1199NW
SEIU Healthcare 1199NW is a union of nurses and healthcare workers with over 30,000 caregivers throughout hospitals, clinics, mental health, skilled home health and hospice programs in Washington state and Montana. SEIU Healthcare 1199NW’s mission is to advocate for quality care and good jobs for all. 

About WSNA 
WSNA is the leading voice and advocate for nurses in Washington state, providing representation, education and resources that allow nurses to reach their full professional potential and focus on caring for patients. WSNA represents more than 19,000 registered nurses for collective bargaining who provide care in hospitals, clinics, schools and community and public health settings across the state. 

About UFCW 21 
UFCW 21 is working to build a powerful union that fights for economic, political and social justice in our workplaces and our communities. We represent over 45,000 workers in retail, grocery stores, health care, and other industries in Washington state. 18,000 of these members work in healthcare.

An open letter to Governor Inslee, Secretary Wiesman, Vice Admiral Bono from Washington's front line Unions

April 1, 2020
RE: COVID-19 Transparency of Response Efforts and Working Conditions

Governor Inslee, Secretary Wiesman, Vice Admiral Bono,

We are writing to thank you for your leadership during this unprecedented crisis and to ask for your help to address a number of ongoing concerns. As unions representing workers who are on the frontlines fighting this pandemic, we are hearing from our members daily about their genuine commitment to serving our communities combined with their very real fears of getting sick, potentially infecting others, and of the critical need for their protection. As you well know, without our health care workers and emergency responders, we will fail to adequately respond in the days ahead.

We ask for your immediate help in the following areas:

1. Personal Protective Equipment and Supplies

Over the last several weeks, we have communicated our request for more transparency in the supply chain of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and supplies. We have heard that the state has received some significant shipments of PPE from the Strategic National Stockpile and other sources. Yet, those supplies have not made it into the hands of frontline health care workers and emergency responders.

As the unions representing workers who so desperately need PPE for their own safety, we ask that you provide a weekly report of amount of PPE at the EOC, where it is going, and to whom it is being distributed (down to the facility level). We also ask that you request from the hospitals and health providers under the DOH fourpart triage list a weekly report of PPE on hand.

Those of us representing health care workers are hearing stories from our members of supplies of N-95 masks and other PPE being locked in cabinets rather than provided to those on the frontlines. In the law enforcement community, department leadership is taking PPE supplies from jail facilities to offer some limited resources to officers; other departments are directing supply officers to use “traditional purchasing chains” for needed PPE. Neither of these directives are sustainable or solution oriented. It is critical that we understand the supply chain and where PPE can be utilized by health care workers and first responders now, rather than being saved for later.

2. COVID-19 Testing

Many counties are prioritizing testing of health care workers and first responders; this is both appreciated and appropriate. However, we are not receiving updates from counties or the state on the number of tests provided to health care workers and first responders nor the results of those tests. We ask that you provide more transparency in testing, including a weekly report of a) how long it is taking to receive results, b) how many health care workers/first responders are being tested, and c) the results of those tests (i.e., number of positives and negatives). We also ask that the Governor’s Office inform EMS that first responders must be prioritized for testing, especially those with symptoms or workplace exposure. Test processing for first responders and health care workers should be expedited.

3. Use of Appropriate Leave

As our members are exposed to COVID-19 on the job, there is no system-level response. A standard statewide protocol for exposure response, testing, and quarantine is urgently needed. This should include the use of appropriate leave – frontline responders should not be required to use accrued paid time off, vacation, or sick leave benefits while on quarantine. We ask that a statewide standard for leave be adopted that includes use of paid administrative leave or workers’ compensation with paid administrative leave making up the difference – in each case, when quarantined, isolated, or treated, employees should be kept whole in terms of salary and benefits.

We also ask that the Governor clarify his earlier order regarding L&I claims filed by health care workers and first responders – our members need clarification that the decision to self-quarantine due to workplace exposure without the specific direction of a health care provider or employer administration is allowable. We strongly believe that presumption of workplace illness should be made for health care workers and first responders.

4. Protection of Vulnerable Workers

National COVID-19 guidelines tell us that those in vulnerable categories – those over 60 years of age, pregnant women, and people with underlying health conditions – need to be protected. In a recent press conference, Governor Inslee stated in the strongest terms that workers in these vulnerable categories or those who live with vulnerable people should be allowed to either work from home or take extended leave, continue to be paid, and have their job available to them when this crisis ends. While acknowledging that this policy did not yet carry the force of law, Governor Inslee clearly and unequivocally gave this direction to businesses.

Despite this, many of our members have been told they must remain on the job – including in emergency rooms and Intensive Care Units where the highest volume of COVID-19 patients are treated. Likewise, first responders within fire and law enforcement who fall into the category of vulnerable workers must also be given accommodation during this emergency. We ask that you make clear to our employers that vulnerable workers must be protected through reasonable and safe accommodation or by staying home.

We greatly appreciate our partnership with you during this crisis, and we look forward to working with you to ensure the above concerns are addressed post haste.

Sincerely,

SIGN OUR PETITION DEMANDING SAFE, FAIR WORKING CONDITIONS FOR HEALTH CARE WORKERS

Nurses and health care workers must have the resources to ensure our health and our families are protected as we fight this pandemic.

We’re coming together as health care workers and community members across Washington to demand employers and our elected leaders commit to:

1. Follow workplace safety guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control, and provide adequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) including masks, gloves, gowns and eye protection

2. Provide scrubs and a secure location to change uniforms so we do not have to bring our soiled uniforms home and into the community

3. Help us meet new challenges with a pay increase of $5/hr in recognition of our work and the increased risk to ourselves and our families during this pandemic

4. Provide paid leave for any worker who the Employer does not permit to work due to exposure to COVID-19, with no loss of pay or accrued time off

5. Offer accommodation (telework or alternative assignments) or paid leave with no loss of pay or accrued time off for any worker in at-risk group (older than 60, pregnant, or with an underlying medical condition)

6. Provide prompt notice from employer of known exposure, assessment of exposure risk, access to testing, and whether a worker is placed on paid leave

Every worker who keeps our health care system running is critical to the safety and health of our communities. Let’s make sure they have the equipment and working conditions to keep themselves safe through this crisis. 

SIGN THE PETITION: we need to protect the health care workers who are taking care of all Washingtonians!

JOINT STATEMENT FROM SEIU HEALTHCARE 1199NW, WASHINGTON STATE NURSES ASSOCIATION AND UFCW 21 ON PROHIBITION OF LARGE EVENTS DURING COVID-19 OUTBREAK

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Wed., March 11, 2020

CONTACT:

Amy Clark,
SEIU Healthcare 1199NW
amyc@seiu1199nw.org
425.306.2061

Ruth Schubert,
Washington State Nurses Association
rschubert@wsna.org 
206.713.7884

Sarah Cherin,
UFCW 21
scherin@ufcw21.org
206-436-6580

JOINT STATEMENT FROM SEIU HEALTHCARE 1199NW, WASHINGTON STATE NURSES ASSOCIATION AND UFCW 21 ON PROHIBITION OF LARGE EVENTS DURING COVID-19 OUTBREAK

As nurses and healthcare workers providing essential care to patients in hospitals, clinics, and housing and shelters across Washington state, we applaud Gov. Jay Inslee and the leaders of King, Pierce and Snohomish Counties for taking the necessary step of limiting large gatherings during this stage of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Prohibiting events is a common-sense measure that will help protect our community members from the novel coronavirus.

This measure will also help frontline health care workers and our health care system as a whole effectively respond to this crisis by “flattening the curve” of coronavirus patients seeking care. As health care workers on the front lines of responding to this public health emergency, we support all efforts to reduce the impact on our ability to provide care by lowering the daily number of patients coming into a system that is already stressed by the growing number of COVID-19 patients.

We understand that state and local governments and public health agencies are responding proactively to the existing risks created by this new disease in an effort to minimize those risks and keep our healthcare delivery system accessible to all who may need it.

In our role as caregivers, we are often called on to tell patients the truth about their health. The truth we want our community to hear is this: Social distancing, like that enforced by the measure announced today, is one of the very best ways to prevent the spread of epidemic illness. This temporary change in behavior will help protect all of us from the spread of COVID-19, as well as from cold and flu illnesses common during this time of year.

The most vulnerable COVID-19 patients—those age 60 or older or with underlying health conditions—may need intensive hospital care, and it is essential that we preserve hospital intensive and critical care beds for those most vulnerable patients. Social distancing is a public health measure that will help prevent our health system from being overwhelmed, and will make it easier for anyone with the novel coronavirus to access necessary hospital care.

As nurses and health care workers, we care deeply for our patients and take pride in the roles we play on the front lines of patient care, particularly during a time of heightened concern for community health. Our continued safety during this outbreak is critical to our ability to continue to provide quality patient care. We continue to call on the CDC to proactively and effectively target the supply of respirators and use other controls to reduce the risk of infection in health care workers, knowing that our professionals are at the highest risk of infection. We will continue to work closely with health care employers and with federal and local public health agencies to ensure all caregivers have access to the highest level of personal protective equipment available so we can continue to provide the high-quality health care our communities require.

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About SEIU Healthcare 1199NW
SEIU Healthcare 1199NW is a union of nurses and healthcare workers with over 30,000 caregivers throughout hospitals, clinics, mental health, skilled home health and hospice programs in Washington state and Montana. SEIU Healthcare 1199NW’s mission is to advocate for quality care and good jobs for all.

About WSNA 
WSNA is the leading voice and advocate for nurses in Washington state, providing representation, education and resources that allow nurses to reach their full professional potential and focus on caring for patients. WSNA represents more than 17,000 registered nurses for collective bargaining who provide care in hospitals, clinics, schools and community and public health settings across the state. 

About UFCW 21 
UFCW 21 is working to build a powerful union that fights for economic, political and social justice in our workplaces and our communities. We represent over 45,000 workers in retail, grocery stores, health care, and other industries in Washington state. 

State’s largest hospital and clinic unions call for highest possible level of personal protection for caregivers during COVID-19 outbreak

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Tues., March 10, 2020

CONTACT:

Amy Clark,
SEIU Healthcare 1199NW
amyc@seiu1199nw.org
425.306.2061

Ruth Schubert,
Washington State Nurses Association
rschubert@wsna.org 
206.713.7884

Sarah Cherin,
UFCW 21
scherin@ufcw21.org
206-436-6580

JOINT STATEMENT FROM WASHINGTON STATE NURSES ASSOCIATION, SEIU HEALTHCARE 1199NW AND UFCW21 ON PERSONAL PROTECTIONS FOR HEALTHCARE WORKERS

State’s largest hospital and clinic unions call for highest possible level of personal protection for caregivers during COVID-19 outbreak

The CDC has announced new interim recommendations on the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) for situations where adequate supplies are unavailable. The CDC recommendations state that face masks are an acceptable alternative when the supply chain of respirators cannot meet the demand. We maintain our position that N-95 respirators are the gold standard and are necessary protec­tion for our nurses and healthcare workers caring for suspected and confirmed COVID-19 patients, and the CDC agrees that when the supply chain is restored, providers should return to the use of N95s. The CDC states that “This interim guidance has been updated based on currently available information about COVID-19 and the current situation in the United States, which includes reports of cases of community transmission, infections identified in healthcare personnel (HCP), and shortages of facemasks, N95 filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) (commonly known as N95 respirators), and gowns.”

The supply shortage must continue to be addressed in the most aggressive way possible. We continue to call on the CDC to proactively and effectively target the supply of respirators and use other controls to reduce the risk of infection in health care workers, knowing that our professionals are at the highest risk of infection. The federal government should do all in its power to increase the supply of N-95 respirators and other PPE, which includes releasing the national stockpile and targeting supplies to areas where the outbreak has already occurred; incentivizing U.S.-based companies to produce more N-95s; and promoting the use of powered air purifying respirators (PAPRs) in health care settings.

We additionally call on hospitals, clinics and other health care facilities to provide personal protective equipment in an equitable manner. All health care workers—providers, nurses, technical staff and service workers including environmental services janitorial staff—who have the potential for direct or indirect exposure to COVID-19 must be afforded the same standard of PPE. Furthermore, many health care workers speak English as a second language. Instruction in the use of PPE and in safe work practices in environments where COVID-19 may be present must be provided in multiple languages and in clear, uncomplicated phrasing in order to increase access to essential information.

As nurses and health care workers, we care deeply for our patients and take pride in the roles we play on the front lines of patient care, particularly during a community health crisis like the one presented by COVID-19. We are committed to the health of our patients and our communities. We will continue to work closely with health care employers and with federal and local public health agencies to ensure all caregivers have access to the highest level of PPE available so we can continue to provide the high-quality health care our communities require.

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About SEIU Healthcare 1199NW
SEIU Healthcare 1199NW is a union of nurses and healthcare workers with over 30,000 caregivers throughout hospitals, clinics, mental health, skilled home health and hospice programs in Washington state and Montana. SEIU Healthcare 1199NW’s mission is to advocate for quality care and good jobs for all.

About WSNA 
WSNA is the leading voice and advocate for nurses in Washington state, providing representation, education and resources that allow nurses to reach their full professional potential and focus on caring for patients. WSNA represents more than 17,000 registered nurses for collective bargaining who provide care in hospitals, clinics, schools and community and public health settings across the state. 

About UFCW 21 
UFCW 21 is working to build a powerful union that fights for economic, political and social justice in our workplaces and our communities. We represent over 45,000 workers in retail, grocery stores, health care, and other industries in Washington state. 

March 6 update: Unions Representing Health Care Professionals Call on CDC to Reconsider Protections During Coronavirus Outbreak

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 6, 2020

CONTACT:
Abraham White, 202-341-1899, awhite@ufcw.org
Tom Geiger, 206-604-3421, tgeiger@ufcw21.org

Unions Representing Health Care Professionals Call on CDC to Reconsider Protections During Coronavirus Outbreak

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union joined the Service Employees International Union and the American Federation of Teachers in calling on the Centers for Disease Control to strengthen protections for first responders fighting the coronavirus outbreak. These unions represent thousands of these health care workers in Washington who are on the front lines of COVID-19 response.

“Health care workers represented by UFCW are bravely stepping up to help so many communities confronting the coronavirus,” said UFCW International President Marc Perrone. “Keeping our patients and families safe starts with strong leadership. UFCW’s 1.3 million members and workers across the country are calling on the CDC and both parties – Republicans and Democrats – to work together to take the bold steps needed to strengthen the government’s response to this crisis, before it’s too late.”

“Our members are displaying extraordinary courage and dedication at the front lines of this outbreak in Washington State, and both the safety of our community and the integrity of our health care system depends on their ability to do their work safely,” said UFCW Local 21 President Faye Guenther in Seattle. “By caring for patients with COVID-19 health care workers are putting themselves at higher risk, and they deserve the highest level of protection.”

“The Trump administration has left healthcare workers in the dark by spreading misinformation, delaying the release of guidelines and best practices developed by public health experts, and is putting the health of the stock market above the health of people,” said Service Employees International Union President Mary Kay Henry. “Nurses, lab techs, environmental service workers, dietary aides, caregivers and doctors in our hospitals, nursing homes and communities are in direct contact with patients, meaning these workers are at high risk of contracting or spreading illnesses. In the face of a health emergency, it is more important than ever to ensure these workers are prepared with the right equipment and ready to take action—not left wondering how to keep themselves, their patients and their families healthy.

“Furthermore, everyone on the frontlines of care—from hospital workers to home care workers—must have affordable healthcare and paid sick time they can count on. No one should have to go to work sick because they are worried about being penalized or missing a day’s pay; and no one should have to postpone or forgo treatment because they can’t afford the bill,” SEIU’s Henry added. “The Trump administration, the CDC and OSHA must put worker and patient safety—not cost reduction —first. As the largest union of healthcare workers, SEIU will continue to push the Trump administration to improve its response. This situation shows the power that working people have when we join together in unions, and it is a good example of why every worker should have the opportunity to join a union—no matter where they work.”

“Nurses, doctors, respiratory therapists and the other workers supporting patient care are at ground zero of this public health crisis, and their voices must be a key part of developing a national plan. Failing to provide adequate protection to healthcare workers increases the risk that those workers themselves will spread the infection and failing to protect them weakens our response,” said AFT President Randi Weingarten. “Unfortunately, both the CDC and OSHA have done little thus far to engage with workers, and to make sure they’re clear on the protocols for respiratory protection and exposure to infectious disease. That, coupled with these rollbacks, is a troubling sign of our government’s ability to manage this threat this our communities.”

“As frontline caregivers, we are the experts in keeping our patients safe. Not providing adequate protections for healthcare workers not only puts caregivers at risk but puts patients at risk as well,” said SEIU 1199 Executive Vice President Jane Hopkins, RN. “We are calling on the CDC to make the safety of healthcare workers, and thus our patients, the first priority.”

“Nurses, doctors, and other healthcare workers stand ready to respond to this crisis, but they should not have to sacrifice their own health, or risk infecting their loved ones.  The CDC has not heard from these frontline workers who will carry out the work, who need assurance from the federal government that they’ll be protected. We are calling on the CDC to rationally target the supply of respirators and use other controls to reduce the risk of infection in healthcare workers, knowing that our professionals are at the highest risk of infection,” said Washington State Nurses Association Executive Director Sally Watkins.

“The federal government should do all in its power to increase the supply of N95 respirators., which includes releasing the national stockpile and targeting that stockpile to areas where the outbreak has already occurred; incentivizing US-based companies to produce more N95s; and promoting the use of powered air purifying respirators (PAPRs) in healthcare settings. Healthcare professionals also need training in real time on how to properly use the respirators, with opportunities to ask questions and practice,” WSNA’s Watkins added. “The CDC should also do more to promote other key controls, such as isolation protocols, adequate nurse staffing, delaying unnecessary procedures, telemedicine, and improved air ventilation to reduce the presence of viral particles in the air. This crisis requires vigilance from all of us.”

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March 6: Join the Health Care Workers Virtual Town Hall

Health Care Workers Virtual Town Hall on Coronavirus/COVID-19

Join state and county public health officials, union leaders, and fellow health care workers to exchange information, learn the latest updates, and understand the unions’ role in ensuring workplace safety. 

TOMORROW, FRIDAY MARCH 6
11:00 am – 12:30 pm

To join the town hall:
Visit https://zoom.us/j/419635168
Or call-in by dialing (408) 638-0968 — Meeting ID: 419 635 168
 
All health care members are invited to participate.
This call is co-hosted by UFCW 21, WSNA, and SEIU 1199NW.

The Power of Unity

Our unity is what got us here, we can’t forget that our united strength against the third largest healthcare corporation in the nation is how we will win!

Across the state, health care workers had been in hard negotiations with Providence Health for over a year at some hospitals and were making little headway. At every turn Providence was using intimidation, surveillance, unlawful polling, and threatening lockouts against health care workers. Progress at the bargaining table was also frustrating: Providence proposals failed to adequately address safety, staffing and other workplace concerns raised by employees. At the same time, they continued to insist on a massive takeaway of hard-earned benefits that some workers have been earning for decades. Jose Hernandez, a member of UFCW 21, summed up many workers’ frustration: “As an Emergency Room Assistant at Sacred Heart, I see patients and their families in times of greatest need. They are counting on Providence to provide the highest quality care, but too often Providence is putting profits first. I am ready to strike for my patients and ensure their health is always our top priority.”

15,000 health care workers from UFCW 21, WSNA, and SEIU Healthcare 1199, the state’s largest unions at Providence knew that by standing together and acting in coordination we could stand up to Providence. The three unions, for the first time ever, signed a historic unity commitment, a pledge to stand as one in coordination and solidarity. Workers of all three unions voted in overwhelming numbers to authorize a strike and started joint actions across the state with the support of our community partners, neighbors, patients, and elected leaders. Our coalition fight for a fair contract at Providence was even picked up by national presidential candidates and news outlets across the state and country.

Our unity paid off; hours before our planned 10-day notice to strike, Providence agreed to take their drastic cuts off the table—creating a pathway to win strong contracts at all of our Providence locations. We will continue to stand with our partners until we all win strong contracts at Providence and we remain committed to building strong coalitions with SEIU and WSNA—and throughout the labor movement—to fight for stronger jobs and communities. We showed that through unity, and a commitment to our patients and each other that we could win a fair contract that is better for patient care and safety, better for staffing and better for the future of our hospitals.

WE STAND TOGETHER – PUT PATIENTS BEFORE PROFITS!

OPEIU Local 8, SEIU 1199NW Healthcare, WSNA Join UFCW 21

All four unions have come together to stand united for patients over profits. Providence wants to lower standards for over 6,000 UFCW 21 members and another 14,000 union members across the state on issues like safe staffing, wages and secure sick leave.

As workers in Healthcare Institutions our primary purpose is to deliver the highest quality of patient care we can. To accomplish this we need proper staffing on every shift and in every department. Safe staffing levels ensure patient needs are met and creates safer work environments.

We need:

• Safe staffing levels to provide the highest quality care possible

• Secure sick leave to care for ourselves and our families while not putting patients at risk

• Competitive compensation to recruit and retain the best workers into our communities

• Affordable accessible healthcare

So far Management’s response continues to fall short. All four unions are facing the same challenges at our bargaining tables. Together we are working in coalition and are committed to raising standards that will allow us to recruit and retain high quality healthcare providers for our communities.

Management has offered:

• No plan for addressing staffing levels

• Inferior coverage for when we are sick forcing us to work and put our patients at risk when we should be caring for ourselves

• Compensation that will not allow Providence to stay competitive with other area Hospitals putting our communities at risk

Our Union Coalition, along with community leaders and elected officials are taking action and we need every union member to stand strong!

While we fight for standards, safe workplaces and healthy communities at Centralia Hospital, St Mary’s Hospital, St. Joseph’s Hospital, Holy Family Hospital and Mt Carmel Hospital

We stand with WSNA at Sacred Heart Medical Center!

We stand with OPEIU 8 at Providence Regional Medical Center Everett!

We stand with SEIU 1199NW at Swedish Hospital!

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Spokane Update

In Spokane we are bargaining for over 300 workers at Holy Family Hospital and 1,800 workers at Sacred Heart Medical Center where our proposals reflect our priority to improve working conditions in the face of Management’s proposed takeaways.

After months of negotiations and working with a Federal Mediator we are no closer to a new contract with Providence.

Management does not appear to be willing to work on a fair settlement, instead they want to strip us of hard-earned benefits while offering an inferior wage package.

We have said “NO” again and again so it’s time to take further action to reach a new contract.

How much money do they need to take from us until enough is enough? For a non-profit their profits are overwhelmingly high. Providence should re-invest those profits in Patient Care and their employees, not just their CEO’s!

It’s time for Providence to “Step Up” and “Put Patients and Safe Staffing Before Profits.”

Contact your Bargaining Team members for more information on how you can help solve our staffing crisis.