Providence Bargaining Update

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Patients Before Profits

Workers United and Prepared to Strike for Patient Care and Safety - Community Standing With Us 

Providence Health Care workers from every part of the state, representing three different unions, UFCW 21, WSNA, and SEIU Healthcare 1199NW, are united and have authorized a strike to stand up for our patients and for our communities.

While members of our union are standing up and voicing our concerns, Providence’s corporate management is trying to silence our voices and sent a letter that threatens to unilaterally change health care coverage. This is one of the reasons why when we call our strike it is planned to be an Unfair Labor Practices strike.

Members in the News

Check out a recent column in The Olympian from UFCW 21 member Jacob Kostecka, RN at St. Peter Hospital where he said: “When care providers at Providence Hospitals across the state vote to strike, there must be serious problems. That simple fact is undeniable — regardless of how Providence tries to spin it…”

Some other news stories from across the state about last month’s strike authorization votes.

Sacred Heart nurses, workers voting to strike over 'unfair labor practices' - Spokane TV

Sacred Heart nurses, health care workers head to polls for strike votes - Spokane Newspaper

Providence Centralia Nurses Move Closer to Strike - Centralia Newspaper

Providence workers authorize a strike over wages, sick leave - Everett Newspaper

Elected officials, faith and social justice organizations, firefighters, educators and many others joined us for Listening Lunches in our cafeterias to hear directly what is happening in our workplaces. We then attended City Council Meetings and put elected members on notice that a strike would be a healthcare crisis for our communities.

Taking Action Together

Grocery Store Workers Ratify New Contract

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When working people come together with each other and our community—we win. After more than six months of negotiations, UFCW 21, UFCW 367, and Teamsters 38 members turned out to vote and ratified a historic new contract.
 
Puget Sound Grocery Store Workers are proud of a contract that includes:

  • Strongest journey wage increases in UFCW 21’s history

  • Full back pay to expiration

  • A long-term solution to our pension with projected improvements

  • Health care benefits that are projected to be fully-funded, include benefit improvements and NO increases to premiums or deductibles

  • First scheduling overhaul in decades, giving us more control over our schedules

  • Strong safety language for the first time ever in our contract

  • A plan for the future of technology and workforce training

  • Won protections for our wage scales, so as minimum wage goes up, so do our wage steps.

  • NOT ONE SINGLE CUT OR TAKEAWAY!

Your work and solidarity made this happen. Thank you for your time, your action and standing united.
 
With our new contract in place, we know we have to continue to stand together to enforce our new contract and make our workplaces better. To be the first to get answers on your new contract download the UFCW 21 APP.

In Solidarity, YOUR GROCERY STORE BARGAINING TEAM

Amy Dayley Angell, QFC #891 (Ballard), Front End Checker, UFCW 21
Christina Harris, Fred Meyer - Lake City #179 (Grocery), Bakery Clerk, UFCW 21
Cliff Powers, Safeway #402 (Oak Harbor), Produce Clerk, UFCW 21
Denise Anderson, Safeway #1546 (Aberdeen), Meat Wrapper, UFCW 367
Eleanor Knight, Albertsons #4483 (Auburn), 4th PIC, UFCW 21
Irene Garcia, Fred Meyer - Auburn #19 (Retail), Home Clerk, UFCW 21
Jeannette Randall, Safeway #1923 (Roxbury), Front End Checker, UFCW 21
Jeff Smith, Fred Meyer - Snohomish #681 (Retail), Non-food receiving Clerk, UFCW 21
J'Nee DeLancey, Town & Country #211 (Ballard), Beer/Wine/Spirt Manager, UFCW 21
Joann Gardner, Albertsons #3106 (Puyallup), Personnel Coordinator/Bookkeeper, UFCW 367
Kyong Barry, Albertsons #4483 (S Auburn), Front End Manager, UFCW 21
Lisa Gasser, Fred Meyer #424 (South Hill), Bakery Clerk, UFCW 367
Maggie Breshears, Fred Meyer - Greenwood #122 (Grocery), Personal Shopper, UFCW 21
Maroot Nanakul, Safeway #464 (Bear Creek), Front End Manager, UFCW 21
Michaela Strain, QFC #819 (Bothell), Meat Wrapper, UFCW 21
Mike Sherman, Fred Meyer # 265 – Puyallup, Grocery Clerk, UFCW 367
Mike Solberg, Safeway # 547 (Graham), Grocery Clerk, UFCW 367
Paul Ames Reinhold, Metropolitan Market #157 (Uptown), Cheese Kiosk Clerk, UFCW 21
Richard Waits, Haggen #15 (Burlington), Deli Clerk, UFCW 21
Robin Hillistad, QFC #858 (N Seattle), HR Specialist/Bookkeeper, UFCW 21
Sam Dancy, QFC #825 (Westwood Village), Front End Supervisor, UFCW 21
Sue Wilmot, Safeway #1252 (Bainbridge Island), Front End Checker, UFCW 21
Wendy Garrett-Drake, Albertsons #469 (Mukilteo), Personnel Coordinator/Bookkeeper, Teamsters 38
Wil Peterson, Fred Meyer - Everett #95 (Grocery), CCK Checker, UFCW 21
Faye Guenther, President, UFCW 21
Steve Chandler, Principal Officer Teamsters 38
Joe Mizrahi, Secretary Treasurer, UFCW 21
Tammi Brady, Recording Secretary, Teamsters 38
Samantha Kantak, Executive Assistant, Teamsters 38
Kate Meckler, Trustee, UFCW 367
Angel Gonzalez, Deputy Trustee, UFCW 367
Jim McGuinness, Attorney, UFCW 21, Teamsters 38 and UFCW 367

Grocery Store Bargain Update: Full Tentative Agreement Recommended for Ratification

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Final Step of Pension Deal Completed, Full Tentative Agreement Recommended for Ratification

“Standing together and taking action is how we have won before and it is how we won again this time. Your voice and your vote matters. Attend a vote meeting to learn about the Tentative Agreement and make your voice heard.”  - Your Union Member Bargaining Team

We have been working all week to see if we could finalize the details of a pending pension deal with Albertsons/Safeway and Kroger. We are very happy to announce that we have now reached a full tentative agreement, including this deal on our pension. 

The pending details between Albertsons/Safeway and Kroger have been ironed out and we now have a Fully Recommended Agreement.
 
After 6 months of negotiations, hundreds of actions in our stores across the region, and connecting with thousands of customers about our campaign, your Union Member Bargaining Team has reached a tentative agreement and recommends a YES VOTE to accept the proposal from the employers.
 
Drop by any of the posted vote meetings during any of the open times, review the offer, get questions answered, and then vote. These votes are open to all active-member UFCW 21 Grocery Store Workers in King, Snohomish, Kitsap, Mason, and Thurston Counties at the big chains and independent stores. Active members are eligible to vote at whichever location is most convenient, during any time when polling is open.

RSVP for the VOTE

Friday, November 1, 2019 — BELLEVUE
8AM-12PM & 4-8PM Meydenbauer Center / 11100 NE 6th St, Bellevue, WA 98004

Sunday, November 3, 2019 — SEATAC
8AM-12PM & 4-8PM Doubletree Seatac / 18740 International Blvd, Seattle, WA 98188

Monday, November 4, 2019 — SEATTLE
8AM-12PM & 4-8PM Fisher Pavilion, Seattle Center / 305 Harrison St, Seattle, WA 98109
Parking: Parking validation will be available for the 5th Ave Garage, located at 516 Harrison St, Seattle WA 98109. (Parking validation is not available for the Mercer St garage or other parking.)

Tuesday, November 5, 2019 — LYNNWOOD
8AM-12PM & 4-8PM Lynnwood Convention Center / 3711 196th St SW, Lynnwood, WA 98036

Wednesday, November 6, 2019 — BREMERTON
8AM-12PM & 4-8PM Kitsap Convention Center / 100 Washington Ave, Bremerton, WA 98337
Parking: Please park only on the RED or GREEN levels of the parking garage. Remember your stall number to register it for validation with the receptionist of the Kitsap Conference Center.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019 — OLYMPIA
8AM-12PM & 4-8PM The Olympia Center / 222 Columbia St NW, Olympia, WA 98501
 

In Solidarity, YOUR GROCERY STORE BARGAINING TEAM

Amy Dayley Angell, QFC #891 (Ballard), Front End Checker, UFCW 21
Christina Harris, Fred Meyer - Lake City #179 (Grocery), Bakery Clerk, UFCW 21
Cliff Powers, Safeway #402 (Oak Harbor), Produce Clerk, UFCW 21
Denise Anderson, Safeway #1546 (Aberdeen), Meat Wrapper, UFCW 367
Eleanor Knight, Albertsons #4483 (Auburn), 4th PIC, UFCW 21
Irene Garcia, Fred Meyer - Auburn #19 (Retail), Home Clerk, UFCW 21
Jeannette Randall, Safeway #1923 (Roxbury), Front End Checker, UFCW 21
Jeff Smith, Fred Meyer - Snohomish #681 (Retail), Non-food receiving Clerk, UFCW 21
J'Nee DeLancey, Town & Country #211 (Ballard), Beer/Wine/Spirt Manager, UFCW 21
Joann Gardner, Albertsons #3106 (Puyallup), Personnel Coordinator/Bookkeeper, UFCW 367
Kyong Barry, Albertsons #4483 (S Auburn), Front End Manager, UFCW 21
Lisa Gasser, Fred Meyer #424 (South Hill), Bakery Clerk, UFCW 367
Maggie Breshears, Fred Meyer - Greenwood #122 (Grocery), Personal Shopper, UFCW 21
Maroot Nanakul, Safeway #464 (Bear Creek), Front End Manager, UFCW 21
Michaela Strain, QFC #819 (Bothell), Meat Wrapper, UFCW 21
Mike Sherman, Fred Meyer # 265 – Puyallup, Grocery Clerk, UFCW 367
Mike Solberg, Safeway # 547 (Graham), Grocery Clerk, UFCW 367
Paul Ames Reinhold, Metropolitan Market #157 (Uptown), Cheese Kiosk Clerk, UFCW 21
Richard Waits, Haggen #15 (Burlington), Deli Clerk, UFCW 21
Robin Hillistad, QFC #858 (N Seattle), HR Specialist/Bookkeeper, UFCW 21
Sam Dancy, QFC #825 (Westwood Village), Front End Supervisor, UFCW 21
Sue Wilmot, Safeway #1252 (Bainbridge Island), Front End Checker, UFCW 21
Wendy Garrett-Drake, Albertsons #469 (Mukilteo), Personnel Coordinator/Bookkeeper, Teamsters 38
Wil Peterson, Fred Meyer - Everett #95 (Grocery), CCK Checker, UFCW 21
Faye Guenther, President, UFCW 21
Steve Chandler, Principal Officer Teamsters 38
Joe Mizrahi, Secretary Treasurer, UFCW 21
Tammi Brady, Recording Secretary, Teamsters 38
Samantha Kantak, Executive Assistant, Teamsters 38
Kate Meckler, Trustee, UFCW 367
Angel Gonzalez, Deputy Trustee, UFCW 367
Jim McGuinness, Attorney, UFCW 21, Teamsters 38 and UFCW 367

Grocery Store Bargain: It’s time to vote.

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It’s time to vote.

After months of bargaining and workplace and community actions, we have a tentative agreement with Kroger and Safeway/Albertsons, pending a final step on the pension agreement between these employers. Your grocery store bargaining team fully recommends this agreement (pending the finalized pension deal), and members of your bargaining team will be at each vote location ready to talk to you about the tentative agreement, answer your questions, and help you get more involved in your union. RSVP to a vote today.

RSVP to the VOTE

All active UFCW 21 grocery store members working in King, Snohomish, Kitsap, Mason, and Thurston Counties at big chains (Safeway, Albertsons, Fred Myers, and QFC) and independent stores can come by anytime during one of the vote meetings to get details on this tentative agreement, get questions answered, and vote. Vote times and an online RSVP are here.

Friday, November 1, 2019 — BELLEVUE
8AM-12PM & 4-8PM Meydenbauer Center / 11100 NE 6th St, Bellevue, WA 98004

Sunday, November 3, 2019 — SEATAC
8AM-12PM & 4-8PM Doubletree Seatac / 18740 International Blvd, Seattle, WA 98188

Monday, November 4, 2019 — SEATTLE
8AM-12PM & 4-8PM Fisher Pavilion, Seattle Center / 305 Harrison St, Seattle, WA 98109
Parking: Parking validation will be available for the 5th Ave Garage, located at 516 Harrison St, Seattle WA 98109. (Parking validation is not available for the Mercer St garage or other parking.)

Tuesday, November 5, 2019 — LYNNWOOD
8AM-12PM & 4-8PM Lynnwood Convention Center / 3711 196th St SW, Lynnwood, WA 98036

Wednesday, November 6, 2019 — BREMERTON
8AM-12PM & 4-8PM Kitsap Convention Center / 100 Washington Ave, Bremerton, WA 98337
Parking: Please park only on the RED or GREEN levels of the parking garage. Remember your stall number to register it for validation with the receptionist of the Kitsap Conference Center.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019 — OLYMPIA
8AM-12PM & 4-8PM The Olympia Center / 222 Columbia St NW, Olympia, WA 98501

Grocery Store Bargaining Update: Exciting News This Morning

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We have exciting news. After more than six months of negotiations, hundreds of actions leafleting and picketing in front of our stores, wearing solidarity buttons, handing out 25,000 Better Jobs-Better Communities union grocery store bags to our customers, and joining together with other UFCWs up and down the West Coast, we are pleased to announce that we have reached a Tentative Agreement with the employers, pending one last step. This final critical step will be for Kroger and Safeway/Albertsons to work out the remaining details to the long-term pension agreement.

This Tentative Agreement is fully recommended by the Grocery Store Bargaining team, pending Kroger and Safeway/Albertsons finalizing the pension deal.

Details for the Tentative Agreement will be available for all active UFCW 21 grocery store members working in King, Snohomish, Kitsap, Mason, and Thurston Counties at the big chains (Safeway, Albertsons, Fred Meyer and QFC) and independent stores. The upcoming vote meetings will be taking place in early November (see below for voting dates, times and locations). Members have been signing up to attend these meetings over the past couple weeks. Members can drop by anytime during one of the vote meeting times to learn details, get questions answered and vote.

Vote meeting times, dates and locations are listed below: 

  • Friday, November 1, 2019 — BELLEVUE — 8AM-12PM & 4-8PM
    Meydenbauer Center / 11100 NE 6th St, Bellevue, WA 98004

  • Sunday, November 3, 2019 — SEATAC — 8AM-12PM & 4-8PM
    Doubletree Seatac / 18740 International Blvd, Seattle, WA 98188

  • Monday, November 4, 2019 — SEATTLE — 8AM-12PM & 4-8PM
    Fisher Pavilion, Seattle Center / 305 Harrison St, Seattle, WA 98109

  • Tuesday, November 5, 2019 — LYNNWOOD — 8AM-12PM & 4-8PM
    Lynnwood Convention Center / 3711 196th St SW, Lynnwood, WA 98036

  • Wednesday, November 6, 2019 — BREMERTON — 8AM-12PM & 4-8PM
    Kitsap Convention Center / 100 Washington Ave, Bremerton, WA 98337

  • Wednesday, November 6, 2019 — OLYMPIA — 8AM-12PM & 4-8PM
    The Olympia Center / 222 Columbia St NW, Olympia, WA 98501

     

RSVP to the VOTE

In Solidarity, YOUR GROCERY STORE BARGAINING TEAM

Amy Dayley Angell, QFC #891 (Ballard), Front End Checker, UFCW 21
Christina Harris, Fred Meyer - Lake City #179 (Grocery), Bakery Clerk, UFCW 21
Cliff Powers, Safeway #402 (Oak Harbor), Produce Clerk, UFCW 21
Denise Anderson, Safeway #1546 (Aberdeen), Meat Wrapper, UFCW 367
Eleanor Knight, Albertsons #4483 (Auburn), 4th PIC, UFCW 21
Irene Garcia, Fred Meyer - Auburn #19 (Retail), Home Clerk, UFCW 21
Jeannette Randall, Safeway #1923 (Roxbury), Front End Checker, UFCW 21
Jeff Smith, Fred Meyer - Snohomish #681 (Retail), Non-food receiving Clerk, UFCW 21
J'Nee DeLancey, Town & Country #211 (Ballard), Beer/Wine/Spirt Manager, UFCW 21
Joann Gardner, Albertsons #3106 (Puyallup), Personnel Coordinator/Bookkeeper, UFCW 367
Kyong Barry, Albertsons #4483 (S Auburn), Front End Manager, UFCW 21
Lisa Gasser, Fred Meyer #424 (South Hill), Bakery Clerk, UFCW 367
Maggie Breshears, Fred Meyer - Greenwood #122 (Grocery), Personal Shopper, UFCW 21
Maroot Nanakul, Safeway #464 (Bear Creek), Front End Manager, UFCW 21
Michaela Strain, QFC #819 (Bothell), Meat Wrapper, UFCW 21
Mike Sherman, Fred Meyer # 265 – Puyallup, Grocery Clerk, UFCW 367
Mike Solberg, Safeway # 547 (Graham), Grocery Clerk, UFCW 367
Paul Ames Reinhold, Metropolitan Market #157 (Uptown), Cheese Kiosk Clerk, UFCW 21
Richard Waits, Haggen #15 (Burlington), Deli Clerk, UFCW 21
Robin Hillistad, QFC #858 (N Seattle), HR Specialist/Bookkeeper, UFCW 21
Sam Dancy, QFC #825 (Westwood Village), Front End Supervisor, UFCW 21
Sue Wilmot, Safeway #1252 (Bainbridge Island), Front End Checker, UFCW 21
Wendy Garrett-Drake, Albertsons #469 (Mukilteo), Personnel Coordinator/Bookkeeper, Teamsters 38
Wil Peterson, Fred Meyer - Everett #95 (Grocery), CCK Checker, UFCW 21
Faye Guenther, President, UFCW 21
Steve Chandler, Principal Officer Teamsters 38
Joe Mizrahi, Secretary Treasurer, UFCW 21
Tammi Brady, Recording Secretary, Teamsters 38
Samantha Kantak, Executive Assistant, Teamsters 38
Kate Meckler, Trustee, UFCW 367
Angel Gonzalez, Deputy Trustee, UFCW 367
Jim McGuinness, Attorney, UFCW 21, Teamsters 38 and UFCW 367

Grocery Store Bargaining Update: Time Is Running Out for the Employers

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“After more than 6 months of bargaining, we deserve a full, fair contract that respects our work. Making progress on the pension is important, but with takeaways still on the table, the employers are running out of time to offer us an agreement worth ratifying. Please RSVP to your vote meetings today.” - Union Member Bargaining Team

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During the last two bargaining days, we were able to reach an outline of an agreement with Albertsons/Safeway on a pension solution. We already have an agreement with Kroger for our pension. Your bargaining team is working hard to ensure we get a deal that secures our pension into the future and allows us to move forward with negotiations and address health care and wage proposals. (For more on the pension solution, see the Pension Primer.) We were also able to win a tentative agreement last week for our Health and Welfare plan. 

While advances on health and pension plans are very encouraging, Kroger and Albertsons/Safeway still have real cuts on the table in other areas. They need to withdraw those takeaways and get us a fair contract before we vote to authorize a strike. Votes are scheduled now, but whether these are strike authorization votes or ratification votes depends on what happens at the bargaining table. Either way, it’s time to come together and make our voices heard: Find vote locations and RSVP to your vote here 

Current takeaways on the table: 

  • Eliminating holiday pay, including premium pay on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.

  • Eliminating the guarantee of 10 cents above minimum wage.

  • Eliminating our across-the-board guarantee of raises.

  • Eliminating our raises between steps on the pay scale (wage escalators).

If the employers can come to the table with a contract that offers fair pay for hard work, finalize the securing of our pension, and withdraws their takeaways, there’s still time to get a Tentative Agreement before we vote. But time is running out.  Next bargaining dates: October 24 & 25 


WHAT YOU CAN DO: 

1.       RSVP to your vote meeting now 

2.       Attend a Contract Action Team meeting this week.

3.       Wear your button (ask your Steward or Union Rep if you need more). 

4.       Talk to your Steward or Union Rep about becoming a picket captain. 


Stay in touch: 

Download the UFCW 21 App 

Update your contact information 

Find past bargaining updates 

In Solidarity, YOUR GROCERY STORE BARGAINING TEAM

Amy Dayley Angell, QFC #891 (Ballard), Front End Checker, UFCW 21
Christina Harris, Fred Meyer - Lake City #179 (Grocery), Bakery Clerk, UFCW 21
Cliff Powers, Safeway #402 (Oak Harbor), Produce Clerk, UFCW 21
Denise Anderson, Safeway #1546 (Aberdeen), Meat Wrapper, UFCW 367
Eleanor Knight, Albertsons #4483 (Auburn), 4th PIC, UFCW 21
Irene Garcia, Fred Meyer - Auburn #19 (Retail), Home Clerk, UFCW 21
Jeannette Randall, Safeway #1923 (Roxbury), Front End Checker, UFCW 21
Jeff Smith, Fred Meyer - Snohomish #681 (Retail), Non-food receiving Clerk, UFCW 21
J'Nee DeLancey, Town & Country #211 (Ballard), Beer/Wine/Spirt Manager, UFCW 21
Joann Gardner, Albertsons #3106 (Puyallup), Personnel Coordinator/Bookkeeper, UFCW 367
Kyong Barry, Albertsons #4483 (S Auburn), Front End Manager, UFCW 21
Lisa Gasser, Fred Meyer #424 (South Hill), Bakery Clerk, UFCW 367
Maggie Breshears, Fred Meyer - Greenwood #122 (Grocery), Personal Shopper, UFCW 21
Maroot Nanakul, Safeway #464 (Bear Creek), Front End Manager, UFCW 21
Michaela Strain, QFC #819 (Bothell), Meat Wrapper, UFCW 21
Mike Sherman, Fred Meyer # 265 – Puyallup, Grocery Clerk, UFCW 367
Mike Solberg, Safeway # 547 (Graham), Grocery Clerk, UFCW 367
Paul Ames Reinhold, Metropolitan Market #157 (Uptown), Cheese Kiosk Clerk, UFCW 21
Richard Waits, Haggen #15 (Burlington), Deli Clerk, UFCW 21
Robin Hillistad, QFC #858 (N Seattle), HR Specialist/Bookkeeper, UFCW 21
Sam Dancy, QFC #825 (Westwood Village), Front End Supervisor, UFCW 21
Sue Wilmot, Safeway #1252 (Bainbridge Island), Front End Checker, UFCW 21
Wendy Garrett-Drake, Albertsons #469 (Mukilteo), Personnel Coordinator/Bookkeeper, Teamsters 38
Wil Peterson, Fred Meyer - Everett #95 (Grocery), CCK Checker, UFCW 21
Faye Guenther, President, UFCW 21
Steve Chandler, Principal Officer Teamsters 38
Joe Mizrahi, Secretary Treasurer, UFCW 21
Tammi Brady, Recording Secretary, Teamsters 38
Samantha Kantak, Executive Assistant, Teamsters 38
Kate Meckler, Trustee, UFCW 367
Angel Gonzalez, Deputy Trustee, UFCW 367
Jim McGuinness, Attorney, UFCW 21, Teamsters 38 and UFCW 367