On September 16, Planned Parenthood members overwhelmingly ratified their successor contract in an online vote. The new two-year contract includes across the board wage increases, an additional paid holiday for Juneteenth, and other improvements with no takeaways!
Many thanks to our Bargaining Team and all who participated!
Bargaining Team: Charlie King, Mona Lisa Baumann, Sage Alixander, Jennifer Morgan, Mollie Overby
Kaiser Spokane Pharmacy Techs
After months of bargaining, we were not able to reach final agreement locally on a wage scale and retirement for Spokane Pharmacy Techs. UFCW21 and all Unions within the Alliance of Health Care Unions are UNITED that there should be ONE wage scale for each Region at Kaiser. In Washington- this has always been true- OPEIU 8 and SEIU1199 members in Spokane are on the same wage scale as their coworkers in Western Washington. Spokane Pharmacy Techs deserve the same respect and equity- especially when so many of us have given our careers to Group Health and Kaiser. National Benefits has not yet agreed to let us maintain our current Retirement plan. Both issues have been pushed to the National Table and the Alliance, with 55,000 members, has said there is no National Deal until Spokane issues are settled.
All UFCW 21 contracts are now at the National Table- Pro Tech Optical, Pharmacy, and Spokane Pharmacy Techs- pushing together for benefit improvements to make us comparable to other Regions.
We are united for:
Improved Medical Costs like the Northwest Region
Increase Retiree Medical for years of service (WA $350/yr of service, other Regions up to $2500/yr of service)
Local Market Adjustments
Education Benefits
One Wage Scale for Region
Kaiser is pushing everywhere in the country for a Two Tiered Wage Scale and has proposed 1% Across the Board Increases. With little progress- we are moving forward with Action for September and October. We’re ready to fight for our patients and all health care workers.
TAKE ACTION TO WIN A GREAT NATIONAL AND SPOKANE CONTRACT
UNION SOLIDARITY TUESDAYS
Every Tuesday, Union members are wearing union colors until we win a fair contract. In Spokane- our stewards have made Yellow and Blue ribbons for all Techs. They will take them to all Clinics- please wear them every Tuesday in Solidarity! Take a photo wearing them together and post it on social media with the hashtag #BestJobsBestCare. Remember to tag KP @KPThrive and @UFCW21
SIGN THE PETITION
Tell KP to invest in patient care and health care workers. Sign and share the petition. Share it co-workers and friends on social media. tinyurl.com/kaiser-petition
LOCAL ACTIONS
Join the Contract Action Team meeting Wednesday, September 22 at 6:00pm via zoom! Zoom links available in the email update or contact your Rep!
Your Bargaining Team has been negotiating with Management since June 28. We’re happy to report that we’ve made significant progress on most issues, including the historic wage increases that Management reported in their bargaining update to you this week.
After taking about seven months to negotiate the technical and service agreements, Management expressed a desire to come to a quick agreement on your contract. While your Bargaining Team shares the same sentiment, we must ensure that our agreement is in the best interests of our members.
When we met with Management on September 10, MultiCare presented your Bargaining Team with a package proposal that was very close to what we believe will be the final agreement. However, we have significant concerns about the ultimatum presented regarding incentive pay plans. Management’s offer gave the team two options:
A. Keep the current incentive plan under Appendix G, which provides a double-time incentive when very specific metrics have been met. With this plan, Management does not have control when or if the plan is activated.
B. OR Remove the current Appendix G incentive plan and replace it with the Spot Bonus Incentive Pay plan.
The Union’s proposal is that we improve the current Appendix G incentive plan while also adding the Spot Bonus Plan. We believe the Spot Bonus Plan has served our members and the community well, helping staff our hospital throughout the current crisis, but it should operate in conjunction with our current metrics-based plan.
In Management’s bargaining update this week, they have claimed that “operationally we only have the capacity to manage one incentive plan.” We are confused by this statement because, during negotiations over the technical contract, Management agreed to let Respiratory Therapists keep their metrics-based plan while still allowing them to add the Spot Bonus Incentive into their contract.
Why does Management think that Respiratory Therapists deserve both plans, but Registered Nurses do not? This question is the roadblock to a deal.
We’d also like to fact-check their claim that the Union rejected their offer. While we did express that a rejection was likely, we never officially rejected their offer. It was the Union’s intention to work through the incentive pay issue so we could reach an agreement.
Despite our frustration with Management’s misrepresentation of the facts, your Bargaining Team is still committed to working on reaching an agreement when we meet again on September 21 provided, however, that it’s a fair contract.
Bargaining Team: Holly Gindhart, Jill Piacitelli, Valina McGilvray
Our Union and the Employer have agreed to an initial round of contract negotiations to begin on Friday, September 24. We will be holding a Bargaining Unit meeting via Zoom to discuss contract priorities.
Bargaining Unit members are encouraged to attend with any questions and suggestions. You can meet your Bargaining Unit and discuss how we can win the best possible contract.
Please hold Monday, September 20 @ 6 PM for this important meeting.
Contact your Bargaining Unit or Union Rep for call-in detail. Details will be emailed out.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2021 BARGAINING UPDATE
After months of stalling by KP negotiators, scheduled national bargaining sessions ended today. “Because of management’s approach, these negotiations are in serious trouble – unlike anything our Alliance unions have experienced with Kaiser Permanente since the 1990’s,” said Alliance chief negotiator Hal Ruddick. “Unless management dramatically changes course, this conflict will continue to escalate. The Alliance is united, strong, and ready to stand up for our members and our patients.”
We are united, determined, and ready to win a good contract, and defend our patients and the organization we have built. We will take a stand for our patients, co-workers, and all healthcare workers.
Every Tuesday, wear your union gear to work until we win a fair contract. (Mondays if you’re in Colorado). Take a photo wearing your union gear and post it on social media with the hashtag #BestJobsBestCare. Remember to tag KP @KPThrive and your local union.
Tell KP to invest in patient care and health care workers. Scan the QR code to sign the petition. After you sign it, share it co-workers and friends on social media. tinyurl.com/kaiser-petition
In the coming days, connect with your local union to participate in local actions and learn about the next steps in our national contract campaign. Remember to follow your local union and the Alliance on social media. Our handle is @AHCUnions. Check our web site for up coming updates and breaking news on national bargaining.
TOGETHER, WE WILL WIN
Public opinion, elected leaders, our labor allies, and our strength and unity are all in our favor. We are 52,000 strong, and KP has no path to winning this fight. KP’s proposal is out of sync with what is happening in healthcare today, as other employers provide wage increases, benefits improvements, sign on bonuses and more to recruit and retain employees. We will never let two-tier wages lead us into a broken healthcare system with worsening patient outcomes.
KP execs have abandoned a high-road, market-leading strategy that has brought them 24 years of tremendous success. An inexperienced new crop of KP executives are now
embracing a chaotic, anti-union, low-road strategy that failed in the 90s and will fail again. This is our organization, we built it, we’re powering it through a pandemic, and we’re going to defend it. Instead of proposing to decrease wages or offering an insulting 1% wage increase, we should be focused on addressing our urgent staffing needs and regional wage disparities.
JOIN US TO PROTECT OUR PATIENTS AND EACH OTHER.
Late night on September 8, after seventeen hours of bargaining, 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 Tech 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 is 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.
It has come to the Union’s attention that MultiCare has implemented a Salaried Regional Labor Pool and a new Mandatory In-House Floating Policy.
The Salaried Regional Labor Pool was created last month, which provided salaried non-union workers significant incentives to perform our bargaining unit work. At no point did the Employer provide notice to the Union regarding this change. It is our position that such actions are violations of our contracts, which prohibit non-union workers from performing our work with only a few specific exceptions (per diem, travelers). We’re frustrated that management has decided to not only violate our contract, but also pay large incentives to the salaried workers that could have otherwise been paid to our members to work the extra shifts.
We also have significant concerns about the Employer’s new Mandatory In-House floating policy, which will result in employees being mandated to float outside the limitations of our contracts. The employer has already admitted that this new policy will likely result in violations, and they seek to reach a special agreement to grant them flexibility. Despite their request for a special agreement, management has already implemented the program before we’ve even had a chance to meet and bargain over the policy.
The Union sent cease and desist letters to MultiCare regarding both the Salaried Regional Labor Pool and Mandatory In-House floating policy; however, they have stated their intention to disregard our requests. Consequently, the Union has filed grievances against the Employer demanding that members be made whole for any lost hours/wages as a result of these violations. We’ve also informed the Employer that we reserve the right to file unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) over their actions.
While we understand and share the Employer’s concerns about the large patient census driven by the current surge in COVID-19, we firmly disagree that such conditions warrant violations of our contracts nor waive the Employer’s obligation to bargain over a change in our member’s working conditions before implementation. We are committed to working together with the utmost urgency to come to an agreement over these matters in a way that ensures the community continues to receive high quality care while, at the same time, honoring Management’s obligations under our contracts.
We are scheduled to meet with the Employer early next week to discuss these matters further.
Your bargaining committee reached a tentative agreement with Safeway on September 7. There are NO takeaways in this contract!
This is a unanimously recommended offer that includes:
Big wage increases in-line with other workers in the DC
No healthcare cost increases.
Secure retirement
Other improvements
The full details of this recommended offer will be available for review at the ratification vote meeting. UFCW 21 members are encouraged to attend the meeting, ask questions, and vote on the contract. All members in good standing are eligible to vote.
Vote Meeting Scheduled!
Tuesday, September 14
12PM - 2PM
Breakroom @ Work
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 BARGAINING UPDATE
With contract negotiations entering their final scheduled days next week, our bargaining team made progress on racial justice, patient and worker safety, and improving dispute resolution. But KP clung to destructive, unsustainable positions on economics and staffing. The final national bargaining sessions are next Wednesday, September 8, through Friday, September 10.
“It’s hard to understand what their strategy is, if any – but KP negotiators have painted themselves into a corner, leaving many, many issues unresolved while doubling down on proposals that will exacerbate the crisis in staffing, worker shortages, patient care, and morale. We have made it clear we will never agree to proposals that threaten workers and patients,” said Nate Bernstein, Healthcare Director of UFCW Local 7.
There were some bright spots of agreement. Labor and Management members of the Racial Justice subcommittee jointly recommended that Juneteenth be established as a paid holiday. They also recommended implementing processes and programs such as Belong@KP to address racial trauma/fatigue, funding citizenship assistance, and others. The labor side of the subcommittee recommended establishing a nonprofit organization dedicated to training underrepresented health care workers and the appropriate observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Holiday.
The subcommittee on patient and worker safety reached consensus on adding language to the National Agreement on Just Culture, a recognition program for reporting of near misses, identifying and developing a communication process for emergency preparedness, and updating prevention of workplace violence. The group also recommended creation of a National Health, Safety and Well-Being Committee to ensure that Just Culture and Psychological Safety are integrated into current work streams.
There was also consensus on recommendations that could improve the speed and effectiveness of dispute resolution. The Problem and Dispute Resolution subcommittee recommended developing guidance or techniques for getting “unstuck” if groups find themselves at an impasse in the Issue Resolution process. They’ve recommended the guide be short, simple, and easily accessible for immediate reference.
KP clings to lower staffing and patient care standards
Stonewalling on staffing and patient care: Workers in every region, union, and department are in urgent need of adequate staff to provide KP members with the service and quality of care they deserve. In the face of this crisis, management members of the subcommittee stalled and derailed discussions. As a result, the group had very few joint recommendations.
While management was trying to run out the clock, labor subcommittee members crafted thoughtful recommendations to provide Alliance union members with information, structures, and processes to enable us to work with management on staffing solutions. Labor recommendations include new structures such as a Labor- Management Staffing Committees in every region, a national escalation process to resolve disputes, limits on the use of travelers, and timelines to hold management accountable for providing information.
KP economic proposals would make staffing and patient care even worse: KP negotiators clung to a discredited proposal to create a two-tier wage scale creating two classes of workers, current workers on a higher pay scale and new hires on a lower scale for their entire career. KP’s two-tier wage scale would undermine patient care, increase staffing shortages, and further harm exhausted workers. Given the current delta surges, many health care systems are acting fast and doing everything they can to recruit and retain staff, including offering sign-on bonuses, special incentives, and generous wage increases. KP chose this time of crisis to propose the worst contract terms in the history of partnership.
Local bargaining gridlock looms: KP local negotiators appear to have gotten a message to refuse to agree on almost everything, which is only creating a pile- up at the national table. “We will resolve first contracts that have lingered for years, we will address hundreds of unresolved local issues, we will find a solution to wage injustice in the Inland Empire and Kern, and we will raise standards in KP Washington where they are far below the rest of the enterprise,” said Alliance Executive Director Hal Ruddick.
Attendee Phone Number: 888-652-0384
Meeting ID: 6276
Every Tuesday, wear your union gear to work to show KP we are united to protect our patients and each other. (Mondays if you’re in Colorado). Take a photo wearing your union gear and post it on social media with the hashtag #BestJobsBestCare. Remember to tag KP @KPThrive and your local union
After you sign it, share it co-workers and friends on social media.
Questions? Contact Union Representative Rhonda Fisher-Ivie, 206-436-6584
TUESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2021
The first of three days of national bargaining started last week with both labor and management accepting the initial recommendations presented by the Patient & Worker Safety and Problem and Dispute Resolution subcommittees. However, the tone quickly changed when the issue of economics came up. The Alliance reviewed our proposals for good wages and benefit improvements, while KP is stuck on two-tier wages and 1% annual raises.
Alliance Executive Director Hal Ruddick reviewed the Alliance’s comprehensive economic proposal that includes good wage increases, increased tuition reimbursements and student loan repayment assistance, and raising standards in areas with lower benefits. KP negotiators have ignored the Alliance’s proposals and made only two proposals of their own: a 1% annual wage increase, and lower two-tier wages for new hires - even in the face of the staffing crisis.
“We’re at a crossroads in our 24 years of partnership,” Ruddick said. “We will not agree to this destructive two-tier proposal, and we’ve made that clear in every conversation. If KP continues on this concessionary path, it will lead to a multi-year labor war with all of KP’s unions.”
“Your problem isn’t our wages,” UNITE HERE president Eric Gill told Kaiser. “Your problem is your numbers - your wage study numbers. We don’t believe them.” KP has not demonstrated a credible rationale for lower wages and two-tier.
The first session of national bargaining will resume Wednesday morning where recommendations from the Staffing, Backfill, and Travelers and the Racial Justice subcommittees are expected. Each subcommittee is tasked with presenting all joint recommendations by Thursday, September 2, 2021.
ACCEPTED SUBCOMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
The Patient and Worker Safety subcommittee focused on broadening the concept of “health” to include not only physical health but also mental health and psychological safety. They presented four joint recommendations: (1) update the current section on Total Health to include psychological safety and mental health, (2) create a national committee to address psychological safety, Just Culture; and improve integration/collaboration across KP, (3) update the NA with the KP Well-Being Model that includes a holistic view of health, and (4) retain the 24/7 EAP line that’s temporary.
The Problem and Dispute Resolution subcommittee aims to clarify and improve partnership dispute resolution processes. The subcommittee’s joint recommendations included: (1) develop an easy- to-read accessible guide showing the purpose and pathway of the dispute resolution process, (2) develop an annual refresher for UBT’s and LMP Councils on how to use interest-based (IB) conversations in everyday interactions and problem solving, (3) provide just-in-time training for Issue Resolution participants, if needed, (4) develop internal capacity to train and facilitate Issue Resolution (IR), (5) provide targeted information and education to clarify how the IR process should be used.
PETITION ALERT:
After you sign it, share it co-workers and friends on social media.
Our union was able to bargain a new Double Time Pay MOU for all bargaining unit members at Central Washington Hospital!
The agreement will reward and provide incentives for employees working extra shifts. Approved Double Time shifts started 9/2/21 and it will be effective through 11/13/21. It may be extended after that date- we will keep everyone updated!
Double Time Pay:
All employees working double time at Managers/Directors/VP discretion will receive 2.0 x regular rate of pay (double time) for those approved double time shifts.
All employees working an extra shift more than 4 hours will receive 2.0 x regular rate of pay (double time) for those additional hours worked. Employees will need to clock out and clock back in using the special code for the additional shift. Double time does not apply to incidental overtime, only additional shifts.
The rest between shift and consecutive weekend premium pay (1.5 x regular rate of pay) will not be affected unless overridden by double time.
Mandatory call shifts will be paid at 1.5 x regular rate of pay.
Employees who have agreed to 2.0 x regular rate of pay (double time) shift but call in sick or call off during that pay period agree to voluntarily reduced the extra shifts to 1.5 x regular rate of pay (overtime).
Central Washington Hospital will follow the contract language regarding low census. All other articles of the contract remain in effect.
With a strong union, we can continue winning improvements for better staffing and retention. Not a member yet? Join UFCW21 here at bit.ly/centralWAhospital
Questions? Please contact your Steward or Union Representative Maureen Hatton at 509-340-7370.
UFCW21 is partnering with WSNA and CVHNA, the unions representing Nurses at Skagit and Cascade, to bargain over the effects of the Governor’s proclamation that requires healthcare workers to receive a COVID-19 vaccine or exemption by October 18. We are nearing an agreement that all three unions can support. We will update with details when a final agreement is reached.
Additionally, we have reached an agreement to reinstate the Extra Shift Incentives for Skagit and Cascade that were in place last Spring. The incentive will now be available for all classifications of workers at Skagit facilities.
Join our Zoom meeting to ask questions and talk about concerns regarding the proclamation.
Friday, September 10 @ 10:30AM
Contact your Bargaining Team or Union Rep Celia Ponce-Sanchez for registration and call-in details. Details will be also emailed out.
We have been corresponding with WhidbeyHealth regarding the July 1, 2021 1.5% wage increase and 2020 retroactive pay. Our position is that the wage increases need to be implemented per the ratified contract agreement, but WhidbeyHealth’s position is that they will not provide wage increases until all language and wage scale discrepancies are resolved. For this reason, we filed a grievance and unfair labor practice with PERC. We are extremely disappointed with WhidbeyHealth’s position and believe that members need their wage increases and retroactive pay now! Members have been working understaffed through an entire pandemic and they deserve WhidbeyHealth to respect the ratified contract agreement!
We are following up daily with management and expect to have a payout date by Monday, September 6.
Additionally, we are bargaining with WhidbeyHealth on a COVID-19 vaccine mandate letter of understanding. While we cannot change the Governor’s COVID-19 mandate, we can negotiate over the changes to workplace conditions. An example of a term we are negotiating: members who decline the vaccine will keep their seniority until the mandate is lifted or the caregiver receives the COVID-19 vaccine.
On September 1, Macy’s gave us a comprehensive counter proposal including wages.
Spoiler alert! We were underwhelmed. Macy’s increased their wage proposal by just $0.05. They told us that based on their other economic proposals, they thought that this was a “big move.”
There was small progress on other things, but Macy’s continues to stand by:
It’s ridiculous Reliability Attendance policy,
Eliminating the wage scales that get associates to the top rates of pay, and
Taking away credit for past Macy’s experience when rehired.
On healthcare, Macy’s proposed a drastic premium increase for the Platinum levels of coverage. When we dove into the numbers to make a counter proposal, we ended up having more questions than answers, which we are now waiting for before we can move ahead.
“Macy’s might think that we are just numbers on a spreadsheet; but they need to know that we are real people trying to survive. Their wage proposal won’t even cover half of how much rent has increased!”
- Brenda Eaden, Tukwila Macy’s Furniture Gallery
Those of us who have been through many bargains with Macy’s know that change only comes from when Macy’s workers take action!
Tell Macy’s their offer makes them unreliable! Take our Macy’s Reliability Survey and tell Macy’s they need to change their offer.
Get ready to take action when we present management with the results of the survey. Spoiler Alert! It’s not looking good for the boss.
After twenty hours of bargaining on August 30, we reached a tentative agreement with Providence St. Peter’s! After fourteen months at the bargaining table and eighteen months after unionizing, we were able to obtain a great first contract for the Tech unit. Our contract has a wage scale, longevity step increases, annual across-the-board wage increases, 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 Tech Bargaining Team: Josh Wood (CT), Shapel Morgan (MRI), Rae Lynn Korpi (RT), Colleen Castaneda (Cath Lab)
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
We met with the Employer again on August 24 hoping for a more productive meeting than we’ve had in the past. Unsurprising, we were disappointed.
While the Employer did provide their first economic counteroffer, they have still failed to respond to a number of our other proposals that were provided to them over a month ago. This only adds to our frustration with Management after their delays on getting dates scheduled in the first place. The Mary Bridge nurses, whose contract was scheduled to expire the same day as ours, have had double the bargaining dates as we have had. Are we not a priority to MultiCare?
However, there is good news to report. Management’s first economic response was not bad, especially considering that an initial economic offer from an employer is usually insultingly low. Their proposal would put our wage scale at about market standard, slightly above the RN scale at a neighboring hospital. This is a surprising initial offer, but your Bargaining Team is pushing for a contract that will remain competitive over the next couple years.
Our Bargaining Team will meet with Management again on September 8, 14, 22 and 29.
Join your Bargaining Team at our first virtual Contract Action Team (CAT) meeting on September 8 at 6:30pm. Hear the latest from negotiations, have your questions answered, and learn how you can help us win a fair contract.
September 8, 2021 6:30PM
On August 25 we met with Providence Centralia. We were able to reach tentative agreements on union membership, leave of absence, and management rights. We spent the rest of the day working on a proposal around wages, EIB/PTO, premium pay, retirement, health insurance, hours of work/overtime, education fund, and employment practices.
Providence provided us with a comprehensive proposal which included:
Wages—Placement onto the wage scale and 2.5% wage increase in Year 1; 2% wage increase in Year 2 and an anniversary wage increase; 2% wage increase in Year 3 and an anniversary wage increase
Elimination of EIB/ reduced PTO program which is currently in place
Ability to change health insurance and retirement plan from time to time
Education funds of $400 or $300 depending on your FTE
No daily overtime
Our proposal included:
Wages—Placement onto a competitive wage scale and a guaranteed 3.5% wage increase in 2021; 3% wage increase, anniversary wage increase, and two-step progression increase if your years of experience do not reflect your wage step in 2022; 3% wage increase, anniversary wage increase, and two-step progression increase if your years of experience do not reflect your wage step in 2023
Reinstatement of the 2019 EIB/PTO
Health insurance and retirement cannot be change for the life of the contract
Education fund of $400 or $300 depending on your FTE plus three days of time off
Daily overtime for all caregivers
As you can see the biggest differences between our proposals are wages, EIB/PTO, daily overtime, health insurance, and retirement plan. Given these differences we were not able to reach a deal on August 25. In order to win better wage scale placement, better wage increases, and a better PTO plan we need everyone to sign a strike pledge card.
This past week the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) found merit in our unfair labor practice (ULP) surrounding the changes to PTO! We will be going to hearing around this issue in November since Providence has taken the position that their changes were announced and therefore not illegal. We believe we have evidence which proves our point. This ULP would be our striking issue!
Next step is to sign onto the strike pledge and we will be at the bargaining table again on September 8. If you have any questions, please contact the bargaining team or Erin McCoy.
In Solidarity, Your Tech Bargaining Team: Jen Mullins, Rad Tech; Verity Olsen, Pharmacy Tech; Kathleen Spencer, RT; Jen Frunz, Mammo Tech
On August 23, we met with Providence St. Peter’s. The Union Bargaining Team started the day drafting a wage proposal. We had to rethink and cost-out our proposal which took about six hours. While Providence may say that we wasted their time and hardly made movement, the reality is that our wage proposal is quite modest and we take drafting proposals very seriously.
Our proposal places everyone onto the wage scale depending on half your years of experience and a guarantee of a
6% wage increase upon ratification,
3% wage increase/ anniversary step increases/two-step progression for employees whose years of service do not match their wage step in 2021, and a 3% wage increase/ anniversary step increases/placement on the appropriate wage step dependent on your years of experience in 2022.
Our wage proposal takes into consideration the market and the two years of wage increases we have not received. Additionally, we have held that our EIB/PTO plan from 2019 must be reinstated. Our ULP around the PTO plan has moved to hearing since Providence believes there is no violation.
Meanwhile, Providence continues to propose eliminating EIB/a reduced PTO plan for employees with 10 years or more of service; a 4% guaranteed wage increase in 2021 and a two-step progression for employees whose years of service do not match their wage step, 1.5% wage increase in 2022,
1.5% wage increase in 2023; no increases to premiums; the ability to increase health insurance premiums; the ability to change the retirement plan;
$300 to $400 in education fund depending on your FTE.
Although we are getting closer to a deal you can see that wages and EIB/PTO are the biggest hurdles we are facing. During our session we had more than 10 community leaders join us and tell Providence that we need a fair contract now! We believe this action has shown Providence that we have the support of our community and patients.
We hope that we will get closer to a deal at our next session on Monday, August 30.
If you have any questions, please contact our Bargaining Team or Union Rep Erin McCoy @ 206-436-6598.
We are the Union. The members of UFCW 3000 are over 50,000 members working in grocery, retail, health care, meat packing, cannabis, & other industries across Washington state, north-east Oregon, and northern Idaho. UFCW 3000 is a chartered member of UFCW International with over 1.4 million workers in North America.
To build a powerful Union that fights for economic, political and social justice in our workplaces and in our communities.
