Capital Medical Center RN - Bargaining Goes Virtual

Photo Left to Right:

Dennis & Bonnie Verellen, Brandan Zielinski, Elisabeth Hildebrand, Steven Toff, Malando Redeemer, Carol Cairone

During our first virtual bargaining session with Capital Medical Center, we received management’s response to our initial proposals, and used the remaining time to dig deeper into the issues facing RNs at Capital Medical Center!

“We’re working hard to identify a better process for all of us to recognize issues with payroll and quickly fix them. Our payroll systems are just too difficult to read!”

— Bonnie Verellen

“It’s time to rectify the differences between Capital Medical Centers healthcare with the rest of MultiCare at large!”

— Elisabeth Hildebrand

As we continue our hybrid model of bargaining, we also want to continue to stress the importance of hearing your voices throughout this contract negotiation. Reach out to anyone of us on the bargaining team, or our union rep Brandan Zielinski at (206) 436-6603 or via email BZielinski@ufcw3000.org

Capital Medical Center RN - We Are United for a Strong Contract

Our Bargaining Team (Left to Right):

Dennis Verellen (ICU/PCU)

Elisabeth Hildebrand (Cath Lab)

Bonnie Verellen (Labor & Delivery)

Carol Cairone (OR)

Cindy Dixon (PACU)

We had our first bargaining session and led on our vision of what a great Capital Medical Center looks like. With your input we presented our priorities to MultiCare management and told them that our team is united for:

• Competitive Wages that recruit and retain workers

• Safe Staffing for us and our patients

• Safe working conditions for all our coworkers

• Raising standards to meet other MultiCare Units.

“As we began bargaining, we shared with management the important of raising us to the standards of other MultiCare units up north. Just because we are in Olympia doesn’t mean we deserve less than others. We deserve the same services, benefits and resources as others.”

— Dennis Verellen

“We had a successful start to our bargaining coming to some agreements right out the gate. With your support and involvement I believe we will have a successful bargain and win a strong contract.”

— Carol Cairone

Together we can win!

Many hands make light work! If you are interested in being involved and staying up-to-date please join the Contract Action Team (CAT). Reach out to anyone of us on the bargaining team or our union rep Brandan Zielinski at (206) 436-6603 or via email BZielinski@ufcw3000.org.

Fresenius Renal Care - Bargaining Continues

This week we met with management and a federal mediator to let them know the wages they are offering are not enough! We need to pay our bills, feed our kids, put gas in our cars to get to work. We also need recognition for our long work hours and experience!

We have additional bargaining sessions set up for:

August 15 • August 22

Tell management they need to listen to workers and show some respect. Sign the petition:

https://bit.ly/Fresenius22

Join the Contract Action Team Meeting!

Thursday, August 11

10:00 AM • 6:00 PM

https://zoom.us/join

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

If your coworkers are not receiving this update, they can go to: 

www.ufcw21.org/update-your-information

“We’re continuing to fight for higher pay. We hope to win this war on wages!”

— Tiffani Davis, Bargaining Team

“Management said they appreciate our work but are not showing that in the wages they are offering. We need to stand together to get management to see we are united.”

— Michele Hardy, Bargaining Team

For additional information contact Union Rep Ryan Degouveia @ 360-662-1989.

Capital Medical Center RN - Bargaining Begins

We’ve received your bargaining surveys, reviewed your priorities, and now we’re preparing to meet management at the table. 

UFCW and Capital Medical Center are scheduled for Thursday, August 4 to begin negotiations around the RN Contract & your suggested improvements. 

GET INVOLVED!

Please contact your rep Brandan Zielinski at (206) 436-6603 or via email at BZielinski@ufcw3000.org if you’d like to be on our Contract Action Team! 

Please update your contact information to make sure you receive any future updates: 

WhidbeyHealth - WhidbeyHealth Responds to Our Proposal!

Prior to June, we requested bargaining dates from Management to start wage reopener negotiations. Finally in July, Management provided us with a bargaining date and a wage proposal which Management sent to all employees. The wage scale that Management released was a proposal and needs to be approved and voted on by YOU, UFCW 3000 members! Management has said this proposal is a “done deal,” but that is NOT THE CASE!

Management has the right under the contract (Article 18) to give everyone a wage increase, but they cannot implement a new wage scale. For example, they can implement a percentage wage increase for all current employees in all classifications while we are in negotiations and keep the wage scale as is.

On July 28 the Pro/Tech/LPN and Support Services bargaining team met with the WhidbeyHealth management bargaining team. We reviewed Management’s wage proposal and there are several classifications whose pay rates are below area hospitals. Management proposed higher wage increases for some classifications anything between .5% to 2.5% for other classifications. Given this, we proposed a 25% wage scale increase for both Pro/Tech/LPN and Support Services, along with the removal of all ghost/zero steps and replacing those steps with a 2.5% step increment. Management did not meaningfully respond to our proposal and gave us a second bargaining date for late August.

We are disappointed with Management’s lack of response and delay to the bargaining process! We have request sooner bargaining dates. It is important that we show Management that we need higher pay and they should not delay implementing wage increases!

We will be holding a contract action team meeting on Thursday, August 4, 1:00pm and 6:00pm over Zoom and Tuesday, August 9 at 6:00pm (tentatively in the Education conference room at WhidbeyHealth) where we will be talking about actions and discussing bargaining.

If you have questions, please contact your union representative Celia Ponce-Sanchez cponcesanchez@ufcw3000.org 360-419-4678 or your bargaining committee.

Your bargaining committee,

Jennifer MacNeill, Rosalie Nguyen, Qiana Johnson, Marty Riley, Gwendolyn Cole, Lisa Olds, Marilyn Faber, Elke Rogers

Join the Contract Action Team Meeting!

Thursday, August 4

1:00 PM • 6:00 PM

Hudson Dufry Group - Tentative Agreement Reached

Hudson Dufry Group - Tentative Agreement Reached
Our Bargaining Team Recommends a YES vote

On Friday, July 22, the Union and Hudson/Dufry reached a tentative agreement on the new contract. Your Union bargaining committee is unanimously recommending this contract offer.

In the days ahead we will be announcing the time and place for the vote. The full offer will be available at the vote meeting.

Skagit Regional Health - Union Contract Bargaining Update

On July 20, our Bargaining Team met with Management for our eleventh negotiation session. We presented and completed the last of our economic proposal and are feeling optimistic for future bargaining dates.

Management is reviewing our proposals on economics, and we expect to hear back on these reviews by our next meeting.

Our next bargaining session will be Wednesday, August 17.

The best way to show your solidarity is by acting and showing that we are powerful as a unit that is UNITED.

If you have any questions about the bargaining process, please contact our Union Rep Celia at (360) 419-4678 or cponcesanchez@ufcw3000.org.

Bargaining Team: Aaron St. John - CS Tech; Alina Delano, Ultrasound Tech; Ashley Price - Medical Assistant-Certified; Jill Douglass - Data Entry Clerk; Maria Muñoz - Environmental Svcs; Megan Osborn - Med Tech; Mike Koenig - Engineer; Rindi Atkins - Radiology Tech; Thomas Kean - Exercise Physiologist; Katie Davis - Social Worker; Cindy Tjaden - Surg Tech

C.C. Filson - Historic Pay Increases on the Table

Our Bargaining Committee met with Management and made our economic proposals. Since the beginning of bargaining, Union members have made clear that we need substantial wage increases to just make ends meet. So we proposed:

• Big increases to the minimum pay rates for productivity-based workers. We also questioned Management about why they were paying less than the Minimum Base Rate to production workers, based on their answers the Union will be filing a grievance.

• Historic wage increases and a pay scale for hourly workers that gives recognition for job duties and years of loyal service.

• No changes to the health care cost sharing.

• An employer funded 401(k) retirement program with guaranteed contributions for every hour we work.

We tentatively agreed with Management to put the night work premium in the contract and to increase it to $.50/hr. Filson also had previously proposed a bonus program based on yearly company performance; we told them we could agree to it, but it could not replace wage increases that we need to live.

The Employer said our proposal required serious consideration and number crunching, so they were unable to respond to our proposal immediately and ended bargaining for the day. But we kept on working and drafted Safety and Pandemic contract language that will be ready to present to them at the next bargaining session on August 4.

TIME TO TAKE ACTION

Management may need time to consider our proposals, but we are not going to just sit around and wait. So far we have taken action by buttoning-up, getting trained on spotting Unfair Labor Practices at work, and having a great Unity Day action at work where our community allies turned out to show their support for Filson workers. We aren’t stopping there and won’t until Union members have a fair contract offer to vote on.

Filson needs to see that you are serious about the proposals the Union has on the table. Make sure you are:

• Wearing your Union button everyday

• Participating in Solidarity Wednesdays by wearing a gold Union t-shirt

• Attending the Contract Action Team meeting Friday, July 29 @ 4-6pm, Kent Commons - Olympic Room, 525 4th Ave N Kent, WA 98030. Join us for a more in-depth update on negotiations, planning for further actions, and discussing how we run an effective picket line.

Skagit Regional Health - Bargaining Continues

Your Bargaining Team: 

• Aaron St. John – Central Supply Tech

• Alina Delano – Ultrasound Tech

• Ashley Price – Medical Assistant

• Jill Douglass – Data Entry Clerk 

• Maria Muñoz – Environmental Aid

• Megan Osborn – Med Tech

• Mike Koenig – Engineer

• Rindi Atkins – Radiology Tech 

• Thomas Kean – Exercise Physiologist

• Katie Davis – Social Worker 

• Cindy Tjaded – Surgical Tech

On July 13, our bargaining team met with management for our tenth negotiation session. Our bargaining team presented economics! Additionally, we proposed additional holiday and premiums to best align with the increase in economics.

Management was pleased to have gotten our proposals on economics and will address response in our next bargaining session.

Our next bargaining session will be Wednesday July 20.

The best way to show your solidarity is by acting and show we are powerful as a unit that is united.

Please join us at the upcoming Contract Action Team (CAT) meeting in person on Thursday, July 21 at 6PM at the Union Office, 1510 N 18th street, Mt. Vernon.

Alternatively, join us via Zoom.

Please take a few moments to register for the meeting at this link. Once you’re registered, check your email for the zoom information.

To RSVP or if you have any questions about the bargaining process, please contact our Union Rep Celia at (360) 419-4678 or cponcesanchez@ufcw3000.org.

Mason General RN

Grays Harbor Harbor Regional Health - RECRUITMENT • RETENTION • RESPONSIBILITY

Your Bargaining Team: Daniel James, Debbie Sturm, Janet Byrd, Bambi Shope, Ricki Franklin (not pictured)

The UFCW Bargaining Committee has been negotiating for nearly three months and has challenged management by proposing aggressive wage increases. Management’s initial wage proposal acknowledged some wages are below the market but did not recognize many other underpaid jobs.

In response we have been hard at work, carefully reviewing current market wages in all local hospitals.

The hospital isn’t making the connection between wages and why people are leaving. They say that wages are only part of the problem. Management seems very interested in recruitment but not retention. There is little acknowledgement of the short staffing that has resulted in extra work for everyone.

The hospital has a responsibility to employees but also the community. Understaffed for a very long time, Harbor Regional Health offers services not available in other area hospitals, but community members are often making the drive to Olympia for their care.

We are scheduled to meet with management every week in July, but need you to add your voice to the bargaining table.

Talk to your coworkers and let them know what’s going on and stayed tuned for more information! For more information, talk to the Bargaining Committee or Union Representative Brandan Zielinski bzielinski@ufcw3000.org

Update Your Contact Info!

WhidbeyHealth - Management Proposes Wage Increases

On Friday, July 1, WhidbeyHealth Management made a wage proposal via email. The proposal includes a .05% wage increase for all Pro-Tech-LPN members, some market adjustments, a 2.5% step increment between Base to Step 10, adding three steps to the wage scale (new final step will be Step 28), and a 5% step increment between Step 10 and Step 28. 

As for Support Services members, Management is proposing market adjustments on some classifications, a 2.5% step increment between Base to Step 10, and a 5% step increment between Step 10 and Step 28. While some of the new pay rates bring classifications close to market standards, other classifications are still below area hospitals, like Skagit Regional Health. 

Additionally Management has told us that since they are proposing a “sizable” wage proposal, they are holding to their position to no longer cover the Washington State Paid Family Medical Leave premium, which is .06% of your gross wages per year. 

We need members’ input prior to making a counter proposal, so we have asked Management to bargain with us prior to July 31. Please join us on July 12 to further discuss Management’s proposal. If you have questions please contact your union representative, Celia Ponce-Sanchez. 

Join Us to Discuss the Proposal via Zoom!

Tuesday, July 12

RSVP 11:00 AM

RSVP 5:00 PM

Richland Fred Meyer Bargaining Update

Our Richland Bargaining Team met with Fred Meyer on June 29 and 30 where we received the first contract proposal response from the Employer. Our team was able to return a full response to their proposals that includes: A fair wage packages, Quality and affordable Healthcare, and the Maintenance of retirement. 

Our team is continuing to fight for: 

• A fair grievance process that gives workers the ability to enforce the terms of our union contract.

• Workplace safety.

• Just Cause standards to protect for unfair discipline and discharge.

In addition to two productive days of negotiations our Union Bargaining Committee was able to raise concerns with the Employer around recent unfair discipline and discharge of employees, especially on issues dealing with safety. With a union contract in place, we will be able to directly address these issues and more with the company.   

The Employer is now considering our Union Bargaining Committees’ most recent full proposal and working on a response. Once all parties agree to the proposals and workers have had a chance to vote to ratify the agreement we will have a legally binding contract that will hold the Employer to their commitments and give power and protection to the workers at Richland Fred Meyer.  

Our next bargaining date is July 27. We need to continue to show Fred Meyer that we demand our first contract now. 
Take action by wearing your union button! 

Contract Action Team 
July 13 @ 10AM & 6PM 
at 2505 Duportail St, Richland WA 99352

St. Michael Medical Center RN - New Agreement Ratified

After six months of negotiations, our Bargaining Team is excited to announce that nurses voted to ratify their successor contract. St. Michael Medical Center will now have one of the highest wage scales and charge nurse premiums in the state, a much stronger staffing committee, and much more.

However, the fight is not over! Our new contract will not solve the chronic staffing issues and mismanagement that continues to plague St. Michael Medical Center, no amount of money could fix that. We need to continue to elevate the pressure by submitting official complaints to state agencies, running petitions of no confidence against incompetent managers, and fight to pass legislation on staffing ratios.

While changing the law may take time, we are taking action NOW to impact change. The first petition of no confidence will begin circulating this month and you can begin to file complaints with the state today through the following links.

Please contact Union Representative Aimee Oien at (360) 662-1981 if you have any questions or need assistance filing a complaint with the state. 

Stay tuned for more information in the coming weeks. 

DOSH Complaint

Report safety issues and/or hazardous working conditions directly to the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I).

DOH Complaint

Report unsafe staffing directly to the Washington State Department of Health (DOH). We encourage members who file a DOH complaint to also follow-up with a CSI report, ensuring the hospital as a record of the issue. 

Collaborative Staffing Intervention (CSI)

Report unsafe staffing and/or missed breaks and lunches.

North Mason School District | Vote Scheduled Tentative Agreement Reached

North Mason School District | Vote Scheduled

Tentative Agreement Reached

Your Bargaining Team has reached a tentative agreement with management on a new three-year collective bargaining agreement! We are excited to announce that our tentative agreement includes competitive wage increases and:

PERSONAL LEAVE: When cashing out personal leave at the end of the school year, it will be paid at the regular driver rate instead of the substitute driver rate.

HOLIDAYS: Won Labor Day as a standard holiday, not just for 220 days or more employees

SPECIAL NEEDS PAY: The $0.25 premium shall be permanently added to our wages, regardless of if we are working a special needs route.

MECHANIC ALLOWANCE: Increased to $750 annually, a 25% increase

LEAVE OF ABSENCE: Improved protections and increased timelines when taking a leave of absence

FAIR PROCESS: Management agrees to make hard copy postings of all transportation department job opening and available routes. This will ensure that there are no secrets, and all members will be made aware of available opportunities.

And much more!

The full details of the offer will be made available during our online vote meeting:

Monday July 11
4PM
Contact a Bargaining Team member or your Union Rep for details.

It’s extremely important that members attend the zoom meeting to get a full understanding of the employer’s offer and have your questions answered. However, voting will not take place at this meeting.

We will be voting online via “SimplyVoting” on Tuesday, July 12 @ 12AM - 5PM. You will be receiving an email from UFCW 3000 via “SimplyVoting” with your unique

login information.

In order to vote, everyone needs to make sure their personal email is up to date in our records. If you did not receive this announcement via email, please visit ufcw21.org/update-your-information and update your information. If you do not receive an email to vote on Tuesday July 12, then please reach out to Union Rep Aimee Oien @ (360) 662-1981 or aoien@ufcw3000.org to provide an updated email address.

C.C. Filson Company - Contract Negotiations Update

Our union member bargaining team has requested bargaining dates from Filson’s in July.  

During our last bargaining session with Filson our bargaining team proposed:

• Increase break periods to 15 minutes

• Adding Juneteenth as an additional holiday

• Strengthening our vacation language

• Increasing the time Filson must recall us from a layoff

• Allowing more time to bid on an open job

• Increased paid time off for bereavement leave

• Strengthening our just cause language

• New 401k retirement language

Take Action to help fight for a better contract! Join us at the next Contract Action Team Meeting. You can join us any time between these hours.

Friday, July 29 @ 4–6PM
Kent Commons (Olympic Room)
525 4th Ave N , Kent, WA 98030

Attending a Contract Action Team meeting is a great way to get contract negotiation updates, discuss workplace issues, and plan future workplace actions to win a better contract.

Unity is Power! Stay informed and continue to wear your “Better Wages & Safety at Work” buttons at work.

Please let Union Representatives Jose or Bruce know if you will be attending the Contract Action Team Meeting and if you need an interpreter.

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Actualización de las negociaciones del contrato CON C.C. FILSON COMPANY

Nuestro equipo de negociación de miembros de la Union ha solicitado fechas de negociación a Filson's en julio.  

Durante nuestra última sesión de negociaciónes con Filson, nuestro equipo de negociación propuso:

• Aumentar los períodos de descanso a 15 minutos

• Agregar Juneteenth como un día festivo adicional

• Fortalecer nuestro lenguaje de vaccaciones

• Aumentar el tiempo que Filson debe llamarnos de vuelta despues de un despido forzoso por falta de trabajo

• Permitir más tiempo para aplicar a un trabajo abierto

• Aumentar el tiempo pagado de Permiso por Duelo

• Fortalecer nuestro lenguaje de causa justa

• Nuevo lenguaje de jubilación 401k

¡Toma acción para ayudar a luchar por un mejor contrato! Los invitamos a la próxima reunión del Equipo de Acción. Puede venir en cualquier tiempo entre estas horas.

Viernes, 29 de julio a 4–6PM
Kent Commons (Olympic Room)
525 4th Ave N, Kent, WA 98030

Las reuniónes del Equipo de Acción son excelente manera de obtener actualizaciones de negociaciónes, hablar sobre problemas que suceden en el trabajo y planificar acciones futuras en el lugar de trabajo para ganar un mejor contrato.

¡La unidad es poder! Manténgase informado y continúe usando sus botones "Mejores salarios y seguridad en el trabajo".

Por favor, informe a los representantes de la union José o Bruce si asistirá a la reunión del Equipo de Acción Contractual y si necesita un intérprete.

Hudson/Dufry Group - Progress but Hudson falls short on wages

Your union bargaining committee met with Hudson/Dufry management on Tuesday, June 28. The employer gave us a full counter proposal to the Union’s proposed contract improvements and wage increases. While we did make progress on improving vacation, funding our healthcare, bereavement leave, and other minor language improvements; Hudson’s wage proposal fell far short of recognizing our work during the pandemic and that we all have bills that are getting harder to pay.

The bargaining committee continued to work throughout the day and presented a full counter proposal that included:

• Competitive wages with increases for every member

• Shortening the time that it takes to get to the top of the wage scale

• Increased vacation accrual

• Increased employer contributions to our retirement

• Improving safety on the job

We have proposed new bargaining dates and are waiting to hear back from Hudson, and we are looking for a place for our next Contract Action Team meeting. It is important that we all stay informed about when and where that meeting will be and about any new bargaining updates, so go to: ufcw21.org/update-your-information to make sure the Union has your most current information.

We need to continue to take action to fight for the wages and working conditions we deserve. The bargaining committee is asking everyone to:

Sign a strike pledge card to show Hudson we mean business

• Wear your Union button.

• When we stand together and fight, we win!

WhidbeyHealth - Let's hold WhidbeyHealth accountable!

On June 28, we met with WhidbeyHealth Management regarding the elimination of Employer-paid WA Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML) premiums. As of June 5, the Employer stopped paying the entirety of the 0.06% annual premium of gross wages. After three years of paying for the entirety of the WA PFML premium, WhidbeyHealth has decided to stop covering the 0.06% premium! They claim workers will not feel the affect of the premium deductions. But in 2021, the Pro/Tech/LPN and Support Service units only received a 1.0% wage increase. By having employees pay for the WA PFML premium, they are taking away from our wages and essentially our families.

When we asked Management if they could afford the premiums, they told us they could. Management believes that stopping coverage of the premiums will help rectify the mismanagement of hospital finances. It is unfair to take away this benefit from workers. Workers should not bear the costs of their mismanagement of funds.

We expect Management to do the right thing and continue covering WA PFML premiums through the life of the contract!

We also asked Management for bargaining dates for the Pro/Tech/LPN wage reopener. With the increase cost of housing, food, and gas and high turnover, we need to fight for competitive wage increases.

Join our virtual meetings where we will discuss wage proposal ideas and plan workplace actions
Tuesday, July 12 @ 11PM
Register in advance

Tuesday, July 12 @ 5PM
Register in advance

Contact a Bargaining Team member or your Union Rep for the registration details. Details will also be emailed to you

Skagit Regional Health - Onward to Economics

Your Bargaining Team:

• Aaron St. John – Central Supply Tech

• Alina Delano – Ultrasound Tech

• Ashley Price – Medical Assistant

• Jill Douglass – Data Entry Clerk

• Maria Muñoz – Environmental Aid

• Megan Osborn – Med Tech

• Mike Koenig – Engineer

• Rindi Atkins – Radiology Tech

• Thomas Kean – Exercise Physiologist

• Katie Davis – Social Worker

• Cindy Tjaded – Surgical Tech

On June 22, our bargaining team met with management for our nineth negotiation session. Our bargaining team dove into preparing economics! We had a working session to ensure our economic and counter proposals on rebid, float, and variable language addressed the work / life balance concerns of the membership. It’s important that key language issues are resolved as we tackle recruitment and retention.

Management actively listened to our team. It’s clear that our sticker-up action made an impact, let’s keep the momentum going!

What happens at the negotiation table is important, but in the end our strength to win on key issues depends on active, informed, and united union members in the workplace.

Our next sessions will be Wednesday, July 13 & July 20.

Please join us at the upcoming Contract Action Team (CAT) meeting in person on Thursday, July 21 at 6PM at the Union Office, 1510 N 18th Street, Mt. Vernon.

To RSVP or if you have any questions about the bargaining process, please contact our Union Rep Celia at (360) 419-4678 or cponcesanchez@ufcw3000.org.

Kaiser Pharmacy Spokane update on new contract language & premiums

Kaiser Pharmacy Spokane update on new contract language & premiums

Our Negotiation Team has been working with Kaiser both locally and nationally to ensure that our contract agreements are implemented fairly and paid out accurately.

Because Kaiser’s payroll system is run nationally, we are working with the National Alliance of Health Care Unions to help ensure that all changes to payroll codes are implemented as soon as possible.

We are in discussion with Kaiser Washington to push them towards a manual fix - Kaiser’s payment codes are not yet programmed into the payroll system. Management needs to manually keep track of what you are owed to ensure members are compensated quickly and accurately! This is a work-in-progress and we will keep you updated as we push Kaiser toward a solution.

Don’t miss out on important updates! Make sure you and your coworkers’ information is correct and up-to-date!

ufcw21.org/update-your-information

For further information about our contract or to get involved, please contact our Union Representative Lenaya Wilhelm @ 509-340-7369