Jefferson County Public Employees - Contract Ratified!

“Participation in our ratification to confirm the agreement between the workers and the County is a crucial piece of union democracy- we appreciate everyone who came to vote!” - Tim Weissman, Environmental Health Specialist

On July 12, members attending the union contract votes at the courthouse and the public works conference room ratified the agreement by an overwhelming majority! Our Bargaining Team thanks everyone who showed up to vote for doing so.

Forks Community Hospital Service & Tech Contract Ratified!

Our Union Bargaining Team wants to thank you for participating in the contract vote. The collective bargaining agreement was ratified July 6 with 100% voting YES! This agreement:

  • Increases wages a minimum of 15% over the life of the contract

  • Protects affordable health care

  • Adds multilingual pay to the contract

  • Adds certification pay to the contract

PCC July Contract Action Team Meetings

TUESDAY, JULY 25: 1:00PM – 2:00PM

BELLEVUE LIBRARY ROOM 4

1111 110th AVE NE, BELLEVUE, WA 98004

TUESDAY, JULY 25: 12:00PM – 1:00PM

SEATTLE LIBRARY: COLUMBIA CITY BRANCH

4721 RAINIER AVE S, SEATTLE, WA 98118

WEDNESDAY, JULY 26: 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM

SEATTLE LIBRARY: UNIVERSITY BRANCH

5009 ROOSEVELT WAY NE, SEATTLE, WA 98105

WEDNESDAY, JULY 26: 6:00PM – 7:00PM

KINGSGATE LIBRARY

12315 NE 143RD ST, KIRKLAND, WA 98034

FRIDAY, JULY 28: 4:00PM – 5:00PM

ISSAQUAH LIBRARY

10 W SUNSET WAY, ISSAQUAH, WA 98027

FRIDAY, JULY 28: 4:00PM – 5:00PM

SEATTLE LIBRARY: WEST SEATTLE BRANCH

2306 42ND AVE SW, SEATTLE, WA 98116

LabCorp - Negotiations Continue

LabCorp
Negotiations Continue

Our LabCorp Bargaining Team met with Management on June 29 to continue negotiations. We proposed additional holidays (MLK day, Juneteenth and Veterans Day) to recognize Union members of color and former service members. We made proposals to address issues with excessive overtime, understaffing, and mandatory schedule changes. We also proposed additional bereavement and union leave, penalties for untimely resolution of paycheck errors, more training for management on medical leave processes, and better access to HR.

NEXT CAT MEETINGS:
Thursday, July 13 on Zoom
9am—10am and 6:30pm—7:30pm
Find the link at: linktr.ee/LabForce3000

NEXT BARGAINING DATES:
July 19 and August 1

“We shared your stories about overtime and staffing problems. Unfortunately, although we come prepared every session with full proposals and explanations for them, management has chosen not to respond to our contract language proposals and deferred addressing previous issues until they receive all our economic proposals as well. This delay tactic is unacceptable! Despite this, we remain prepared and ready for action as we head into our next two negotiations sessions.” —Matt Noll, Cytogenetic Technologist

STAY IN THE LOOP!
Please make sure to join and follow our Slack or Facebook group for important updates regarding Contract Action Team meetings and negotiations.

Questions or concerns? Reach out to our Bargaining Team or Union Rep, Christie Harris at 206-436-6606.

Jefferson County Public Employees - Contract Vote Scheduled

After meeting for one more bargaining session on June 27, our Bargaining Team has finalized the details of a tentative agreement! Improvements to the collective bargaining agreement include:

  • Across the board wage increases all three years of the agreement

  • Elimination of lower wage scale steps

  • Addition of another wage step at the top of the scale in year three

  • Conversion from a vacation & sick leave accrual system to a Personal Time Off (PTO) system that allows for greater flexibility of use and a larger carry-over of hours year-to-year

  • Added steps for years of experience to longevity bonuses

This tentative agreement is recommended by our Bargaining Team.

Join your co-workers and vote “YES” to ratify your union contract!

Wednesday, July 12 @ 9AM—12PM
Jefferson County Courthouse, first floor conference room

Wednesday, July 12 @ 1PM—3:30PM
Public Works office conference room

EvergreenHealth - Evergreen Workers Show Their Strength!

Workers at EvergreenHeath took part in our first worksite action on Tuesday, July 20 by wearing union colors and holding a mass attendance at the board of commissioners meeting. We filled the room and showed management and board members that Evergreen workers are engaged and serious about winning a fair contract.

The sea of yellow forced management to sit up and take notice, and several voluntarily offered commentary on the importance of our work in the clinical and financial success of the hospital.

Make no mistake though, this action is not enough to move the needle at the bargaining table. We plan to attend the next board meeting on July 18 in even greater numbers and speak directly to management and the board about why we need a strong contract with fair wages, better benefits, and real solutions the staffing crisis we face every day.

Are you interested in raising your voice in support of a fair contract? Contact your rep Jack Crow at 206-436-6614 or jcrow@ufcw3000.org

Come to the next contract action meeting!

  • July 11 • 5:30 PM

  • TAN 138

Can’t make it? Join our Zoom meeting instead!

  • July 10 • 10:30 AM

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

Providence St. Peter Hospital PTAs / COTAs Bargaining Update

“Unfortunately Providence rejected our proposal to place employees on a wage scale per their years of experience in their job classification. Having our years of experience recognized is a top priority!”—Cynthia Miner and Heidi Ranger

Our Union Bargaining Team met with Management on Thursday, June 29 to discuss the terms of our accretion into the technical unit represented by UFCW 3000. Thus far we have not been able to come to an agreement with Management about the structure of our wage scale and retaining greater continuing education benefits than the minimum required in the technical unit’s union contract.

As such, we are scheduled to meet with them again August 15. While we wish this were possible sooner, we also could not accept the offer on the table just for the sake of expediting the process.

MultiCare Covington Medical Center Contract Ratified

Bargaining Units has Overwhelmingly voted yes to ratify the contract!

We won:

  • Historic wage increases that can help recruit and retain qualified staff!

  • Increased PTO cash out

  • Low Census Limits for RNs

  • Staffing Accountability Language

  • And other great wins!

The contract will immediately go into effect. New wages will go into effect on July 16.

If you have questions, please reach out to one of your bargaining team members or your union representative Ian Jacobson.

Planned Parenthood Bargaining Update

Bargaining Team: Michel Avery, Alison Deboise, Melissa Grindstaff, Monalisa Bauman, Mollie Overby

Today in Negotiations we got some wins in our non-discrimination language, as Planned Parenthood agreed with our language including: having your name, email, and ID badge match whatever name you choose. Planned Parenthood agreed with adding the anti-racism statement (public health crisis) we proposed and agreed that systemic and individualized racism deeply impact the health and wellbeing of communities. Planned Parenthood agreed to our proposal to email us via our work email about new job postings. Planned Parenthood is still refusing to agree to more than a one year contract, even with upcoming elections threatening your day to day safety. We are asking for a three year contract.

We are still fighting for strong language for stewards, as well as ensuring only 14 days notice for resignation for members.

Planned Parenthood told us that our staffing language proposal that ensures you have ways to voice concerns, as well as requiring Planned Parenthood to have a timeline to follow up on said concerns was not “one size fits all and doesn’t address issues that an employer sees”. We disagree with that, you deserve to have proper staffing that allows for quality patient care and services. Planned Parenthood wont even counter our staffing language, they are just saying NO. We will continue to propose safe staffing language, this is non-negotiable.

We asked that “when it comes to safety issues or other life threatening issues” that Planned Parenthood, The Union and Labor Management Committee must meet within seven days of a request for an emergency meeting. Planned Parenthood has said they were not interested in this. Given the recent safety concerns you have faced, we would hope Planned Parenthood would agree to this important proposal.

If you have questions contact our Union Rep Charlie King at 206-436-6518

Providence St. Joseph - New Three Year Contract Ratified at Providence St. Joseph Hospital for Service & Maintenance and Technical Units

Our bargaining team is excited to announce that on June 27, 2023, the new three-year contract was unanimously ratified at Providence St. Joseph Hospital for service & maintenance and technical units. This was a great time for everyone to learn about the new contract, ask questions, and vote. We connected with a lot of people and built our membership through this process. We are encouraged that the growth of our membership will strengthen the power that we have at the table.

The new contract has a competitive wage scale, increased premiums, an additional holiday, and cleaned up a lot of unnecessary language. The bargaining team spent some very long days with management, but they are excited, hopeful, and confident that this contract will help address retention and recruitment issues at St. Joseph.

If you would like to get involved, please reach out to your bargaining team. It takes all of us to fight for the benefits we work hard for!

Please reach out to your bargaining team or Union Representative Amy Radcliff at (509) 340-7370 with any questions or concerns.

Our Bargaining Team: Dawn Trotter, Financial Counselor; Bridgett McCoy, Coordinator; Terri Barbano-Cardin, Respiratory Therapist; Amy Radcliff, Union Representative

Olympic Medical Center - Bargaining Begins at Olympic Medical Center

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

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

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

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

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


Our Bargaining Team

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

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


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

Update your information!

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

Ferry County Public Hospital - Bargaining Continues for Service & Maintenance and LPN Workers

Bargaining Team members met with management on June 22 and were scheduled for June 23, but management cancelled so they could prepare a response to our comprehensive proposal, which we introduced on the 22nd.

We are looking forward to a counter from the employer on June 29 that hopefully will address all of the very vital parts of our contract.  

We have had some very good conversations but still have a lot of work to do.  

Our next bargaining session is scheduled for June 29. Please reach out to your bargaining team or Union Representative Amy Radcliff at 509-340-7370 with any questions or concerns.

Our Bargaining Team: Amy Radcliff Union Representative; Chris Torres Lab; Nykole Silrus, LPN; Rebecca Thompson, Unit Coordinator.

PRMCE RN Bargaining Update

Providence asked for expedited bargaining, yet repeatedly failed to bring any counter proposal to our wage and staffing proposal.

Providence thought their best proposal for wages and staffing language was what Michelle Lundstrom sent in her May 22, 2023 email. Nurses should feel disrespected by this lack of action from Providence.

Given Providence’s lack of movement around staffing and wages, we will be launching a strike pledge card. Get ready to show solidarity with your coworkers and sign your strike pledge cards at the hospital and online.

Be on the lookout for information on your next Contract Action Team meeting! Keep wearing your blue and yellow, it’s time to put our words to ACTION!

If you have questions reach out to our Union Bargaining Team or Rep. Anthony Cantu at 206-436-6566

PRMCE RNs Back at the negotiations table!

“Nurses treat patients with dignity and respect. We expect the same from Providence. We are not going to take disrespect from the Employer bargaining team” —Kelli Johnson

We are back at the negotiations table with Providence and are continuing to fight for the contract that we all deserve. Today at the table we addressed non-economics, including skills departments, access to your union representative, membership language and language to ensure Nurses can receive coverage for participating in negotiations.

Providence came to the table being aggressive and disrespectful, but we stood our ground and movement is being made, including some Tentative Agreements on:

  • Discipline and Discharge: discipline after 18 months cannot be used for progressive discipline, and discipline in your file to be removed after 18 months by request.

  • Skills Departments: changes to skills departments that ensure safer staffing.

If you have questions reach out to our Union Bargaining Team or Rep. Anthony Cantu at 206-436-6566

Tri-Cities Community Health RNs Ratify First Contract

The Bargaining Team would like to thank everyone that showed up to vote YES on our new 3 year contract.

Our bargaining team is excited to announce that on June 21, 2023 Tri Cities Community Health workers made history with Ratifying their First contract by a Unanimous vote. The new contract guarantees two wage increases each year of the contract, annual merit bonuses, a competitive wage scale, job security, Grievance process, Continuing Education reimbursement, Union Security, Equality and fairness from now on.

We now have a voice that will be heard by All! Reach out to our Bargaining Team or Union Rep. Juanita Quezada at 509-340-7407 if you have any questions or concerns and to learn how you can get involved.

Forks Community Hospital Service & Technical - Tentative Agreement Reached! Contract Vote Scheduled

After four bargaining sessions your service and technical union contract negotiating team has reached a tentative agreement!

  • Improvements to the collective bargaining agreement include:

  • Across the board wage increases.

  • Improvements to on-call, shift differentials, and weekend premiums phased in over the life of the contract!

  • Multi-lingual pay for people certified by Washington state as fluent in a language other than English that is regularly spoken with patients.

  • Certification pay for some job classifications wherein people receive certs that are not already requirements of the position (to be discussed in the Labor Management Committee prior to implementation in early 2024).

Please join us for a drop-In contract vote! This Tentative Agreement is recommended by your bargaining team!

Thursday, July 6

  • 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM

  • 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Hospital Conference Room

UFCW 3000 members in good standing are encouraged to attend a meeting, ask questions, and vote on the contract. Contact a Bargaining Team member or your Union Representative for any questions!

Our Bargaining Team: Jen Smith, Aleda Adams, Micaiah Nelson, Cheryl Depew

Macy’s Retail / Macy’s Furniture Gallery Stand up for liveable wages and benefits

We, the workers at Macy’s, demand that Management agrees to a fair contract that offers:

  • Fair wage increases that keep up with skyrocketing inflation,

  • High quality affordable healthcare,

  • Significant safety improvements for both workers and customers.

I'll Take Action for a Fair Contract!

https://bit.ly/macys23

Bargaining Team: Azia Domingo, Curtisy Bryant, Emily Hunter, Liisa Luick.

Our Union Bargaining Team recently met with Macy's Management from June 13-15 to continue discussions for our upcoming contract.

Throughout the meeting, we emphasized the urgent need for substantial wage increases and other economic benefits to offset inflation and the soaring cost of living. We also highlighted the importance of recognizing the tenure and loyalty of existing employees, especially as new hires are being brought in at higher pay rates than ever before due to the rising minimum wage.

In addition to wage increases, our team expressed an openness to exploring alternative solutions to address the current affordability crisis. This includes seeking more affordable healthcare options, higher commissions, or any other economic benefits that can supplement our wage adjustments. However, Macy's responded by expressing their struggles as a company and repeatedly referred to their poor performance as mentioned in recent news reports. As a result, they have shown very little flexibility in their wage proposal, offering a mere $0.40 raise in the first year and $0.35 raises in the second and third years of our contract.

During negotiations, our Bargaining Team highlighted the significant wage increases won by UFCW Local 3000 grocery store workers, underscoring that Macy's proposal falls far below the new industry standard. Shockingly, the Employer responded by stating that "we are not essential workers" and thus don't deserve comparable wage increases. Such a statement is outrageous and deeply disrespectful!

On a positive note, while little progress has been made on most issues, the Employer has decided to withdraw their proposal to implement the "Reliability" attendance program. This is good news as workers at non-union stores have reported negative experiences with this program. We can now breathe a sigh of relief knowing that it will not be implemented in our store.

The lack of productivity and disrespect in our meetings with Macy’s indicates that we must be prepared to take action! Show your support and solidarity by signing the strike pledge card today, sending a clear message against the insulting behavior exhibited by the Employer.

Northwest Center - Making Headway

Northwest Center
Making Headway

“Many changes have been announced recently without much input from those of us providing care. The MOU on office spaces we won provides a process that feels empowering and gives us a voice.”

— Our Union Bargaining Team

Our Northwest Center UFCW 3000 Bargaining Team: Jenica Barrett, Speech Language Pathologist; Cassie Villarreal, Speech Language Pathologist; Kimmy Burns, Physical Therapist;  Julia Szilard, Physical Therapist (not pictured)

We reached tentative agreements on many of the foundations of our first Union contract! These include who is covered by our contract, what happens when new positions are created, Union membership, Union Orientation for new hires, and more. 

One of the most vital pieces for us to achieve better working conditions and wages is having the time for union stewards to prepare for negotiations. Management has time to prepare for negotiations during the workday, but previously rejected our proposals that the employees serving on the Bargaining Team be released from work for preparation. Preparing for bargaining is time intensive, and when it is conducted outside of work hours it limits accessibility for employees that have other obligations. We advocated for bargaining participants to be released from work for preparation so that future Bargaining Team members can participate without barrier. 

Our team also finalized an agreement on collaboration for office space changes. Our next bargaining date is on July 26 and we will be focusing on jointly crafting language around caseloads and remote work and presenting our economic proposals.

Questions or to get more involved, contact your Bargaining Team Stewards or Union Representative Ian Jacobson at 206-436-6550.
 

FOLLOW US ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA TO STAY UP TO DATE WITH BARGAINING!

Facebook: Early Supports Union | Twitter: @earlysupportsunion

PCC We made our proposals!

We met with PCC representatives on June 20. Our Union Bargaining Committee made proposals addressing:

  • Workplace Safety—including violent intruders, de-escalation training, sexual harassment, domestic violence, and security escorts

  • Hours and Scheduling—to make sure workers can get more hours when we need to

  • Critical Staffing Minimums—including extra pay for short staffing periods

  • Pension for Retirement—including increasing the employer contribution and securing the continuing funding needed to keep our pension plans healthy

  • WeTrain Workforce Development—to establish an employer-funded training and workforce development fund

  • Vacation Bidding—to establish more consistent and timely approval for vacation requests

In addition to these proposals, we had productive conversations with PCC around Annual Personal Development Reviews (APDR) as well as private employee spaces for lactation, religious observations, and self-medical checks.

Any PCC member is invited to RSVP and join us to observe our next bargaining session with PCC, July 26 @ 9:00AM. See you there!

TAKE ACTION TO BUILD POWER IN YOUR WORKPLACE:

Informational picket at Central District PCC on July 9 from 3:00pm – 5:00pm

Add your name: PCC Workers Declaration of Demands!

Our Union Bargaining Team also discussed the plan to win the best PCC contract possible, including how we can take collective action. This starts with asking our coworkers to sign on to the PCC Workers Declaration of Demands and do whatever it takes to achieve these demands. bit.ly/coopworkerspledge

Keep your personal information up-to-date

Don’t miss out on important bargaining updates, action alerts, and contract information: Make sure your personal contact info is up-to-date! Go to: ufcw3000.org/update-your-information

You have the right to wear Union buttons!

Join an upcoming Contract Action Team Meeting!

Talk to a Steward or Union Rep to get the dates and times for our June CAT meetings.

Jefferson County Public Employees - Delay on Ratification Vote Pending Further Negotiations with Management

Your bargaining team wants to let you know that after coming to what we believed was a Tentative Agreement on June 7, it appears that we have some details to work out with management and will be scheduling another bargaining session. 

We hope to be able to announce next week that these issues have been resolved and let the bargaining unit know when we will be able to hold a ratification vote, and we appreciate your patience! 

Our Bargaining Team: Tim Weissman, Quinn Grewell, Susan O’ Brien, Sarah Martin, John Pray.