The Doctor's Clinic We want a fair and equitable contract!

“Labor Management Committees work for the employer and the employees.” —Alec Andren, Bargaining Team

We bargained with TDC Management on September 19 & 22. We have given them strong contract proposals that will raise wages and improve working conditions for everyone.

Management has responded to some of our proposals but they have still not given us a full economic proposal. We have been very clear with Management that wages at TDC are below other healthcare clinics and hospitals in the area.

Our team proposed that we meet regularly for Labor Management Meetings, to work through issues as they come up. Management responded by saying this is unnecessary, they respond when people come to them with concerns. Is that right? Do your issues and concerns always get addressed and resolved?

We are bargaining again Wednesday September 27.

For additional Information reach out to a Bargaining Team member or to Union Representative Naomi Oligario 360-662-1989.

Make sure your personal contact information is up to date>>

Planned Parenthood Bargaining Update

Our Bargaining Team met with PPGHNAIK Management for a second time in less than a week on Thursday, September 21. Although PPGHNAIK Management joined us via ZOOM again, our Bargaining Team was able to be together in person at the UFCW 3000 Des Moines office.  

Management came to the table in the morning with a very similar proposal to what they gave at the prior session with very little change.  Our Bargaining Team spent hours trying to come up with a counter to the Employer’s morning proposal that we thought would create a fair and equitable wage scale. However, Management came back at the end of the day with their LAST, BEST, and FINAL which included once again a wage range and not a wage scale. We are assessing the impact that Management’s proposals will have on our futures and what our next steps will be. 

Please reach out to our Bargaining Team or Union Representative Charlie King with any questions or concerns.

Our Union Bargaining Team: Charlie King, Representative, Michele Avery, Mollie Overby, Melissa Grindstaff, Monalisa Bauman, Alison Deboise. 

Macy’s ULP STRIKE AUTHORIZATION VOTE NOTICE

After months of negotiations with Macy’s, our Union Bargaining Team has called for a ULP Strike Authorization Vote to be held on Friday October 6. This is after the Employer served our team with their “last, best, and final offer,” triggering the requirement for a vote. Macy’s latest offer includes:

Making matters worse, we have reviewed some of the employer’s actions during the course of negotiations with our attorneys and have determined that Macy’s has committed illegal unfair labor practices (ULPs). In response, UFCW Local 3000 plans to file charges against Macy’s with the National Labor Relations Board.

ULP Strike Authorization Vote: Friday, October 6, 2023

Southcenter: 8AM to 11AM & 2PM to 5PM at DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Hotel Southcenter (16500 Southcenter Pkwy, Seattle, WA 98188)

Alderwood: 8AM to 11AM & 2PM to 5PM at Lynnwood Event Center (3711 196th St SW, Lynnwood, WA 98036)

Bellingham: 8AM to 11AM & 2PM to 5PM at Oxford Suites Bellingham (4051 Meridian St, Bellingham, WA 98226)

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WHAT HAPPENS AFTER A STRIKE IS AUTHORIZED?

If members vote to authorize an unfair labor practice strike, our bargaining team will be granted the authority to initiate a strike when they determine it is necessary. It is important to note that this authorization does NOT automatically trigger a strike on the following day, nor is it the intention of our bargaining team to do so.

After the vote, we will schedule bargaining dates with the employer to see if they are willing to offer improved terms now that they know our team has the right to call for a strike at any time. However, if the employer remains unwilling to provide significantly better terms, the bargaining team will announce a strike date. Plenty of notice will be given to both members and the employer prior to the start of the strike.

Grocery East Bargaining Update!

Our Union Bargaining Team: Josh Frans SWY 1799, Tresa Fairbanks SWY 3255, Vanessa Evans SWY 1473, Katrina Keffer FM 214, Amanda Bowerman SWY 1494, Shelly Clark SWY 1470, Frankie Roessner SWY 1242, Jeff Yergens SWY 3255, Joyce Laffelmacher ALB 265, James Perez SWY 502, Stephen Bunting SWY 2248, Ann Jennings SWY 1630, Vanessa Roessner ROS 126, Melisa Lozano FM 486, Kim Bristlin SWY 1159, Clayton Bennett ALB 206, Ross Cook SWY 3288, Jeff Terpening SWY 3255

As union members, every three years we get to bargain a legally binding contract that sets our wages, benefits and working conditions. Now we are starting the process of bargaining a new contract for the next three years.

“We are ready to fight for a strong contract with livable wages, better training and staffing, safety, and strong benefits!” —Vanessa Roessner (Rosauers 126) & Jeff Terpening (Safeway 3255)

This week, our Union Bargaining Team met for a full day of planning and preparation to get ready to bargain a strong contract for Grocery workers in Eastern Washington and Idaho. We spent the day discussing the bargaining process, going over the results of the Union Bargaining Survey, and preparing proposals that reflect what we need in order to make our workplaces and jobs stronger. Things like higher wages, our pension, corporate merger concerns, pandemic language and workplace safety protections.

For too long our wages have been falling behind. The cost of housing, groceries, and other living expenses are skyrocketing. Despite what the Employer may think, the cost of living is going up in all our communities and we deserve wage increases that will make these livable jobs.

We also discussed upcoming actions and brainstormed ways to show the Employer that we are serious about winning a fair contract. There are a few things we can do today to help build strength and momentum: wear a Union button, add your contact information to the phone tree, sign the Stand Together Pledge Card, and join one of the Contract Action Team meetings where we can talk about the negotiations process, ask questions, and plan next steps!

Upcoming Contract Action Team Meeting:

October 25 | 5:30-6:30 in Tri Cities-Wenatchee: UFCW 3000 office: 330 King St, Suite 4

October 26 | 5:30-6:30 in Spokane: UFCW 3000 office: 2805 N. Market St.

October 27 | 5:30-6:30 in Yakima: UFCW 3000 office: 507 S. 3rd St

Join the next Grocery Store Worker Telephone Townhall call on October 23! (all you have to do is pick up when we call)

UFCW 3000 Podcast Episode 7: It’s your hospital, it’s your health care, it’s your community

“Nurses are mad, and we are telling you this is not normal. This should never be normal.” Kelli and Trevor, nurses at the Providence Medical Center in Everett, Washington, speak with Michaela about their ongoing contract negotiations. What does it look like to take your fight for safer staffing at work to the city council, the local newspaper, the state capitol? Kelli, Trevor, and many of their coworkers have spent years now speaking up publicly about staffing issues at their hospital, the impacts of the staffing crisis on their patients, and what needs to be done to fix the problem. Their contract negotiations, including staffing language and compensation that would recruit and retain more nurses, are still going on and could potentially lead to a strike this fall if management can’t come to the table with a fair deal for nurses AND their patients.

Looking for more? Here are some articles about these nurses and the fight for safe staffing: https://www.heraldnet.com/news/providence-nurses-conditions-at-everett-hospital-still-dire-or-worse/ - https://www.heraldnet.com/news/we-are-drowning-at-vigil-providences-everett-nurses-mourn-mission/

UFCW 3000 union shop steward Michaela is always ready to answer fellow members’ questions about their union. She’s also a devoted murder podcast listener. Put those interests together, and she decided to start a union podcast to get all her coworkers’ questions and her own questions answered, and to meet as many people as possible who could share what it means to be a part of UFCW 3000. (No murder on this podcast, only solidarity!)

*The information shared on this podcast is offered by rank and file union member leaders of UFCW 3000. There may be inaccuracies or misstatements shared, as members will be speaking from the lenses of their perspectives and life experiences. While members are doing their best to share good information, we can make no claims to 100% accuracy and this podcast should not be construed as legal advice.

PRMCE RN - Community Outreach is Key!

Bargaining continues, and we need to stay strong and united. On September 20, we returned to the bargaining table with high hopes. Unfortunately, our efforts to reach a tentative agreement on previously agreed-upon articles from expedited bargaining were met with rejection from the Hospital's Management team. It's clear that they lack urgency in reaching an agreement, and we believe they're bargaining in bad faith.

However, on September 21, we took our cause to the community. Community organizations, other unions, and the media joined us at the Everett Labor Temple. The community showed tremendous support for our fight, and they're ready to distribute yard signs and stand with us on the picket line if it comes to that. Building solidarity with others is crucial in our fight for a fair contract.

If you or your family are part of an organization, attend a place of worship, or own a business, please let us know so we can provide you with signs to distribute. Also, please share our podcast with your relatives and friends:

>> Listen to and Share the Podcast

To get involved in our collective effort and distribute signs in your neighborhood, contact Anthony Cantu at (206) 436-6566.

Our upcoming Bargaining sessions are scheduled for September 26, and October 10 and 11. We eagerly await PRMCE's response to our proposal.

For those of you who are passionate about making a difference and want to be at the forefront of positive change, consider becoming a strike captain. Your involvement could have a lasting impact on our profession and the quality of healthcare we provide. Sign up for this role on our strike pledge page:

>> Take the Strike Pledge

Also, mark your calendars for our upcoming strike captain meeting on October 3 at 8:00 PM via Zoom:

>> Sign up for Upcoming Strike Captain Meetings

Our determination remains unwavering. Remember, it's our unity that will lead us to victory. Let's maintain our momentum, support one another, and ensure our voices are heard. Together, we are an unstoppable force for change!
 

Important Dates to Remember:

September 26, 2023 - Negotiations with PRMCE
October 10, 2023 - Negotiations with PRMCE
October 11, 2023 - Negotiations with PRMCE
October 30, 2023 - Contract Expires!

In solidarity,

PRMCE RN Bargaining Team:
Trevor Gjendem, Juan Stout, Carrie Rimel, Kelli Johnson, Stephanie Sausman, Julie Bynum, Kristen Crowder  

Show PRMCE that we are serious about our proposals and are willing to strike! If you have not already signed the strike pledge, please click on the link below:

>> PRMCE RN - I Promise to Take Action! 

>> Also, encourage your coworkers to update their information!

Providence St. Peter Hospital RN - Fighting for Fairness, Wages—and Most Importantly—RECOGNITION!

Our Bargaining Team met with Management for most of the day on Thursday, September 21, 2023. While negotiations were not entirely unproductive, we continue to struggle to reach an agreement. The Employer has yet to offer a deal that would put case manager & utilization review RNs at 100% credit on the existing union pay scale. Some of us, as we know, have between two to four decades of experience both inside hospitals and in-home healthcare. The last proposal from PSPH would recognize only 50% of that experience at best, and in some cases it appears they would prefer not to include nursing experience outside a hospital setting. We are closer to agreement with them about what a minimum immediate wage increase would look like, however, with offers on both sides’ various proposals ranging from 2.5% to 3.25%.

We will continue to bargain in good faith but have not yet established our next joint session with the employer. We will also continue to demand our experience be recognized! We deserve a chance to vote on our Memorandum of Understanding and join our union siblings already covered by the RN union contract!

“Our experience, and our dedication to providing the highest quality of nursing care is vital to our patients, and indispensable to the operations of Providence St. Peter Hospital!”

—PSPH Case Manager Bargaining Committee

Bargaining Team, left to right: Alison Studeman, Case Manager RN; Melissa Macchiarella, Case Manager RN; Mary Briles, Case Manager RN.”

Still Diverging on Wages but Making Progress at the Table

As PCC grocery workers, we believe that the co-op needs to be a leader of high standards in the grocery industry. This includes treating co-op workers with dignity and respect and having the best union contract possible, with industry-leading wages, safety and benefits. As workers and co-op members, we are committed to making PCC the best grocery company to work at, to shop at, and to have in our communities. 

Through numerous tabling events, informational pickets, customer leaflets, button ups, and by delivering the PCC Workers Declaration of Demands to management with nearly 80% of workers signed on in support, our bargaining committee and coworkers continue to push PCC to be better.  

Over the last several months, our bargaining committee has made major progress in improving our contract. We have tentative agreements that would do the following:  

• Increase the night time premium 

• Improve the worker caucus committee 

• Add language to allow more accesses to hours for those that want them 

• Add premium pay after 8 consecutive days work in Grocery (similar to the Meat contract)  

• Improve vacation scheduling 

• Expand access to protected leave of absence 

• Improve bereavement leave 

• Secure orca cards in the contract and cap the worker expense at $20 

• Prevent demotions except in cases of just cause 

• Dedicate money to a workforce training fund and more

Remaining items include retirement, health care, and safety language; although we have not come to an agreement on these items, the discussion has been positive.  

With respect to wages: Despite good progress in many areas of our union contract, we remain apart on wages. PCC’s most recent wage proposal is simply not enough to meet our needs. Our wage proposal would make PCC workers the highest-paid grocery store workers in the region, while also protecting our wage scale from being surpassed by the minimum wage. You can view PCC’s wage proposal on the PCC contract page.

Next Bargaining Date Wednesday September 27

Our strength comes from worker engagement, take action to build power in our workplace! 

• Attending a CAT meeting during the week of September 25 to get all the latest updates! See the schedule of upcoming Contract Action Team meetings on ufcw3000.org >>

• Updating your information with our union UFCW 3000 to receive updates during the bargain update your personal contact information like email, address, and personal phone >>

• Discussing the bargain with your coworkers—it’s your right! 

• Our Union Bargaining Team wants to hear from you! Look for them in the store and give them your feedback, or use this online form >>

• Contact a union rep of steward to get more involved! 

PRMCE rejects our proposals!

On September 20, our Union RN Bargaining Team fought hard to reach a tentative agreement on previously agreed upon articles from expedited bargaining. Instead of agreeing to all of these tentative agreements from expedited bargaining, the Hospital Management team has been rejecting our proposals. This shows their lack of urgency to reach a tentative agreement. It also is a unfair labor practice!

We are intent on reaching a fair agreement prior to our contract expiration date, October 30, 2023, and avoiding a strike. But when Hospital Management is making minimal movement on key issues like compensation and staffing language and bargaining in bad faith we must take action to move them towards an agreement!

We ended bargaining with a comprehensive package proposal. Our hope is that on our next bargaining session, September 26, which will be in-person, the Hospital’s team will adjust their proposals and come to an agreement as expeditiously as possible.

In the meantime, we will be speaking to the community and elected officials about our fight for safe staffing and the Hospital’s punitive tactics at the bargaining table.

“We want this contract for the community, for the nurses and most of all to improve patient safety through better retention and strong staffing language.”– Stephanie Sausman

Planned Parenthood - Bargaining Continues

The bargaining team met again on Monday September 18 at the UFCW 3000 Des Moines office. PPGHNAIK management joined us via ZOOM again.

Both sides made concessions on non-economic issues in the name of progressing toward an agreement. We have now reached a tentative agreement on the large majority of the non-economic articles in our contract. Since we provided the last proposal on economics, we await management’s response this Thursday. We are optimistic more progress will be made at our next bargaining session on Thursday September 21, 2023. 

Please reach out to your bargaining team or Union Representative Charlie King (206) 436-6518 with any questions or concerns.

Your Bargaining Team, left to right: Charlie King, Representative, Alison Deboise, Michele Avery, Melissa Grindstaff, Monalisa Bauman. Not pictured: Mollie Overby

PRMCE RNs A majority of nurses have pledged to strike!

As many of you are aware, we recently organized strike education meetings at the Colby, Pacific, and Pavilion campuses on September 11 and 13. A significant majority of our fellow nurses have pledged their support for a potential strike if it becomes necessary. While striking is our last resort, it is crucial that we prepare ourselves for all possible scenarios.

PRMCE has demonstrated a willingness to engage in unfair labor practices, such as bargaining in bad faith. These practices only serve to hinder our progress in reaching a fair and just contract agreement. We need a contract that holds PRMCE accountable and provides clear guidelines on staffing, as the current situation is negatively affecting both our staffing levels and, ultimately, our patients' well-being.

On September 20, we will return to the bargaining table, hopeful that PRMCE will accept the tentative agreements from our expedited bargaining efforts. The following day, September 21, we are hosting a Community Townhall at 5pm at the Everett Labor Temple. At this event, we will update community members and fellow union members on our ongoing negotiations and the pressing staffing issues we face. Sharing our stories and building solidarity with others is essential to our fight for a fair contract.

We are also making strides in spreading awareness and garnering support. Yard signs will be distributed throughout the community and the state, and we are pleased to report that other Providence hospitals, like St. Peter Hospital (Olympia) and Sacred Heart (Spokane), are joining us!

To be part of our collective effort, you can get involved by distributing signs in your neighborhood. Please reach out to Anthony Cantu at (206) 436-6566 if you would like yard signs. Nurses have also written op-ed pieces in the Everett Herald! If you would like to write an op-ed and educate the community about our fight, please contact Anthony Cantu.

https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/providence-everett-is-ignoring-nurse-staffing-crisis/

https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/nurse-staffing-levels-at-providence-everett-a-concern-for-patients/

Our upcoming bargaining sessions will take place on September 26 and October 10 and 11. We eagerly anticipate PRMCE's response to our proposal.

For those of you who are passionate about making a difference and want to be at the forefront of positive change, we invite you to consider becoming a strike captain.Your involvement could have a lasting impact on our profession and the quality of care we provide. You can sign up for this role by visiting our strike pledge page: https://www.mobilize.us/ufcw3000/event/576988/. Also, mark your calendars for our upcoming strike captain meeting on September 19 at 8 pm via Zoom: https://www.mobilize.us/ufcw3000/event/575629/.

Our determination remains unwavering. Remember, it's our unity that will lead us to victory. Let's maintain our momentum, support one another, and ensure our voices are heard. Together, we are an unstoppable force for change!

PRMCE RN Bargaining Team: Trevor Gjendem, Juan Stout, Carrie Rimel, Kelli Johnson, Stephanie Sausman, Julie Bynum, Kristen Crowder 

Important Dates:
October 30, 2023: Contract Expires!
October 10 and 11: Negotiations with PRMCE
September 26: Negotiations with PRMCE
September 21: Community Townhall @ Everett Labor Temple, 2810 Lombard Ave Everett, from 5-6 pm
September 20: Negotiations with PRMCE

Show PRMCE that we are serious about our proposals and are willing to strike! If you have not already signed the strike pledge, please click on the link PRMCE RN - I Promise to Take Action! (jotform.com)

Also encourage your coworkers to update their information: https://ufcw3000.org/update-your-information

Olympic Medical Center (ProTech and Support Services) - WORKING FOR BETTER WAGES

Olympic Medical Center (ProTech and Support Services)
WORKING FOR BETTER WAGES

We had a productive day of bargaining on September 14 and continue to stay focused on compensation. Our Bargaining Team told Management what it’s going to take to keep the hospital sustainable. The hospital must pay competitive wages and premiums to retain and recruit workers.

Management said that they are offering “competitive” wages based on their research. Our Bargaining Team continues to challenge them on this. We have reviewed local wages and know that many workplaces have recently settled contracts or given market increases. Wages are constantly changing and our data shows this.

Darryl Wolfe dropped into our bargaining session and talked about the economic state of the hospital. Our Bargaining Team was very clear with him that workers are being stretched and competitive compensation is essential to the hospital’s success. Each member of the team spoke directly to Darryl, giving him examples of how wage disparities directly affect workers and patient care.

We are scheduling additional bargaining sessions and will keep you posted.

Wear a sticker to show Management that we stand in solidarity!
Stickers are available from Bargaining Team Members.

Petitions are being circulated for both Support Services and Pro Tech workers letting Management know we all stand together for a good contract. Ask a Bargaining Team member or Union Rep Aimee Oien 360-662-1981.

Virginia Mason Franciscan Health - 2022 overpayment settlement

Find your contract and learn more about the settlement!

St. Anne: https://ufcw3000.org/find-your-contract/2015/2/11/highline-medical-center-contract

St. Joseph (Pharmacy): https://ufcw3000.org/find-your-contract/2015/2/11/st-joseph-hospital-contract

St. Joseph (Technical): https://ufcw3000.org/find-your-contract/2021/6/7/conifer-st-joseph-medical-center

St. Michael (Nurses): https://ufcw3000.org/find-your-contract/2015/2/11/harrison-medical-center-rn-contract

St. Michael (ProTech): https://ufcw3000.org/find-your-contract/2015/2/11/harrison-medical-center-pro-tech-contract

St. Michael (Service/Dietary): https://ufcw3000.org/find-your-contract/2015/2/11/harrison-medical-center-service-dietary-contract

Virtual Health: https://ufcw3000.org/find-your-contract/2018/12/13/virtual-health-contract
 
In October and November 2022, Virginia Mason Franciscan Health (VMFH) experienced a cyberattack and as a result shutdown Kronos (timekeeping software). To ensure that employees were paid on time, VMFH estimated the amount of pay based on employees’ FTE and estimated employee’s premium payments based on the amount of premium payments on the October 7, 2022 paycheck. 

On the November 4, 2022 paycheck, VMFH paid every affected employee the total of regular hours and premium pay earned for both the October 2-15, 2022 pay period and the October 16-29, 2022 pay period. Given this, many employees were overpaid and VMFH sought repayment from employees. 

Although VMFH can recoup the overpayment, they needed to negotiate with our union prior to implementing a repayment plan. Since they didn’t do so our union filed an unfair labor practice with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and grievances for all bargaining units. Additionally, a demand to bargain over the repayment process. 

After months, we were able to settle the matter. Employees who were overpaid less than $2000 will repay the amount in four equal installments and employees who were overpaid more than $2000 will repay the amount in six equal installments. If you do not agree with the amount due, you can submit a written notice within ten business days of receiving the “repayment request” from VMFH. This request was sent on or around September 8 to your work email. 

If you have need help navigating through the process, please feel free to reach out to our union representative or the Member Resource Center (866) 210-3000. 

Macy’s STRIKE AUTHORIZATION VOTE SCHEDULED

Our Union Bargaining Team: Azia Domingo, Curtisy Bryant, Emily Hunter, Liisa Luick, Nicole Hardin.

“Despite our best efforts to come up with creative solutions to reach an agreement, Management has left us with no choice. Their unacceptable last, best, and final offer has forced us to call for a ULP strike authorization vote.”

Our Union Bargaining Team met with Management again on September 11 and 12.

Our team arrived at mediation with an open mind, willing to consider creative solutions with the employer to find common ground towards an agreement. Unsurprisingly, the employer did not share the same commitment.

We ended with the employer serving our bargaining team with their “last, best and final” proposal, which triggers the requirement to vote their offer. Their proposal still included the ELIMINATION OF OUR WAGE SCALES and offered the following meager wage increases:

GENERAL WAGE INCREASE

Years of Service: 1-14 | Year 1: 40¢ | Year 2: 45¢ | Year 3:45¢

Years of Service: 15+ | Year 1: 50¢ | Year 2: 50¢ | Year 3: 45¢

$17 Minimum Wage (except Southcenter)

Making matters worse, we have reviewed some of the employer’s actions during the course of negotiation with our attorneys and have determined that Macy’s has committed illegal unfair labor practices (ULPs). In response, UFCW Local 3000 plans to file charges against Macy’s with the National Labor Relations Board.

With the employer presenting an unacceptable final offer coupled with their unfair labor practices, our bargaining team is calling for a ULP STRIKE AUTHORIZATION VOTE on Friday October 6. Exact locations will be announced soon —make sure you are getting all Union communications!

Macy’s Action Fridays Calendar

Macy’s Informational Pickets RSVP: bit.ly/macys-info-picket-23

Combined with our informational pickets, we’re in for some action-packed Fridays as we fight to show Macy’s that we stand together in solidarity for a better contract!

Friday, September 15 (2-4PM): Bellingham Macy’s (50 E Bellis Fair Pkwy, Bellingham, WA 98226)

Friday, September 22 (2-4PM): Alderwood Macy’s (18700 Alderwood Mall Pkwy, Lynnwood, WA 98037)

Friday, September 29 (2-4PM): Southcenter Macy’s (500 Southcenter Mall, Tukwila, WA 98188)

Friday, October 6 (8AM-11AM / 2PM-5PM): Strike Authorization Vote: Southcenter/Alderwood/Bellingham, exact locations TDB

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What is the UFCW 3000 Strike & Defense Fund?

A portion of each member's union dues is sent to the UFCW 3000 Strike and Defense Fund, which is earmarked exclusively for activities associated with strikes. These activities encompass the purchasing of essential supplies, the facilitation of strike authorization votes, and, most importantly, the payment of strike benefits to workers on the picket line.

This fund has experienced significant growth over the years, amassing an impressive sum nearing $30 million. In the near future, our Union Executive Board will convene to determine the precise strike benefit for members who withhold their labor and commit to picketing for a minimum of 20 hours per week. This stipend helps avoid some of the financial impact members on strike and ensures that we have the resources to secure a favorable contract.

We will send out an update after our member-led Union Executive Board finalizes our strike benefit.

Northwest Center - Onward Economics

Northwest Center
ONWARD-ECONOMICS

We are excited to share that this week our Union bargaining team presented a full Comprehensive Economic Proposal to Northwest Center. We feel proud of the unique and intentional language that we crafted that represents our workplace and the type of healthcare and services we provide to families in our community.

Our Economic Proposals include:

• Market competitive wage scale, annual longevity increases, and cost of living increases

• New premiums: mentorship, multilingual pay, certification and non-required licensure pay, wage premium in lieu of healthcare insurance, and more

• Increases to PTO and scheduled breaks/holidays

• Current healthcare plan with lowered premiums and more accessibility

• Current retirement plan with increased Employer match contributions

• Improvements to leaves of absence including parental Leave, compassion leave, family leave, jury leave, and more

• Professional development including paid expenses for continuing education, educational leave time, tuition reimbursement program, and continued student loan contribution program

• Grievance procedure to protect our rights and careers

“As we’ve been making proposals, we’ve learned so much about current policies! If you’ve never read the Employee handbook- you should read and learn about the benefits available to us now. One of things we are most proud about crafting is improvements to Compassion Leave at Northwest Center. We have proposed adding “Chosen Family” as a category of bereavement, to recognize and honor that we have meaningful relationships outside of the traditional family structure.” —Jenica Barrett and Kimmy Burns, UFCW 3000 Bargaining Team

Welcome to the Bargaining Team, Kaylee Ainge and Kirsten Syberg, Family Resource Coordinators! They will join the next session on September 19. We are excited to have Family Resource Coordinators perspective and voice at the table.

Our team is staying in close contact with our Union siblings at SEIU 925 Early Learning- please stay tuned for future solidarity actions we will take together!

Many of the improvements we are fighting for could positively impact other workers at Northwest Center! Pass the love and solidarity- Share our Social Media pages with five friends, family, or other coworkers at NWC!

Questions or to get more involved, please contact Union Rep Ian Jacobson @ 206-436-6550.

Downtown Dog Lounge - We started contract bargaining

Downtown Dog Lounge
We started contract bargaining

Our union Downtown Dog Lounge Bargaining Team met with DDL ownership and Management on September 12, to start the process of contract negotiations. The team was able to make some initial proposals on union representation rights and non-discrimination practices as well as seniority and leaves of absence.

We will continue to bargain on October 3, 24 and 26.

Contract Action Team meeting

Join your coworkers to prepare for upcoming negotiations and how to win a fair contract!

Monday, September 25 @ 6pm
Contact a Bargaining Team member for Zoom meeting details. These details will also be sent to your email.

Providence Centralia Tech Unfair Labor Practice filed for PTO hours!

When we ratified our union contract in September 2021 we understood that we would be receiving 24 hours (prorated by FTE) of additional PTO hours in January 2023, like the Providence St. Peter Hospital Techs, to address the change from the Extended Illness Bank Program to PTO/ PTO Safe Sick Program.

In early 2023, we only received 16 hours of PTO. We asked PCH to correct this issue and they stated this was not our agreement. Given their position we filed an unfair labor practice (ULP) with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). The NLRB is still investigating the ULP.

We are holding firm that 8 hours (prorated by FTE) need to be added to our PTO banks. We will continue providing updates once we hear more from the NLRB. You can also contact our union representative Brandan Zielinski 206-436-6603 if you have further questions or workplace issues.

PCC - Bargaining Continues

We met with PCC representatives on September 6 & 7 and received multiple proposals from PCC management:

PCC’s Proposals:

• Increased deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums for the basic & premium healthcare plans, which could result in pay cuts for many of our coworkers.

• A wage scale that does not address increasing living costs and does not reflect our value.

PCC rejected multiple proposals from our member bargaining team, including:

Our Proposals:

• One wage scale for all PCCs

• Increased staff discount

• No-match letter protection

• Moving POS from group B to A

• Staffing minimums for each store

• Safety and de-escalation training

• We are disappointed PCC rejected our safety language pertaining to de-escalation, sexual harassment, stalking, violent customer interactions, and understaffing. 

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Take action to build power in your workplace:

• Discuss the bargain with your coworkers—it’s your right!

• Update your information online with our union UFCW 3000 to receive bargaining updates.

• Wear your union button!

• Attend your CAT meeting during the week of September to get all the latest updates!

• Your bargaining team wants to hear from you—look for bargaining team members in the store and share your feedback, or submit feedback online:

• Attend our next bargaining sessions: September 18 and 19. Bargaining will be held at the Sea-Tac Hilton right off the airport light rail station.

Planned Parenthood We’re in the room but Management is far away!

In an effort to make more progress than our previous virtual bargaining sessions, our fellow union workers traveled by bus, car, and airplane from afar to meet at the UFCW 3000 Des Moines office. Management joined us virtually via ZOOM to respond to the proposal we provided at our last bargaining session on July 31. The team will continue to encourage Management to meet in person for bargaining in hopes to get to an agreement that we can recommend to members.

We had a chance to review Management’s economic proposal and ask a lot of questions that needed answers before we responded with a counter proposal. The Employer’s proposal uses market analysis and proposes market adjustments based on job classification. Staff would see a one-time raise between 4% and 15%. A few staff members receive a one time bonus of 2% bonus. We are now researching the impacts of their proposal in order to present a counter-proposal before our next session on September 18 in hopes Management will be able to prep a response to start the day.

Management finally delivered their latest non-economic proposals. We were happy to see a proposal increasing bereavement leave from 3 to 5 days, but disappointed to see Management wants to start the bargaining process all over again in the Spring with a proposed contract that would expire in less than a year and that the “act of god” clause (also known as force majeure), which would allow HR to void the contract in the case of a power outage etc., is still included in Management’s proposal.

Finally, our team was willing to compromise on many of our original proposals for the sake of making some progress without compromising our position on many other things. We added a new article addressing vaccines and continue to push our proposal requiring PPE be covered by Planned Parenthood. We will not agree to a less than one-year contract or to any language allowing the contract to be negated for any reason. We’re satisfied with the progress we’ve made and look forward to the September 18 session.

Please reach out to our bargaining team or Union Representative Charlie King with any questions or concerns.

Mfused DISAPPOINTMENT DESPITE MEDIATION

Last week, we had our first union contract negotiating session with a mediator from the Federal Mediation & Conciliary Service (FMCS) present. Both sides agreed to request mediation, so that we could try to find some common ground and make progress towards an agreement despite ongoing mistrust and miscommunication.

Unfortunately, we didn’t have the productive session that we were hoping for. We came with comprehensive non-economic counters and tentative agreements on some significant proposals (such as Labor/Management Committees, samples policies, and non-discrimination policies), but we didn’t even get a chance to present these to management. Mfused left the table after not receiving a redline counter to their management rights’ proposal. We’re disappointed, but hopeful that we can actually move forward at our next session with mediation on September 19.

Keep an eye out next week for upcoming action planning.

HOURS CUT FOR PRODUCTION

As we all know, Mfused management has been sending Production workers home early without pay or asking us not to come in on extremely short notice. At the start of our session, we asked for more information so

that we could try to get a clearer picture of why these changes in hours and workload are happening, if these changes are temporary or not, and what we can expect staffing levels and scheduled hours to look like in the future.

Management told us that supply chain issues, industry decline, and other uncontrollable circumstances led to work declining this summer, even though the summer typically sees an increase. We were told to expect work to decline again this winter, as production is historically slower at the end of the year. What we know is that Mfused has reduced the size of Production by declining to fill positions after workers have left, increased the Production workload for the workers remaining, stockpiled inventory, and then cut scheduled hours without bringing these changes to the negotiations or giving us enough time and information to plan for our financial security. We have filed Unfair Labor Practice charges to address this.

Everyone who has had their hours reduced should apply for partial unemployment benefits as soon as possible at: https://esd.wa.gov/unemployment.

Please reach out to one of us on the bargaining team or our Union Rep, Chris Arellano at 206-436-6526, if you have any problems when applying or questions about the process. We are here to support each other.