First, some good news. Our team and Fresenius management tentatively agreed to add the PCT III job class to the contract, which we’re hopeful will bring fairer pay and job duty distribution.
Read MoreBargaining Team: Shantelle George, Sr MA Phlebotomy; Alison DeBoise, Insurance Biller 1; Charlie King, Union Rep; Nico Montanero, Negotiator; Mackenzie Weiland, Float Clinician; Michel Avery, Clinical Trainer 1
We exchanged economic proposals during our two recent bargaining sessions. Key decision makers from management were candid about the financial situation looking ahead. We had reservations on management's proposals, but we did get creative and come up with counterproposals that we believe help address management's financial concerns while still respecting our hard work. 2026 will be an unpredictable year, but we are working with management to add language to the contract that would help find alternatives to layoffs and health center closures. They proposed a two-year agreement in hopes that PP is in a better place financially in 2027.
Management is confident that health insurance premiums will be going up significantly next year and they proposed that both staff and employer share the cost of the increase and that staff take on the majority of that increase. We countered that management should take the bulk of that increase if not all of it. Management is also proposing staff accrue PTO and sick leave instead of the current preloading practice and we are pushing back.
Talks are still ongoing with management on creating more equitable access to training and advancement for staff. We're continuing discussions with management in hopes of making progress towards an agreement, and our next sessions are scheduled for September 29 and 30.
We last met with Recovery Café on September 4 to continue our negotiations. Recovery Café has maintained their position that they want to keep the ability to fire or discipline people without giving them a good reason. It is difficult to overstate how radical this position is.
Read MoreAfter more than six months of negotiations and uniting at our Hospital, our Bargaining Team has reached a tentative agreement and recommends a YES VOTE!
Read MoreOn Friday, September 5 our Bargaining Team met with Management to continue negotiations. We began at 9am and stayed until September 6 at 2:30am Unfortunately, in their last proposal that would resolve the remaining issues, we were given a “Best and Final” offer. We are recommending a “no” vote and moving forward with a contract vote and informational picket to highlight our issues and share our message with the community.
Read MoreOn Thursday, August 28, our bargaining team for the Professionals at Providence St. Peter Hospital met with management for our first official day of contract negotiations… and a productive first day, at that!
Read MoreOur bargaining committee met the employer committee for the first time on August 29. The parties exchange non-economic proposals. Our team introduced the first set of non-economic proposals that seek to improve the working conditions at Skagit Regional Health. Further bargaining dates are scheduled for 9/12 and 10/1.
Read MoreOn Wednesday, August 27, our bargaining team met with management for our first official day of negotiations on our first union contract and it was a really productive day!
We began our first bargaining day putting the finishing touches on what we would later present to the employer as our initial contract proposal. Our initial proposal primarily focused on some of the "non-economic" (may not directly relate to money) workplace protections and union rights we hope to win in this process, for instance:
Union Representation: This section establishes union stewards, who are one of us, elected by us, to help in grievance and investigatory matters like Weingarten meetings. A Weingarten meeting is an investigatory meeting conducted by management which could lead to discipline.
Just Cause: We also proposed just cause, which means that there needs to be progressive discipline, rather than the employer having the ability to fire us at-will. They have to document every infraction and we have an opportunity to dispute it if that discipline is unfair or goes against what the contract says.
Labor Management Committee: This is a committee where management has to hear our concerns about working conditions and the administration of the agreement.
Grievance Procedure: Grievance procedures are important to help us enforce our contract, whether related to discipline, scheduling, pay, etc.
After presenting our initial proposals to the employer, we spent the remainder of the day discussing and finalizing proposals to provide to the employer at our next session, including economics (wages, premiums, and more!).
We have scheduled our first Contract Action Team Meeting from 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM, where members of the bargaining team will be available (with the representative Ian Jacobson from the union).
Bargaining Team: Lindsey Gilbert, Mali Olson and Ronda Duluoz
"Day one down!!"
On Tuesday August 26, our Bargaining Team met with management for our final bargaining session and were able to reach a Tentative Agreement! In the Fully Recommended Settlement Agreement, we established:
Read MoreOn August 25 and 26, our UFCW 3000 nurse bargaining team met with management to continue contract negotiations, bargaining late into the night for over 30 hours across both days.
Read MoreOn Monday, August 25, our RN Bargaining Team met with Hospital management to continue negotiations. We secured a tentative agreement that locks in the Hospital’s 401(k) contributions for the life of the contract—management cannot cut them. We also won new language granting RNs access to the Hospital’s cash balance retirement plan beginning January 2027.
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Our bargaining team met with the employer on August 13 for a half-day session. We agreed on a couple of non-economics and will meet up again on September 16 & 17. After our session, we worked on our response to the employer's proposals.
"Negotiations are a fundamental part of the collective bargaining process, which helps maintain a balance of power in the workplace."
Please register to attend the virtual meeting on Fridays at noon. Our team is excited to talk with you and hear your voice about what is happening in the workplace & questions or concerns you may have >>
Monday September 15, please contact one of the bargaining team members to get your sticker for the day. Let's show our unity & solidarity!
Want to take free online leadership training? Register at Volunteer Opportunities, Events, and Petitions Near Me · UFCW 3000 on Mobilize >>
Please reach out to your bargaining team or Becky Latzel, Union Representative, with any questions or concerns. (509) 340-7370
Bargaining Team: Martin Hernandez, Sarah Edwards, Cirri Cornelius
September 16 & 17
We continue to make progress towards a new collective bargaining agreement. We have spent countless hours talking about what wages in other hospitals look like, and management has finally started coming into bargaining with some proposals worth thinking about. They have indicated that they have no interest in increasing PTO accruals or subsidizing the cost of health benefits more than they currently do, but instead want to invest in some significant wage increases for many jobs that have fallen below market. We disagree on their assessment of pay for some jobs and have shared a lot of data with them. We have also shared personal stories illustrating the ongoing challenges of working short.
Our next bargaining session is scheduled for August 27.
We are holding a Contract Action Meeting immediately following bargaining:
August 27
6:00 PM
Duffy's Meeting Room
1605 Simpson Avenue
Aberdeen WA 98520
For additional information, contact a bargaining team member or Union Representative Kimberly Starkweather (206) 436-6515.
Bargaining Team: Dan James, Eric Timmons, Janet Byrd, Ana Garcia, Debi Sturm, Bambi Shope
Bargaining Team: Kim Fraser, Pre-Op; Janice Brown, FBC; Meredith Francisco, Med Surg; Lindsey Gearllach, Obs; Tammy Olson, ICU
On Tuesday, August 19, our bargaining team met with management for our 17th joint bargaining session since April. In the morning, we were presented with a package proposal from the employer that unfortunately ties our efforts to establish break relief RNs for all shifts to dropping our proposed robust staffing ratios. We have not yet responded to this but feel we need to establish some solution to our staffing issues that goes beyond the basics of what the law requires.
In our previous bargaining session a few weeks ago, we made a large move and chose to move away from our proposal to get our bargaining unit on the Sound Variable Annuity Pension Trust and instead codify the employer match to our 401K in our contract. This also means accepting management's suggestion that RNs also have access to the alternative retirement plan provided by Common Spirit. We were frustrated this week that the counterproposal drafted by management to resolve this issue was vague and did not spell out the matching percentages they say they are willing to commit to.
Additionally, we continue to experience resistance from the employer on aspects of our proposals around workplace violence. Considering the rise in violence experienced in hospitals, and in particular the recent murder at Allenmore Hospital in Tacoma, we strongly believe that robust safety protocols are for the benefit of all of our coworkers, our patients, and the public in general. Yet this management responsibility continues to be viewed by the employer primarily through the lens of the cost of certain proposals. This raises the question for us: How much is our safety worth to Saint Michael Medical Center?
Please continue to share our community support letter on social media and sign it yourself if you haven't already:
We will return to the bargaining table on August 25 and have two more sessions scheduled in September.
We are negotiating with management for both a new National Agreement and a Local Contract for Pharmacy workers. Our bargaining team has met multiple times with management to find common interests that will ultimately lead to strong and enforceable agreements.
Nationally we are focused on sustainable wages and benefits for all employees at KP, as well as finding solutions to ongoing staffing problems, challenges working in partnership, and the future of AI and how it might change our jobs and the way we do business.
Locally we are continuing to push for equitable market adjustments for all Pharmacy workers at KPWA in addition to the national wage increases. We are trying to raise wages so that we are competitive to other employers in Washington.
We are also fighting for:
Effective staffing conditions. We have created a new staffing concern form that can be submitted to address staffing issues.
Fair mileage and paid travel time when floating.
Wage equity for Eastern Washington Pharmacy Technicians.
Parameters for internal transfers for employees changing locations.
Infusion Tech designation.
We are bargaining for both the National Agreement and our Pharmacy Contract this week and will keep you posted on our progress.
For additional information, contact a bargaining team member.
Bargaining Team: Cesar Galloso, Jason Lindquist, Kay Halverson, JJ Benson, Krystal Krotzer, Mark Stewart
We are negotiating with KP management for both a new National Agreement and a Local Contract for Pro Tech Optical workers. Our bargaining team has met several times with management to find common interests that will ultimately lead to strong and enforceable agreements.
Nationally we are focused on sustainable wages and benefits for all employees at KP, as well as finding solutions to ongoing staffing problems, challenges working in partnership, and the future of AI and how it might change our jobs and the way we do business.
Locally we are negotiating for:
Market wages and premiums (to keep us competitive with other professional, technical, and optical workers in Washington State.)
Improvements to the rebid and restructure language to make it simpler and more equitable.
Process improvements for travel groups and floating between work locations.
Recognition of all positions in the contract including any new positions.
We have discussed Specialty Certification Pay, how changes can be made to the list of certifications, and how people can access it. This is important because there are a number of jobs that qualify for Certification Pay but people either do not know about the pay or have difficulty accessing it.
We have an Education Committee that reviews all certifications and makes sure the list of certifications is updated and consistently applied. It is critical that we meet regularly with management to make sure this happens. Management has proposed eliminating this committee, but we know it rewards workers who take the time to upgrade their skills and provides additional compensation. They have also proposed getting rid of the Joint Labor Management Committee, which is critical to our ability to have ongoing communication with management, so they know what the issues are that we deal with every day and can work with us to change the things that just don't work.
We have let management know that we want a better KP and eliminating employee input and partnership is not the direction we need to go.
We are bargaining both the National Agreement and our Pro Tech Optical Agreement this week and will keep you posted on progress.
For additional information, contact a bargaining team member.
If someone you know isn't getting updates: Update Your Information >>
Bargaining Team: Nicole Merriam, Sarah Lau, Ashleigh Aufort, Chandra Allen, Vicki Kobeski, Juli Bell, Bryana Kolppa
It's been a month since we've been at the table to continue our negotiations with Metropolitan Market. We will continue standing together to win what we deserve and keep to our timeline for success. Our bargaining team knows the issues key to our campaign are:
Stable and guaranteed hours because our bills don't change with the grocery seasons
Investments in development opportunities so we can grow and help train new hires
Meaningful wage increases to keep up with the cost of living
And we have a plan to win:
Wear your Union button at work: More Staff | More Smiles!
Start talking to your coworkers about joining a leaflet action at your store
Join our next all member meeting on August 26 at 6:30 PM
Want to read more about what's on the bargaining table?
Bargaining Team:Kelly Shaffer, Uptown (Bakery); Maggie Baze, Mercer Island (Prepared Foods); Bill Graves, Crown Hill (Maintenance); Tori Nakamatsu-Figaroa, Uptown (Cake); Dan Howes, Crown Hill (Produce); Felicity Hoffman, Sand Point (Bakery)
After a long, determined organizing effort that began in January, the massage therapists of Dreamclinic have officially won their union election—making history as the first group of massage therapists in Washington State to successfully organize.
This victory marks a powerful step forward not just for the workers at Dreamclinic, but for the broader massage therapy profession. These dedicated Licensed Massage Therapists (LMTs) have shown that when workers stand together, they can overcome challenges, advocate for their needs, and create lasting change.
The bargaining process will begin soon. In the coming weeks, bargaining surveys will be distributed so that every therapist's voice and priorities are heard as we prepare for negotiations.
"As massage therapists, we put all we can into the care and treatment of our clients. If we are giving 100%, our workplace and the people who profit off of us should be giving that back to us."
— Marco, LMT
"Massage therapists are literally the heart and soul of this industry and we deserve to be treated as such. It is my hope that organizing and stepping into the power of our collective voice not only helps us support our longevity at Dreamclinic, but also further opens the door to help shift industry standards around how massage therapists are treated by their employers."
— Will, LMT
UFCW 3000 is proud to welcome these history-makers to our union family. This victory is proof that when workers unite, they have the power to shape the future of their industry—and this is only the beginning.
On Monday, August 11, members at Duty Free Americas voted unanimously to ratify their new contract!
Some highlights of what members have won are increased annual wage increases, increased PIC premium, better union access, a new additional floating holiday, union leave, the right to wear jeans, improved PTO payout, and a longevity bonus at 10 years of service.
Our bargaining team member Sara McCrae and many in the bargaining unit are most excited about the new floating holiday and are committed to making sure everybody uses both their floating holidays this year.
Please reach out to your Union Representative Allison Hanley at 206-436-6586 with any questions or concerns.
Bargaining Team: Sara McCrae
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.
