UFCW 3000 Podcast Episode 8: So what's a union rep anyway?

I know I have a Union Rep, but who are they? What do they do? And what are my "Weingarten Rights" again? Michaela sits down with her Union Rep, Brandan, to hear more about his role and discuss rights on the job, meetings with management, and the many ways members can be involved in enforcing their contract and supporting each other. || UFCW 3000 members: you can look up your union contract and your Union Rep at https://ufcw3000.org/find-a-contract

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 Some movement but not enough!

Our third bargaining session on September 26 was both promising and frustrating. We want to keep you informed about the progress we've made, the challenges we face, and how we can continue to make a difference together.

Firstly, let's acknowledge our collective efforts, which have brought us significant headway in our discussions with Providence. We've reached tentative agreements on more than half of our proposals, and this achievement underscores the power of our unity and persistence.

However, there is still work to be done. Our core priorities revolve around ensuring patient safety through staffing language and securing competitive wage increases. Several critical items, including anniversary increase progression, staffing language, across-the-board increases/wage scale, premiums, internal equity pay, annual reviews of market wages, and recognition for years of experience, are still on the negotiation table.

Providence's recent preparation for a potential strike is a clear sign that our collective actions are making an impact. They are feeling the pressure. 

Our next bargaining sessions on October 10 and 11 offer us another opportunity to make progress. While there has been movement during our discussions, we are committed to achieving a contract which will ensure patient safety.

In addition to our negotiations, it's essential that we continue to share our stories with the community. We are actively seeking nurses who are willing to speak at community meetings and with the media to share our story, please see the meetings listed below. If you're interested in speaking at these events, please reach out to Anthony Cantu at (206) 436-6566.

Don't forget to share our podcast with your friends and family >>

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 care we provide.

Sign up for this role on our strike pledge page >>

As we move forward, remember that our determination remains unwavering. It's our unity and resolve that will lead us to victory. Let's maintain our momentum, support one another, and ensure that our voices are heard. Together, we can win a contract which will benefit nurses and our patients!

​In solidarity,

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

Also, mark your calendars for our upcoming strike captain meeting on October 3 at 8pm via Zoom and in-person at the Everett Labor Temple >>

Important Dates to Remember:

• October 30, 2023 - Contract Expires!

• October 16 - Meeting with Legislatures

• October 11 - Meeting with Trades Union

• October 10 and 11 - Negotiations with PRMCE

September 2023 Update: Upcoming Trainings on Our New State Staffing Law – JOIN US!

Union health care workers fought hard for a new staffing law in Washington, and we celebrated together when it passed. Now we’re preparing for the first stages of successful implementation. To get the most out of this statute and hold hospital management accountable for safer staffing, it’s going to require knowledgeable and empowered nurses and other health care workers in every department, on every shift, at every hospital. Here’s how we’re going to get there, together:​

• September 1, 2023: 

  The state Hospital Staffing Advisory Committee has been established and will meet monthly. Among its first tasks is development of a uniform hospital staffing plan form. This committee comprises health care workers and hospital representatives.

• January 1, 2024

  Staffing committees must be established under the new law. These will include RNs, LPNs, CNAs,and other direct patient care staff. 50% of the voting members must be nursing staff.

• July 1, 2024

  New staffing committee charters—covering processes for meetings, attendance, electing co-chairs, reviewing complaints, etc.—must be filed with Dept of Health (DOH). Proposed staffing plans are due to hospital management.

• January 1, 2025:

  Every hospital must submit a final staffing plan to DOH.

• July 1, 2025:

  Hospitals must implement the new approved staffing plans by this date, and begin reporting noncompliance to DOH whenever they fail to meet at least 80% compliance that month.

GET EDUCATED – GET INVOLVED!

Joint SEIU 1199NW / UFCW 3000 / WSNA Trainings in 2023-24:
All trainings will be online, relevant to where we are in the statewide rollout of the staffing law, and whenever possible will be recorded and shared for those who cannot attend live. Contact a representative or organizer from your union to learn more about signing up!

• October 19, 2023: In-depth training for current staffing committee co-chairs and members. Current staffing committee members! RSVP for this training here:

• December 2023: Training for all interested members on everything you need to know about staffing committees and the new staffing law

• February 2024: Training on negotiating your best possible staffing plan

• Late 2024: Training on compliance and accountability through your staffing committee

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MEMBERS ARE SAYING:

“The safe staffing bill has many tools we can use to help immensely with safe staffing. I am deeply passionate and excited to learn more and to get to work, and I invite all my fellow healthcare workers to join me.”

—Craig M. White, RN/PCCN, Providence Everett

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“My coworkers and I spent a lot of energy advocating for this law to pass, so we’re certainly going to learn how to enforce it to the fullest. The big hospitals have a lot of money and a lot of resources to figure out the staffing models they think are best, and we’ll need to match that with knowledge of the law and union power.”

—Edna P. Cortez, RN, Seattle Children’s

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“We know that our unity is our strength in every challenge we face, and the work it will take to successfully implement our safe staffing bill is no exception. Working together across all three of our healthcare unions is how we’re going to kickstart a culture of safety in our hospitals and hold our employers accountable to ensure compliance. As a member of SEIU Healthcare 1199NW, I’m proud to continue working collaboratively with my WSNA and UFCW 3000 siblings to create a united front and tackle the next piece of our implementation plan: healthcare workers’ education.”

—Callie Allen, RN, MultiCare Valley Hospital, Spokane Valley

LabCorp After LabCorp's unacceptable wage proposal - we're taking action!

Last week, we received LabCorp Management’s first economic counterproposal. We had proposed substantial cost of living adjustments and base wage increases for all positions that would put us on par with the University of Washington, LabCorp’s biggest competitor in our area. LabCorp offered base wage increases between 1% and 5%, proposed changing (and for most positions, reducing) percentages between Steps, rejected market adjustments to premiums and differentials, and proposed increasing healthcare costs for every plan option.

When we asked if they seriously thought this economic proposal would fix their staffing problems, they emphasized that this was only their opening offer. We found this insulting and disappointing after months of discussion about the financial struggles we’re all facing and the difficulty LabCorp continues to have recruiting and retaining skilled, dedicated workers.

Because of the hard work of us and our coworkers around the country, LabCorp made record profits during the Covid-19 pandemic. We don’t expect LabCorp to singlehandedly fix the rising costs of housing, childcare, gas, or groceries—but we do expect our employer to pay us fair and competitive wages, provide accessible and affordable healthcare, and proactively support our continuing education. It’s good business sense. It’s best for our patients. It’s the right thing to do.

We deserve better, and we’re going to fight for it!

*UFCW 3000 LabCorp Workers’ Informational Picket has been rescheduled for October 19 from the previous date of October 12!

UFCW 3000 LabCorp members will be outside of James Tower at Swedish Hospital Cherry Hill Campus on October 5 and October 19* to educate our communities, providers, and patients about our fight. All of us need to show up and stand united to win the contract we deserve. We return to the bargaining table in mid-October. Let’s show LabCorp that together, we’re an unstoppable force for change!

LEAFLETING & SIGN-MAKING @ JAMES TOWER: THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5 - 6:30AM-8:30AM / 11AM-1PM / 3PM-5PM

Swedish Hospital Cherry Hill Campus: 550 17th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122

On our day off or on our breaks, we’ll be outside James Tower to share our stories with the community, make picket signs, and get excited about the next actions. Can’t make it? Share your picket sign message or LabCorp-themed chant with us on Slack, Facebook, at work, or with our Union Rep.

INFORMATIONAL PICKET @ JAMES TOWER: OCTOBER 19* from 11AM-1PM

Swedish Hospital Cherry Hill Campus: 550 17th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122

We’re taking action and holding our first informational picket of the year to show LabCorp that workers and the community stand united. Let’s send LabCorp a powerful message about our determination to win a fair contract.

Sign the petition for fair wages —and ask your co-workers to sign!

Event-leafleting calendar and community postcards coming soon!

Interested in sharing your story (or your department’s story) on our labor podcast, on our social media, or in an op-ed? Reach out to our Union Rep, Christie Harris.

PRMCE RN Getting Closer!

We had some promising developments from our recent bargaining session with the Hospital's management team. Our third regular bargaining meeting, held in person on September 26, allowed us to engage in productive conversations regarding compensation and staffing – two critical aspects of our negotiations.

In response to our comprehensive proposal submitted on September 20, the Hospital has offered an improved wage package. However, it still falls short of what we see at other hospitals like Swedish Edmonds by the year 2025. While this is progress, we must continue to fight!

During this session, we made significant headway, reaching tentative agreements on more than half of our proposals. This is a testament to our collective strength and determination. Our key priorities remain centered on staffing language that ensures patient safety and competitive wage increases.

As we move forward, there are several critical items still on the table for discussion, including union membership, anniversary increase progression, staffing language, across-the-board increases/wage scale, premiums, internal equity pay, annual reviews of market wages, and recognition for all years of experience. We must stand firm in our commitment to securing the best possible outcomes.

Our public actions and our strike pledge have had a significant impact on PRMCE's willingness to engage in more reasonable proposals. We are making progress, but we will not let up on our actions until we achieve a contract that truly serves our and the community’s best interests.

There’s hope that we may reach a deal on October 10 or 11. But we will not relent until we secure a great contract that honors our dedication, hard work, and commitment to patient care.

Stay united, stay informed, and stay strong! Together, we can achieve the fair contract we deserve.

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

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. 

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!

St. Michael Medical Center - Questions About the Overpayment Settlement?

Come Talk to a Rep About the Overpayment Settlement!

On September 26, our UFCW union rep and MRC rep will be at the SMMC cafeteria to answer questions about the overpayment settlement.

Tuesday, September 26

• 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM  

• 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM  

• 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM

Read about the settlement on your contract page: 

>> St. Michael Medical Center RN
>> St. Michael Medical Center Pro-Tech
>> St. Michael Medical Center Service & Dietary

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.”

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. 

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.

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.

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.