Cascade Valley Security Officers and MSWs - Successful First Day—More Dates Scheduled

BARGAINING TEAM: Carl Ramirez (Security Officer), Lisa Warriax (MSW)

“We received a wage proposal which gives us hope that Cascade Valley wants to engage in productive talks with us. We will keep going forward from here!”

Early this year we won our union election for Security Officers and MSWs. Our bargaining team met in the Fall and drafted proposals which would achieve parity with Skagit Regional, increase retention, and bolster recruitment efforts.

On December 12 we had our first bargaining session with the Cascade Valley’s management and had a successful day. Our proposal is for the existing Cascade Valley collective bargaining agreement to extend to security officers and MSWs. In addition, we proposed wage scales and other compensation for both classifications. Throughout an intense day of negotiations, we’ve already made headway, particularly in refining seniority language for both groups and establishing wage guidelines for Security Officers. Recognizing the significance of seniority in scenarios like job applicant tiebreakers, layoffs, and scheduling, we succeeded in establishing that our original date of hire with Cascade Valley would serve as our seniority date.

In our pursuit of equitable treatment, we firmly pushed back against the Employer’s proposals and stand united in advocating for wage parity. The battle for parity will continue in our upcoming sessions scheduled for January 4 and 18.

Congratulations 2023 Essential Workers Organizing Academy Graduates!

In April 2023, we began our first Essential Workers Organizing Academy (EWOA) cohort, hiring eight full-time and one-half time “apprentice organizers.” Candidates were drawn from UFCW 3000 members in healthcare and grocery, as well as from external organizing campaigns and a general applicant pool.​

The program was broken up into three distinct phases: training, internal organizing, and external organizing/preparing for strikes. ​Training included exercises and readings about how to conduct organizing conversations and campaigns, learning about the history of unionization and organizing workers, presentations from guest speakers, and visits to both union and non-union worksites. Apprentice organizers supported on campaigns that included Macy’s, Bartell Drugs, Fred Meyer(s), PCC, Providence-Everett, as well as political and community projects. ​

Congratulations to the EWOA class of 2023!

Post-EWOA, our goal is to help every apprentice organizer who wants to continue in the labor movement to find a job either with this union or another movement organization. 

UFCW 3000 Member Story: Kyle Chrisman

Kyle Chrisman

Kyle Chrisman has been working at LabCorp for almost 18 years on Capitol Hill as a phlebotomist. Kyle is dedicated to his patients and coworkers, which is why he fights so hard to build collective power on the job. Kyle is currently serving on the LabCorp union bargaining committee. Phlebotomist union members at LabCorp have often had their concerns ignored by their employer and Kyle is ensuring that LabCorp hears them loud and clear during negotiations.

LabCorp is having trouble staffing and retaining workers and union members know why, LabCorp needs to provide competitive wages and benefits. The City of Seattle recently announced that the minimum wage within city limits would be going up 6.85%, which helps workers keep pace with the increased costs of living and working in the city. Instead of proposing a wage scale based on the percentage, LabCorp simply bumped all positions that were under the new minimum wage rate of $19.97. This compresses the scale so that several of the steps are at the same rate. LabCorp then maintained their offer of below-market raises, decreased percentages between steps above minimum wage, and higher health care costs.

Kyle and his fellow bargaining committee members know that is simply not realistic when it comes to making ends meet and safely caring for patients. That is why the bargaining committee updated their proposal to reflect the effects of the new minimum wage throughout their wage instead of just meeting it like LabCorp.

Stay tuned as Kyle and his fellow union members fight for a better contract and better patient care, they have already held one info picket are prepared to take further action to ensure a fair contract!

Mason Health RN - Bargaining Continues

Bargaining Team (Left to Right): Tori Willis, Megan Corbin, Nancy Ownby

We have been negotiating since the beginning of October and have made many proposals for competitive and equitable wages, premiums and benefits along with addressing fair distribution of work. Management has been receptive, but slow in responding. On December 4, 2023, we received an economic response. We are reviewing Management’s proposal package and will respond with a counter-proposal at our next session on December 13.

Nurses need to be valued for our essential work. Retention and recruitment should motivate Management to provide competitive wages and benefits. This is critical to ensuring the best care at Mason Health for our community.

We want this contract to reflect Mason Health’s Mission:

“United Community, Empowered People, Exceptional Health.”

For additional information, talk to a bargaining team member or to Union Representative Naomi Oligario (360) 662-1989.

Your Rights During Flooding and Extreme Weather Events

Once again UFCW 3000 members and communities are facing some extreme fall and winter weather, including recent flooding. It is important to remember that if you, your family, or your coworkers have been affected by extreme weather, you have rights at work, resources through your union, and the support of your community.

Important rights and resources for UFCW 3000 members if your workplace, home, or transportation routes are flooded or evacuated:

1. Just cause protections at work: With a union contract, you have “just cause” protection, meaning you should not be disciplined at work for reasonably having to deal with a circumstance outside of your control like a flood that affects your home, work, or commute to work

   • Be clear in communicating with your employer if you are unable to report to work on time or at all due to flooding or other extreme weather

   • Make sure to invoke your right to union representation if you are called into a meeting that could lead to discipline (we call these “Weingarten Rights,” read more here)

2. The right to a safe workplace: If you feel unsafe at work, report any safety concerns to your worksite safety committee & management right away, and get support from your Shop Steward and/or Union Rep if your concerns are not addressed

3. Union resources: If your home or work is affected by flooding or extreme weather and financial assistance would help, speak with your Union Rep about the UFCW 3000 Membership Assistance Fund

4. Mutual aid: As union members, we know standing together and supporting each other is how we really make a difference. If you have ideas for ways to connect with or support fellow UFCW 3000 members in need, talk to a Shop Steward and/or your Union Rep for help with organizing

Extreme weather is dangerous in our workplaces and our communities, which is why UFCW 3000 members, including our Climate Justice Advisory Board, work for climate policies that will help protect us and our future health.

PRMCE RN Contract Votes set for December 15!

After almost eight months of negotiations, we have reached a tentative agreement with Providence Everett (PRMCE)! From the beginning our goal was to improve staffing to ensure our patients and community would receive the quality care we so desperately want to give them.

We are the first hospital in WA state to have binding mediation for unresolved chronic staffing issues and a staffing premium for RNs when their unit is staffed below the Hospital Staffing Committee’s staffing plan, which is created by nurses and nurse managers. 

We won language on market analysis triggers and a full contract opener 6 months earlier in April 2026, meaning we can get to the table as early as January 2026 to negotiate a new agreement and remain competitive with other hospitals.  

The tentative agreement is fully recommended by a majority of the bargaining team!  

Union members in good standing will have a choice to approve or reject the tentative agreement and approve or reject a strike via an online vote on December 15 from 6:30am to 8pm. All voting will occur online, and we will hold optional in-person meetings at the Colby and Pacific/Pavilion campuses: Colby Campus in the MOB Olympic Room from 6am to 9am; 11am-2pm; 5pm-8pm and at Pacific Campus in PAV 5 from 6am to 9am; 11am-2pm; 5pm-8pm.  

Please stop by so we can share how the new 12 month progression calculation positively affects your wage increases.  

On Friday December 15 at 6:30am you will receive a secure email with your unique log-in credentials. Because this is a secure online vote, it is important that your personal contact information is up-to-date with our Union!  Update your Personal Contact Information >> 

If you have not signed your UFCW 3000 Membership Application yet , please make sure that is done as soon as possible so you can vote! Go to join.ufcw.org/join/3000 

Join us for a Zoom meeting Monday December 11 from 6pm to 9pm to discuss and answer questions about the tentative agreement document.

"United, we've proven our strength to Providence. Let's enforce this contract, safeguard patient care, and keep our nursing family strong. Our solidarity is unwavering—we'll fight on, legislatively and in our workplace, ensuring patient safety and nurses’ well being.” Carrie Rimel Cath Lab RN

Frequently Asked Questions

Did we win a 3 year contract or 2.5 year contract? 

We won a 3 year contract expiring 10/30/2026 with the right to fully open the contract at 2.5 years, 90 days prior to April 30, 2026. This means the Union or PRMCE can open contract in January 2026 for bargaining and build a campaign up to potential strike after April 30, 2026. The entire contract will open including the No Strike Lockout article. It would be an Unfair Labor Practice for Providence to refuse to bargain with us after the contract is opened.  

Will we receive EIB on day one of a regular illness? Yes, nurses can now use their EIB for an illness. You can choose to use your PTO or EIB for that day.

For the extra shift incentive, if a nurse picks up a shift and that puts the unit at 85% staffed, does everybody else who picked up an extra shift receive straight time?

No they will post for extra shift incentive after the final schedule has been posted. If anyone picks up an extra shift they will receive the extra shift incentive even if that puts the unit above 80% staff. The contract language we won is like Providence St. Peter and Providence Centralia. This staffing premium also applies to the float pool. 

View the Vote Document and Hospital Wage Comparison document here >>

Providence St. Peter Hospital - Physical Therapy Assistant and Occupational Therapist Assistant - Memorandum of Agreement Ratified!

Providence St. Peter Hospital - Physical Therapy Assistant and Occupational Therapist Assistant
Memorandum of Agreement Ratified!

Our union Bargaining Team is happy to announce our tentatively agreed memorandum of understanding (MOU) that brings us into the UFCW 3000 Professional and Technical collective bargaining agreement (CBA) was ratified by a vote of our members on Tuesday, December 5.

New wages and step placement will have an effective date of December 17, 2023. Members will see the pay changes on their January 5, 2024, paycheck. All working conditions and benefits not mentioned specifically in the M.O.U. are now covered by the UFCW 3000/Providence St. Peter Hospital Collective Bargaining Agreement for professional and technical workers.

QUESTIONS? Reach out to our Bargaining Team members or call Union Rep Brandan Zielinski @ 206-436-6603.

Our Providence St. Peter Bargaining Team: Cynthia Miner, Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant; Heidi Ranger-Geh, Physical Therapy Assistant

Olympic Medical Center (ProTech) - Contract Ratified

Olympic Medical Center (ProTech)
Contract Ratified

On November 30 and December 1, workers overwhelmingly voted YES to ratify a new Union Contract.

Highlights of the contract include:

• 7% wage increase paid the first full pay period following ratification

• Market increases for many jobs

• 2024: 6% wage increase, first full pay period following March 31, 2024

• 2025: 6% wage increase, first full pay period following March 31, 2025

• $1000 bonus prorated based on FTE in each of 2024 and 2025

• New Step 13 added in 2024 for all positions at 2% higher than Step 12

• Shift differential: $3.00 Evening/$5.00 Nights

• $4.00 standby

• Callback/call-in on day off at two times the normal rate of pay

• $3.25 lead pay

• $4.50 weekend premium

• LOU for hazardous drug mixing

• $2.00 certification premium

For more information, contact Union Rep Aimee Oien @ 360-662-1981.

LabCorp - 2024 Seattle Minimum Wage

LabCorp
2024 Seattle Minimum Wage

“We dug into the pay scale and worked hard to make sure our proposals were equitable, competitive, and reflect the value of our work. We feel like we came up with a fair offer and now we’re looking ahead towards the actions we need to take to win.” —Shelby Tyner, Med Tech and Bargaining Team member

In September, LabCorp gave us their insulting opening economic proposal. In October, we stood together to demand better. We held our powerful first informational picket of the year outside Swedish Cherry Hill to start bringing our patients, providers, and community into our fight for fair and competitive wages.

At the end of October, Seattle announced its 2024 minimum wage rate: $19.97, up from $18.69. The 6.85% increase is a win for all of us working in the city and struggling to keep up with the rising costs of living and commuting. This increase meant LabCorp needed to give us a new economic proposal, as their offer would have put many positions below the 2024 minimum. It confirmed what we had already been telling them at the table: the wages they’re offering don’t meet our needs and LabCorp must do better if they want to recruit and retain great Lab workers.

In November, our economic negotiations were essentially reset. But despite an opportunity to come with a stronger offer, LabCorp simply bumped all positions that were under the new minimum rate to $19.97, compressing the scale. They maintained their offer of below-market raises, decreased percentages between steps, and higher health care costs.

While our wage proposal was already higher than the 2024 minimum, we made adjustments to reflect the new rate and gave it to LabCorp at our session on November 29.

LabCorp has told us to expect a full counter proposal to everything that is on the table at our next session on December 11. Join our next virtual Contract Action Team (CAT) meeting to discuss their counter and plan our next steps to win a fair contract!

Your VOICE matters!

It’s time for us to show LabCorp that we are brave, united, and will not be undervalued. We all deserve better so we are all signing our names to demand fair and competitive pay.

Join our CAT meeting Via Zoom

Sunday, December 17 @ 6:30 - 7:30pm
Contact a Bargaining Team member or Union Rep for meeting details. Details will also be sent your email.

Sign our petition now!form.jotform.com/232136709410348

ALREADY SIGNED? Talk to your coworkers, spread the word, and help us reach our goal of 75% union members standing together!

Find our union contract, membership application, Facebook, Slack, and more at: linktr.ee/labforce3000

Our LabCorp Bargaining Team: Lisa Magee, MLT; Deborah Gibby, Lab Assistant; Sam McVay, Client Services Rep; Shelby Tyner, Med Tech; Nancy Pyanowski, Dispatcher; Kyle Chrisman, Patient Services Tech; Matt Noll, Cytogenetics Tech; Union Rep Christie Harris

WhidbeyHealth Pro-Tech Contract Votes Scheduled

On November 28 and November 30 our Bargaining Team met again with the Employer to negotiate. While continuing to try to come to an agreement over economic issues, and in particular the wage scale, we were somewhat surprised that the Employer presented us with a Last, Best, and Final offer on all outstanding issues. This means that a vote on what that offer is will be forthcoming on Wednesday, December 13. While we had not expected to have to make this decision quite yet, we are recommending a “Yes” vote to ratify the offer.

Some of the highlights include:

• Wage parity as of April 1, 2024: We secured agreement that WhidbeyHealth would recognize past experience for represented workers at 100%. Many of our more senior employees who may be in the middle of the wage scale would move up the scale if they have more years of experience in their job classification than the step they are on actually represents. This will happen in the coming year if we approve the contract.

• Market adjustments of wage scales: When the mid-cycle wage bargain happened in 2022 the result was that many people further up the scale received increases that put them ahead of what workers earn at competing hospitals. This also resulted in workers on the earlier steps of the wage scale earning less than what workers earn at competing hospitals. Thus, management concentrated on increases at the lower steps in this bargaining cycle.

• Ratification bonuses: If we ratify the contract with a “Yes” vote on Wednesday, December 13, we will receive $1,200 ratification bonuses pro-rated by FTE. For example if you are a .5, you will receive $600.

Contract Votes: Wednesday, December 13

Main Hospital Coupeville HEC Room C: 5:00am—8:00am, 12pm—2:00pm, 5:00pm—8:00

Clinic 1: Oak Harbor-Cabot Break Room: 3:30pm—4:30pm

Clinic 2: Oak Harbor -Goldie Conference Room: 2:30pm—3:00pm

Clinic: Freeland Break Room: 10:00am—10:30am

Clinic: Clinton Break Room: 9:00am—9:30am

We look forward to seeing you at the following times to discuss the offer and vote on it. Members in good standing are eligible to vote.

Our Union Bargaining Team: Jennifer MacNeill, Medical Technical Lead; Rosalie Nguyen, Pharmacy

PRMCE RN We have reached a tentative agreement!

After almost eight months of negotiations, we have reached a tentative agreement with Providence Everett (PRMCE)! From the beginning our goal was to improve staffing to ensure our patients and community would receive the quality care we so desperately want to give them. We identified that we could achieve this through staffing language, which would strengthen our voices on the Hospital Staffing Committee and supplement the staffing law’s guidelines (https://ufcw3000.org/safestaffing), and being competitive with other area hospitals.

It was through our collective actions we were able to pressure PRMCE to accept many of our staffing concepts, including a staffing premium. We went out on an unfair labor practice strike because PRMCE was not considering our proposals in good faith. PRMCE told us they would never agree to a staffing premium before or after a strike, but the power of our strike pressured them to agree to this and additional staffing language and incentives. We are the first hospital in WA state to have binding mediation for unresolved chronic staffing issues and a staffing premium for RNs when their unit is staffed below the Hospital Staffing Committee’s staffing plan, which is created by nurses and nurse managers.

Additionally, the third year of the contract was a major priority to assure we can recruit and retain nurses when other hospitals negotiate in 2025- and not have an exodus of nurses again.

We won stronger language on market analysis triggers and a full contract opener 6 months earlier in April 2026, meaning we can get to the table as early as January 2026 to negotiate a new agreement and remain competitive with other hospitals. We will join solidarity actions with other Providence Hospitals in 2025- and take that energy into our early 2026 negotiations.

The tentative agreement we reached on December 1st meets our goals and is recommended by a majority of our bargaining team!

We will be holding a Zoom meeting this Tuesday December 5 at 8pm to discuss and answer questions about the tentative agreement document and next steps.

We will be giving nurses a choice to approve or reject the tentative agreement and approve or reject a strike via an online vote on December 15 from 6:30am to 8pm. Similar to the strike authorization vote in October, all voting will occur online, and we will hold optional in-person meetings at the Colby and Pacific/Pavilion campuses.

Your voice is important, and we encourage you all to read through the tentative agreements below and vote online on December 15. Only members in good standing are eligible to vote.

Summary of tentative agreements:  

Full Tentative Agreement Redline on the PRMCE RN contract page at ufcw3000.org >>

Economic

• Extra shift incentive: If a nurse’s unit is staffed at 80% or below then, full-time RNs (.9 – 1.0 FTE) who pick up an extra shift shall receive double time. Part-time nurses (.05 -.89 FTE) who pick-up an extra shift will receive 1.5 their regular rate of pay and will receive double time if they work above a .9 FTE. Per diem nurses who work more than 2 shifts per pay period shall receive 1.5 their regular rate of pay and double time if they work above a .9 FTE). The Employer can offer an incentive above this requirement, but this now the minimum incentive that nurses must receive when picking up an extra shift

• President’s Day is swapped for Dr. Martin Luther King Day (MLK)

• Christmas Day for Night shift RNs: The holiday will be defined as 6:30am on December 25th to 7am on December 26th

• Holiday Substitute: Nurses can switch a holiday for a day of importance to them. Example: switching MLK Day for your birthday

• Low Census: traveler RNs will censused before agency RNs

• Weekend pay expanded- Nurses working Saturday and Sunday night will receive weekend pay for Sunday night

• Twelve .9 FTE relief nurses will be hired to cover meal and rest breaks

• Shift differential increased to $3 for evening shift and $5.25 for night shift

• Low census standby increased to $4.75/ hour

• Standby differential increased to $6.75/ hour

• Relief charge nurse pay increased to $3/ hour

• Intermittent night shift premium of 1.5 time regular rate of pay for non-night shift nurses who pick up a night shift

• Preceptor pay increased to $2/ hour

• Float pool pay increased to $5/ hour

• Non-float pool pay increased to $2/ hour

• EIB will now be paid out on day 1 of an illness

• Health insurance premiums will not increase more than 10% on a blended average in 2024 or 2025

• Bereavement leave shall increase to 40 hours of paid time for spouses, significant others, or children.

• Professional development leave: 40 hours prorated by FTE

• Continuing education increased to $700 for .75 - 1.0 FTE and $500 for .6 - .74 FTE

• Tuition Reimbursement: Up to $5,250 for .75 FTE or more and up to $2, 625 for .74 FTE to .5 FTE

• Wage increases

Two pay periods following ratification, the following wage scale will be implemented.

The new base rate of $43.91 aligns with Swedish Edmonds and the top of the scale exceeds Swedish Edmonds through June 2025.

Effective the first full pay period following 10/1/2024, nurses will receive a four percent (4%) across the board increase.

Effective the first full pay period following 10/1/2025, nurses will receive a four percent (4.5%) across the board increase.

• For Nurses on the payroll upon ratification and who were also on the payroll on June 1, 2020, will be paid a bonus of $1,200, pro-rated by FTE (per diem will be counted as .25 FTE) on the second full pay period following ratification

• For Nurses on the payroll ratification and who are also on the payroll on December 1, 2025, will be paid a bonus of $1,000, pro-rated by FTE (per diem will be counted as .25), less applicable withholdings, on the first full pay period following December 1, 2025

• Year for year experience- All nurses will receive one step for one year of continuous experience. Nurses with 12 months or less shall be placed on the corresponding step on February 1st, 2024, according to their resume on file. 60 days from ratification, current nurses shall have the opportunity to resubmit their resumes to HR to adjust their wage steps. On March 1, 2024 nurses will be placed on the corresponding step based on their resume on file

• Wage step increases- Wage step increases will now be calculated using 12 month increments versus 1872 hours. There will be a recalculation of wage step increases for all current nurses’ steps. Annually nurses will start advancing one additional step on their work anniversary after ratification. In 2026, nurses will progress through the remaining steps to reach the appropriate level. For instance, if a nurse, working at a .75 FTE, should be on wage step 14 based on a 12-month calculation, but is currently on wage step 10 due to the 1872-hour calculation, their wage steps will be recalculated. They will get two step wage increases in 2024 and 2025 and then be brought to their appropriate step in 2026

• Modified Baylor Shift- Positions will be posted 30 days after ratification for positions which will work a .6 FTE only on the weekends. All weekend shifts will be paid at 1.5 regular rate of pay and additional shifts will be paid at straight time, unless overtime rules apply

• Night shift differential- Night shift nurses, who have 24 months or more working on night shift, will receive an annual bonus of $1,500 (prorated by FTE) on January 1, 2025

• Staffing Premium- Nurses working in a unit averaging at or below 85% staffing according to the plan will receive a $300 bonus (prorated by FTE) the following month. Per diems will receive this bonus prorated at .3 FTE. This will expire one year from ratification but can be revisited by the Hospital Staffing Committee

• 2.5 year agreement- The Hospital and the Union have agreed to initiate contract renegotiation by or before April 30, 2026, allowing for negotiation closer to other area hospitals' contract expirations

• Market Analysis  of wages will be conducted every September and the results will be shared with the Union. If there is a difference between the average of the current wage scale and the average wage of the market analysis the Hospital and Union will meet to discuss solutions, like wage increases or bonuses, to make PRMCE more competitive

Non-economic and Staffing

• Union membership- New nurses will have 21 days to join the union or 14 days to opt out of union membership. Newly hired nurses who do not opt in or opt out of the union shall be removed from the schedule within 30 days of the union notifying PRMCE. If the nurse does not make an election within 90 days after PRMCE receives notice from the union the nurse shall be discharged. This language grants more time, when compared to the previous language, for new nurses to make a decision on union membership. Nurses may opt out of union membership and donate their union membership fee to a non-religious organization if their religion objects to them joining a labor organization. Personal emails shall be provided to the union, if available

• Access to conference rooms on units- The Union representative shall have access to the conference rooms on the floor

• Non-Discrimination language which reflects diversity, equity, and inclusion

• Charge nurses and relief charge nurses shall generally not be expected to take a patient assignment. A charge nurse will only take a patient care assignment if it is mutually agreed upon and the charge nurse will use their professional judgment to determine if they should take a patient assignment

• Updated Skill departments

• Nurses can email the Hospital if they wish to accept a recall position

• Discipline- Written warning will be removed after 18 months (about 1 and a half years), upon request, as long as the warning is not related to patient care violations. Coachings will be removed after 9 months, upon request

• Staffing- The Hospital Staffing Committee members will be comprised of 50% or more nurses per SB 5236 staffing law and decisions must reach consensus  Subcommittees shall review CSIs for their units and make recommendations to the Hospital Staffing Committee

• Binding Mediation- Chronic staffing issues existing within the same category for at least 90 calendar days can be moved to binding mediation one time per year. A mediator will hear solutions from the Hospital and the Union and then make a recommendation on a solution. The solution will be sent to the Hospital Staffing Committee on whether or not to adopt the solution

• The Hospital will review exit interviews, adverse events, and retention interviews

• MOU Collaborative Approach to Full Staffing- Commitment from Providence to staff the right staff, in the right place, at the right time. And timeline/process for working together through the Hospital Staffing Committee

• One year from ratification RN turnover goal is set to 15%. First Year RN Turnover: Over 25% top priority department, between 20-24% “at risk dept”, between 16-19% "watch list dept”, at 10% or below “share best practices”. Whenever a department is at 20%+ FYTO, a process is triggered to identify root causes for turnover and immediate solutions for retention

• Innovative staffing models, like the co-caring model, require approval by consensus from the Hospital Staffing Committee

• The Hospital will pay nurse techs for clinical hours  

• Adoption of the Healthy Work Environment (HWE) standard: skilled communication, true collaboration, effective decision making, appropriate staffing, meaningful recognition, authentic leadership, and workplace violence

• Hospital Staffing Committee and Subcommittees will meet to review the open positions in units, review retention interview data and exit interview data, review, adjust, and employ tactics for retention and recruitment

• Core leaders and nurse volunteers will visit job fairs and schools to recruit nurses

Nurse Zoom Meeting
Tentative Agreement Q&A and next steps
Tuesday December 5 at 8:00 pm via zoom

*Join us to ask questions about the tentative agreements, what are the next steps if the contract is not approved, and any other questions you may have. We hope to see you there!

Join Zoom Meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81373254464?pwd=aVV0d3Q1YlhGaHByeVRycGV3QkF2QT09
Meeting ID: 813 7325 4464
Passcode: 757437

CONTRACT VOTE
Friday December 15- online and in person meetings at Hospital

*As soon as rooms are confirmed, we will email the times and locations of in-person meetings

Strike Benefits:

Strike Benefits checks were mailed on Monday 11/27 to all nurses who picketed 20+ hours and completed a W9. A second batch of checks will be sent this Monday 12/4 for nurses that forgot to sign in/out on at least one shift and had a "miss punch". We gave credit for these shifts and fixed the hours- and Union Leadership made the decision to pay out strike benefits to all nurses who picketed for 16+ hours. This makes sure there is a buffer to get the most people strike benefits and take into account any issues with sign in.

If you would like to confirm the status of your strike benefit check or would like to request additional financial hardship assistance, please email Kendra Valdez at kvaldez@ufcw3000.org. 

Learn about safe staffing committees and the new staffing law at our December training

We’re not done speaking out to hold hospitals accountable!

Our coalition’s WA Safe + Healthy team received great feedback from members who attended our first safe staffing training Oct. 19, where we covered an overview of staffing committees, charters, and a timeline of implementation for our safe staffing legislation.

We are looking forward to the next training in December! We’ll demystify what the staffing committee does and how it does its work. With our new staffing law starting to roll out, it’s our job to hold hospitals accountable and get the most out of this new law. Together in our coalition, members of SEIU Healthcare 1199NW, UFCW 3000 and WSNA are ready to do the work.

Speaking out about unsafe staffing

We have been talking to legislators, and members have been fighting hard to raise the alarm about ongoing staffing issues at our facilities. Right now the spotlight’s on:

• Providence Everett (UFCW 3000) – November 14-19, nurses went on an unfair labor practice strike at the hospital after voting to authorize a strike by 97%, with staffing the top concern at the bargaining table.

• MultiCare Yakima Memorial Hospital (SEIU Healthcare 1199NW) – A month after holding a vigil, healthcare workers at MultiCare Yakima Memorial held an informational picket Nov. 15. They are fighting for wages that meet market standards to attract and retain experienced staff.

• Virginia Mason Hospital (WSNA) – On Oct. 10, hundreds of nurses picketed outside Virginia Mason, calling for a fair contract that will improve staffing and reduce workplace violence.

Members are speaking out in the news! Here’s some of our latest coverage:

“Nurses can no longer stand by and take these unsafe assignments, come to work and be physically, mentally, emotionally abused,” said Kristen Crowder, labor & delivery RN at Providence Everett.

“Honestly, staffing is a revolving door,” said RN Trish Bowman. “I have a difficult time even knowing my own staff on my floor, people are leaving all the time.” 

“I am so sick of having short staffing at work,” [Brad] Rathke said to the crowd Tuesday. 

Northwest Center - Close to finish line

Northwest Center
Close to finish line

On November 27, our Bargaining Team met with Northwest Center leadership and presented a full economic counter, making significant progress towards reaching an agreement on a contract. We stressed the importance of providing market competitive wages and breaks and time off work. Two important tentative agreements reached include outside employment and on our Grievance Procedure - which is the process that will enforce our legally binding Union contract. For example, if a member is disciplined unfairly, terminated without just cause, or paid incorrectly, our grievance procedure will allow the Union to fight for back pay or challenge unjust discipline.

“Leadership has agreed to a lot of our language and even shared that some of the policies they may consider implementing company wide. It feels wonderful to have an impact far beyond our department. We’re not running out of steam yet and plan to keep pushing for wages that meet market standards and make us competitive! We’re so close to the finish line!” — Our Bargaining Team: Jenica Barrett, Kimberly Burns, Kaylee Ainge, and Kirsten Syberg

Our next bargaining session is on December 12, and our Team is prepared to negotiate until we reach an agreement that can be recommended for a Vote.

Please join us for an Early Supports Union Meeting on zoom!

This is a great opportunity to learn more about our Early Supports Union and meet with your Bargaining Team. We will share updates on what happened in negotiations (give a live update if we are still at the table), discuss next steps, hear feedback, and answer questions. Hope to see you there!

December 12 • 7pm
Contact a Bargaining Team member or Union Rep Ian Jacobson for details to join.
OR call in at 253-215-8782 and use the same Meeting ID and Passcode

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

UFCW 3000 Member Story: Vanessa Wixom

Vanessa Wixom and her daughter enjoy some time outdoors

Vanessa Wixom works as a Pharmacy Tech at the Riverfront location for Kaiser Permanente in Spokane Washington.  Vanessa is a fantastic leader in her workplace, and is always very proactive she and her coworkers have concerns by making sure that their rights as union workers are respected by Kaiser.  Outside of work Vanessa is a mom, loves spending time with her family, and enjoying the outdoors with the gorgeous Northwest scenery in Eastern Washington.  Vanessa’s love for the outdoors has led her to be a volunteer for the local River/Park cleanups in Spokane to make sure that others can enjoy them.  Thank you for all of your hard work Vanessa!

PRMCE RN We return to the bargaining table!

On November 30 and December 1 we will return to the bargaining table with Providence Everett (PRMCE) management. We will be using a federal mediator to facilitate the bargaining process and we will continue reiterating that PRMCE bargain in good faith so we can reach an agreement which addresses the staffing needs of our community.

Our strike has shown PRMCE that we stand united with the community, elected officials, labor unions, and patients in our demands for better staffing standards. We will be holding a Zoom meeting after our mediation session on December 1 to inform everyone about our progress at the bargaining table and next steps.

Please join us Friday December 1 from 8pm-9pm via Zoom

Additionally, if you completed 20 hours or more of strike duty and filled out your W9 form you should be receiving your strike benefit via mail by December 1st. If you have follow up questions about your strike benefit or where to submit your missing W9 form in-person, please reach out to Union Representative Anthony Cantu, 206-436-6566.

Olympic Medical Center - ProTech contract vote scheduled

Olympic Medical Center - ProTech
Contract vote scheduled

After several months of bargaining, we have reached a tentative agreement.The Bargaining Team fully recommends a “YES” vote this agreement!

Highlights of the tentative agreement include:

• 19% wage increases

• Market increases

• $2000.00 total bonuses prorated by FTE

• $3.00 for evening/$5.00 for night shift differentials

Join your coworkers and vote on the new agreement!

Sequim
Thursday, November 30 @ 3:00pm-5:30pm
Medical Services Building (MSB) - Conference Room, 840 N 5th Avenue, Sequim WA 98382

Port Angeles
Friday, December 1 @ 11am-6pm
Olympic Medical Center - Fairshter Meeting Room, 939 Caroline Street, Port Angeles WA 988362

UFCW 3000 members in good standing are encouraged to attend a meeting, ask questions, and vote on the contract. Contact a Bargaining Team member or your Union Rep Aimee Oien for any questions @ 360-662-1981.

Update Your Contact Info
ufcw3000.org/update-your-information

Providence St. Peter Hospital (PTAs/COTAs)

Providence St. Peter Hospital (PTAs / COTAs)
Memorandum of agreement ratification vote

Our union Bargaining Team is happy to announce our tentatively agreed Memorandum of Understanding that brings us into the UFCW 3000 Professional and Technical Collective Bargaining Agreement will be ratified by a vote of our members.

We are strongly recommending a “YES” vote so that we can join our Union siblings in the existing bargaining unit! Please join us in the Nisqually conference room at the above time to review the M.O.U. and cast your vote.

Join your coworkers and vote “YES” the new agreement!

Tuesday, December 5
11:30am—1:30pm
Providence St. Peter Hospital—Nisqually conference room

Directions to the Nisqually conference room:

Upon entering the main entrance of the hospital, head right and travel past the information desk until you see the “Main Elevators” wall. You will have passed Starbucks on your left hand side.

Take the “Main” elevator to Floor 2 (Café Level).

Exit left off the elevator on the 2nd Floor. Turn right at the entrance to Cabrini’s (Café). Continue on this main corridor, through the cafeteria, off to the left, then right and go down the hall until you can turn right, then take the first left, then go right past the Lab and the Nisqually Room is at the end of the hallway.

Please speak with our Bargaining Team members or call Union Rep Brandan Zielinski @ 206-436-6603 if you have any questions.

Bargaining Team Members: Cynthia Miner, Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant; Heidi Ranger-Geh, Physical Therapy Assistant

PRMCE RN We walked the line to ensure safe staffing!

We Walked the Line to Ensure Safe Staffing – Our Community, Patients and Co-workers stood with us 

Over the last five days over a thousand nurses, family, friends, labor unions, elected officials, and community have walked the picket line with us to demand that Providence consider our common-sense staffing proposals in good faith.  

Over the last five days, one thing is for sure: Providence has heard us loud and clear. 

Watch the strike round-up slideshow! >>

This morning, 11/19, we return to work with the hope that Providence will engage in meaningful bargaining and really listen to the solutions we are demanding. If you have any issues with your return to work, call your Union Representative Anthony Cantu or the Member Resource Center at 1-888-210-3000. 

Throughout the ten-day strike notice period and throughout the ULP strike, Providence chose not to negotiate. But now, with our ULP strike concluded, they've expressed an interest in returning to the bargaining table. This time, as we resume negotiations, a federal mediator will join us to facilitate a fair and productive process. 

While we await the negotiation date, it's essential to plan our next steps and reflect on the impact of our ULP strike. Join us for a strike captain meeting on Tuesday, November 21st, at 8 pm to debrief the strike and discuss next steps. 

If you completed 20 hours of strike duty and filled out your W9 form completely, your strike benefit check will be sent by Friday November 24 via regular mail to your address.  If you did not complete your W9 form, please fill it out and arrange a time to submit your form in-person to UFCW staff. >>

“We are not going let our community suffer—that’s not what we’re here for. Providence has to step up. They need to understand: all that we ask is that you come to the table with open minds, open hearts, open ears, open eyes. Let’s get this done so we can get back to work.” -Juan Stout, bargaining team member 

“We all could have made the decision to believe Providence when they said the best they could do is what we’ve been experiencing for the past year and a half, and that that’s what they wanted for us in the future. We disagree. They can do better and we need them to do better.” -Kelli Johnson, bargaining team member 

Our journey is far from over. Together, let's persist, let's continue to stand united, and let's keep pushing until we secure the changes we're fighting for. 

Strike Captain Meeting (& open to all nurses!)- Tuesday 11/21 8pm via zoom 

• Debrief Strike- lessons learned, feedback, what went well and could be improved in future 

• Discuss Next Steps 

UFCW 3000 Podcast Episode 10: Voices from the strike line at Providence

It's our first STRIKE EPISODE! UFCW 3000 member and self-taught podcast host Michaela (plus Episode 1 guest Kristina) drove out to both picket lines at Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett, where nurses have been out on an unfair labor practice strike since 6AM on Tuesday 11/14. Hear directly from these striking nurses about what's at stake in their fight for a fair contract that respects their dedication and supports safe patient care for their community. To hear more from Providence Everett nurses, check out Episode 7: “It’s your hospital, it’s your health care, it’s your community” for Michaela's interviews with nurse bargaining team members.

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 Plans for our return to work

Our ULP strike will end on Sunday November 19 at 6am. You should receive a message from your supervisor with instructions on your return to work if you are scheduled to work on November 19th. 
 
If your November 19 shift start time is before 6am, please report to work at 6am. If your November 19 shift end time is between 6am to 7am, please report to work at 6am unless your supervisor tells you otherwise. 
 
We encourage you to join us from 4am to 6am to help walk nurses back to work and finish our ULP strike strong.We stand united and will continue to be united until PRMCE bargains in good faith and we reach a contract which addresses the staffing needs of our patients and community! 
 
We will send out a bargaining update on Sunday November 19 with details of our next steps.