Central Washington Hospital Fully Recommended Tentative Agreement Reached

Our Bargaining Team is excited to announce we have reached a tentative agreement with Central Washington Hospital for the strongest contract we’ve ever had. The Employer heard our team’s requests regarding wages and staffing and made significant changes that we believe will improve retention and recruitment while boosting staff morale. We still have work to do and will continue the work through the next three years so that we can build on what we have worked so hard for.

In-Person Contract Vote Scheduled: Tuesday July 23, 2024 from 8am—2pm & 4pm—7:30pm in Room J

We look forward to sharing all the details at our vote, complete documents will be available for review. Please join the Bargaining Team in voting YES.

You must be a member in good standing to vote. Please reach out to your Union representative Amy Radcliff at 509-340-7370 or any member of the Bargaining Team with questions.

“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” —Socrates

“This was best negotiations we’ve ever had!” —Monica Meloy, Perinatal Tech

“The worker’s passion moved this negotiation!” —Wendie Dyal, MLT

Seattle Children's Urgent Care MAs - Incremental Progress

We bargained again on Tuesday and were able to pass multiple proposals to management on issues including wages, certification pay, continuing education, and holiday scheduling rules.

While we were somewhat disheartened that management's proposals showed only incremental improvements on wages, we were able to make further progress in other areas.

We will meet again on the 16th and expect management to provide us with a new economic proposal.

"Today was productive, and we look forward to focusing in on our top economic issues"

— Wendy Rivas

Our Bargaining Team: Joelyn Martin, Angelica Acevedo Arreola, Wendy Rivas

Summit Pacific Medical Center - Bargaining Update

Our Union Bargaining team met with management and gave them a powerful message that we all need to feel valued at work. Strong equity language has been proposed for the contract. Management needs to understand that we are important to the success of the organization. Everyone needs to feel physically and emotionally safe at work. We made proposals that allow workers to bring concerns to management without fear of retaliation. We have heard that often one-on-one meetings with management feel unfair, so we are making proposals towards a more collaborative process.

The cost of living has gone up significantly, and Summit needs to keep up with other local hospitals. We have assessed the competition and are getting ready to give economic proposals to management during upcoming bargaining sessions.

Our next bargaining session is Friday, July 12.

For more information, contact a member of our Bargaining Team:

Monica Ortiz, RN ACU

Allison Felder, RN ED

Kim Starkweather, Patient Coordinator

Barb Ford, ED Tech

Judea Prouty, Medical Assistant, McCleary Clinic

Kurt E. Phillips, Lead Building Engineer

Ferry County Memorial Hospital - Contract Vote Scheduled! 100% "YES" Recommendation!

After two full days of bargaining, we have worked through several issues and had robust conversations around wages, recruitment, and the retention of nurses. The employer heard the requests regarding staffing issues and made significant changes that we look forward to sharing with you all!

Vote will be on July 12 at 6:00 AM – 10:00 AM in the HUB

• Meaningful wage increases
• Removed cap on PRN hours' ability to work
• Added two steps to the top of the scale
• Maintained Daily Overtime
• Maintained 15-minute breaks
• Extensions on Grievance timeline

“Two days of vigorous collaboration with the employer has led us to a contract that we can be proud of. We look forward to continued teamwork with UFCW 3000 and Ferry Co Health!”

—Jamie Marin and Beverly Morris

If you have any question reach out to your bargaining team or Amy Radcliff Union Representative 360-954-8840

Seattle Children's Urgent Care MA - Management Gives Wage Response

We met with Seattle Children’s management again on Tuesday and received management's response to our initial wage proposals. Management’s proposal would not adequately address the disparity between our wages and those of ambulatory MAs at Children’s or other comparable facilities, so we responded with a counterproposal which we anticipate will result in further positive movement by management at our next session on July 9.

While there is much work remaining to ensure we win competitive wages in our next contract, management continued to display a willingness to engage with us on the issues that are important to us, and we made significant progress in other areas, such as:

• New hire orientations
• Clinic reassignment
• Wage scales and step advancement
• Bereavement
• Continuing Education

For more information on what we expect going forward and to ask questions, join us for an informational meeting via Zoom next Monday, July 8 at 10:00 AM.

Bargaining Team: Joelyn Martin, Angelica Acevedo Arreola, Wendy Rivas

Progress has been slow, but management is beginning to understand our concerns and we believe that progress will continue to be made at upcoming sessions.

Bargaining Team

Multicare Health System - ULP Strike Authorization Vote Scheduled!

After months of negotiations, and in the face of unfair labor practices (ULP) committed by MultiCare, the time has come to either secure a fair contract or take more decisive action.

To that end, our Bargaining Team has scheduled a vote after our July 12 bargaining date on whether to ratify or reject the proposed contract and authorize a ULP Strike. The bargaining team hopes MultiCare will cease its unfair labor practices and make an offer the committee can recommend be ratified. If not, then our Bargaining Team will recommend that workers vote to authorize a ULP strike.

Our Union Bargaining Team does not take the decision to call for a ULP Strike authorization vote lightly, but we cannot continue bargaining indefinitely while the employer engages in unfair labor practices. We hope that MultiCare will come to the bargaining table prepared to negotiate in good faith when we meet next.

Wednesday, July 17, 2024

• KING COUNTY
  • 6:00 AM - 9:00 AM
  • 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
  • 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
• Best Western Plus Mountain View Auburn Inn
  ​401 8th St SW, Auburn, WA 98001

Thursday, July 18, 2024

• PIERCE COUNTY
  • 6:00 AM - 9:00 AM
  • 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
  • 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
• Marriott Tacoma Downtown, 3rd Floor Pt. Defiance Room
  1538 Commerce St, Tacoma, WA 98402

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What is an Unfair Labor Practice Strike?

An Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) strike is called in response to MultiCare’s unfair labor practices, which are illegal actions that undermine the bargaining process. This type of strike aims to compel the employer to cease unlawful activities and engage in fair negotiations.

MultiCare Auburn Medical Center Professionals - First Contract Update - June 26, 2024

THINGS ARE HEATING UP!

Our Union bargaining committee met with the Employer, albeit virtually, for our first round of negotiations since May 22. After our previous bargaining date scheduled for May 29 was canceled by the Employer—we were beginning to feel very frustrated that any momentum we’d built up toward achieving our first ever union contract was going to be weakened. However—we spent the downtime digging into our priorities on things like:

• Safeguarding the protections afforded by union membership
• Articles on Medical, Family, and Military Leaves of Absence
• And most significantly, wages and health insurance benefits.

When we began our day at the bargaining table, we were curious what the exchange of proposals between parties would look like, especially because management has shown limited interest in many of our key priorities. Considering all of this, we left today’s bargaining session feeling cautiously optimistic that the momentum behind reaching an agreement with the Employer was better than ever! Management also clued us into their feelings about the highly attended informational picket your union held at Tacoma General Hospital, acknowledging its impact as loud and disruptive (just how we like it!). Ultimately, we’re glad to announce that we reached agreements with management on some long-outstanding contract articles and engaged in what we felt was productive dialogue about where the parties are at in this process.

With all of that said, we do want to make it clear that despite our agreements on various provisions of our contract with MultiCare, we are beginning to narrow down to our highest priorities, likely to be the most challenging part of our bargain so far…

For instance, our bargaining team was deeply concerned to hear MultiCare's proposal to introduce employees into our Union Wage Scale at a pay rate that closely mirrors their current one (with no pay decrease), rather than aligning compensation with our years of experience. Our experience as healthcare professionals not only defines our skill but also enables us to deliver the quality of care our patients deserve. Moreover, we strongly believe that this approach could adversely affect retention in our departments, especially when many other employers recognize and reward years of experience.

As we dig into health insurance benefits, wages, years of experience, and more; it is more important now than ever that we are showing our solidarity and strength TOGETHER to win a STRONG first union contract!

Join us at our next round of Contract Action meetings to learn how to stay involved and support your Union Bargaining Team!

July 10 (In-Person & via ZOOM)

8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
Auburn Medical Center – MOB Classroom

3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Auburn Medical Center – Cascade Training Room

Multicare Health System - The Power Of Solidarity

For those of you who joined our Telephone Town Hall on the evening of June 27, you know that after our recent meeting with MultiCare to bargain our nine union contracts, we don’t have much to say other than we are fed up, and our patience is nearly exhausted.

We have spent months putting together proposals that we strongly believe address the workplace issues that matter most to us. We have communicated to MultiCare why competitive market wages and changes to the health insurance plan are so important, yet we feel that the Employer has failed to address the root of these issues.

However, following our informational picket earlier this month, it is evident that our collective power is beginning to shift the dynamic at the bargaining table. MultiCare has come to negotiations more willing to address some of the other issues, including an agreement to expand our bereavement leave, which management had previously shown little interest in. Nevertheless, we must apply additional pressure to secure the improvements we need on wages and benefits.

We are scheduled to continue negotiations with the Employer on July 8 and July 12. In the very near future, your Union Bargaining Committee will be announcing vote meetings to be scheduled after our bargaining date on the 12th.

Stay tuned for updates, and remember that it is our collective power that will win us strong contracts.

“It’s coming down to the wire, and we need your support. Wear your Union buttons & keep your solidarity strong.”

— Karen Towne, Medical Assistant @ Tacoma Family Medicine

PRMCE Union Grievance Newsletter June 2024

Through grievances, we can enforce our contracts and assert our rights! If you have experienced issues with your supervisor not following the contract language, please reach out to your RN union rep, Anthony Cantu, at (206) 436-6566, or Pro/Tech union rep Jack Crow at (206) 436-6614.

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Labor & Industries Meal Period Guidance

On July 1, L&I will begin to enforce compensatory damages for missed or untimely meal periods. As a result of this new rule, Providence has added more meal period questions to the Kronos time clock. We encourage you to do the optional training on the Kronos changes so you can correctly log your meal periods. If you do not receive appropriate compensation for untimely or missed meal periods, we encourage you to file a complaint with L&I here.

Additionally, we currently have an active grievance which is on Step 3 for Pros, Techs, and RNs. We are seeking compensation for missed and untimely meal periods. We are also looking into potential litigation over this matter.

An example from L&I guidance:
Jimmy works a 12-hour shift as a nurse in a regional hospital. On his last shift, Jimmy received only one hour-long lunch break at the fifth hour of his shift. Jimmy has not received compliant meal periods for this shift because he did not receive his second, 30-minute meal period and he worked more than five hours after his first meal period ended without starting that second meal period. The second meal period is a missed meal period. Jimmy must be paid 11 working hours for the time he worked and must also receive an additional 30 minutes of pay at his agreed wage rate because of the missed meal period.
Pay for Missed Break: 30 minutes
Pay for Additional Time Worked: None

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Meal Periods/Time Clock Rounding Class Action Lawsuit

Providence has appealed King County Superior Court’s decision on the class action lawsuit (Bennett et al v. Providence Health Systems) regarding missed pay for time clock rounding and missed second meal periods. This lawsuit covers all Providence hourly employees who were employed from September 2018 to May 2023. We will be keeping an eye on the Appellate Court’s decision, which likely won’t occur for several months.

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RN Contract Signature

We are working through finalizing the contract with PRMCE. We have found typos in the document they submitted to us and have asked them to correct the typos. Although the final contract has not been signed, we have a valid and enforceable agreement. Please refer to the redline in the meantime: ufcw3000.org/find-your-contract/2015/2/12/providence-regional-medical-center-everett-rn-contract

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RN Anniversary Wage Increases/Years of Service Step Progression

This grievance concerns RNs who did not receive their step increase between February 21, 2024, and March 2024 and did not receive an additional step. PRMCE responded to the grievance stating that they are working on providing retroactive pay to nurses owed step increases and are still getting their system in place to track additional step progressions. We find their answer unacceptable and are waiting to meet with PRMCE for Step 2.

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RN Low Census Extra Shift Incentive

PRMCE responded to our grievance and stated that the new extra shift incentive language allows them to cancel/low census incentive shift RNs prior to travelers/agency RNs. We strongly disagree with PRMCE and believe that incentive shift RNs should be low censused with premium shift RNs. We are awaiting Step 3 meeting dates.

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RN Low Census Index

PRMCE has not provided access to the low census index in every unit. The low census index tracks each nurse’s low census hours and helps determine the low census order. We are waiting for PRMCE’s response to our Step 2 meeting.

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RN FMC Per Diem Scheduling

We have filed a demand to bargain for FMC per diem RNs who have been told they can only pick up 12-hour shifts. We believe this is a change in employment conditions. Additionally, we filed a grievance for FMC RNs who are being excluded from incentive shift pay, even though they have worked two shifts in a pay period. We will be meeting with PRMCE on July 29 to bargain over these changes.

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Inpatient Rehab Closure

Providence has announced they will be closing inpatient rehab sometime in October 2024 and moving inpatient rehab services to an offsite Lifepoint/Providence facility. We are currently bargaining with PRMCE over the effects of this closure. Our next bargaining date is on July 17.

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RN Self-Scheduling

Providence announced that some units will be moving from templates to self-scheduling. We have demanded to bargain over the effects of this change and are awaiting a meeting date.

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RN Biweekly Weekend Rotation

Around June 19, Providence announced RNs will be working weekends biweekly to be “compliant” with the weekend language in Article 8. Under the new contract, we changed the definition of a weekend but did not change weekend scheduling language: “The Medical Center will make a good-faith effort to schedule all regular full-time and part-time nurses for every other weekend off.” We believe Providence is misinterpreting this language. We will be having a discussion with Providence next week to resolve this issue. If our discussion is not productive, we will be taking necessary next steps like a grievance.

LabCorp - Contract Ratified!

Our Union Bargaining Team is excited to share that with more than 60% turnout, our members overwhelmingly voted YES to ratify our new contract yesterday!

This contract includes higher wages for every position, the elimination of ghost steps, 401k improvements, and expanded benefits plans starting in 2025. We’re proud that our unit came together to help raise the bar for laboratory professionals.

The $750 ratification bonus and new wage rates take effect on the second full pay period after ratification (early August). More information about the changes and how to make the most out of the new benefits plan to follow. The new wage scale, benefits plan summary, and the full redline agreement will continue to be available for members to access on our website.

If you have any questions, please contact your Union Rep Christie Harris at (360) 409-0620.

“We know that the fight doesn’t end here. Let’s use our momentum to continue to learn about our rights, enforce our contract, and build our union power!”

—Debby Gibby, Bargaining Team member & Senior Lab Assistant

Still fired up? Sign up for Steward or Leaders in Action trainings!

Be sure to check out our website for upcoming community events, member meetings, training opportunities, and union benefits programs.

LabCorp Tentative Agreement Reached! Contract Vote Reminder

Our LabCorp Union Bargaining Team is excited to announce that we have finally reached a tentative agreement with the company. While this was not a quick or easy process, we’re proud of the hard work our members put in to pushing LabCorp towards a fair contract. We saw more members than ever before engaging their coworkers, demanding better, and taking action together, and it shows in our agreement.

Our Bargaining Team fully recommends a YES vote!

This tentative agreement has some big wins and big changes, including:

• Wage increases for all classifications (averaging 11% in the first year and 15% over the life of the contract, with a guarantee that no one will receive less than 5% upon ratification)

• Elimination of ghost steps (no more skipped anniversary raises)

• Shortened the total number of years it takes to reach the top of the scale

• Increased 2nd and 3rd shift differentials

• $750.00 ratification bonus

• Healthcare & Benefits expansion beginning January 1, 2025

  • Eliminated eligibility waiting period for new hires

  • More plan options and more medical carrier options

  • HRA, HSA, and FSA options

  • Telehealth (MDLIVE) coverage

  • Premium reductions via Annual Wellness Screenings

  • New voluntary benefits and support services, incl. wellness programs, accident & critical illness insurance, adoption assistance, recovery support, fitness reimbursement, reproductive health and parenting services, and more

  • Employee stock purchase plan

  • 401k improvements, incl. 5% company matching, all contributions 100% vested, and immediate eligibility

  • Tuition reimbursement

  • No takeaways to union PTO, sick leave, or bereavement

  • No additional costs for benefits until the end of 2024

• Monthly allowance for members who work from home

• Parking for couriers at James Tower

• Improved language for company communications regarding errors on paychecks, applying for short-term disability, medical premium repayment options, and changes in work schedules

• Improved language regarding union membership, new hire orientation, and union stewards

“It was a tough fight, but we won some of the highest wage increases in LabCorp union history. Our Bargaining Team members recommend voting YES!” —Kyle Chrisman, PST Specialist

Online CONTRACT VOTE: Tuesday, June 25 @ 5:00am — Wednesday June 26 @ 5:00pm

Members will need to have their personal email address on file with the union in order to receive the online vote email with their unique log-in information to vote on the agreement. Please update your contact information ASAP at ufcw3000.org/update-your-information >>

If you have questions or don’t receive the online vote email, you can contact your union Rep. Christie Harris at 360-409-0620.

Vote documents (including the Highlights summary, benefits plan summary, and full redline changes) will be available for you to review online and at the drop-in contract Q&A meetings prior to the vote.

DROP-IN CONTRACT Q&A MEETINGS: Saturday, June 22

ONLINE only: 9:00am—10:00am & IN-PERSON+ONLINE 1:00pm—3:00pm @ 23040 Pacific Hwy S, Des Moines. Zoom Meeting ID: 712 328 6135. Reach out to your Union Rep or a member of your Bargaining Team if you have questions about the agreement and can’t make it on Saturday.

Conifer St. Michael Medical Center Bargaining Update

On June 6, 2024, our opening letter requesting bargaining dates with Conifer Revenue Cycle Solutions was sent. On June 13, Local 3000 received a response from Conifer saying that the Employer considers “this request to be overly premature”, and that “Conifer does not understand the reasons for beginning negotiations so early”. Well, it is because we are hoping to secure a new Collective Bargaining Agreement as soon as we can! As such, we were not able to set bargaining dates in June or July, but have secured August 28 for our first day of bargaining. Meanwhile, we do have a request out for September bargaining dates and look forward to getting to the bargaining table. As stated in our previous update, the current Collective Bargaining Agreement expires October 31, 2024.

Union Representative Ryan Degouveia has assembled a Bargaining Team of our coworkers and we will be holding an open virtual meeting for all workers at Conifer St. Michael on June 25 between 5:30PM and 6:30PM. We hope to have an open and frank conversation about folks’ top priorities. As our Silverdale office is in the process of moving, this will be online-only via Zoom. Details will be forthcoming via text message very soon!

Should you have any questions or wish to be involved in building workplace solidarity to win a strong contract, Union Representative Ryan Degouveia can be reached at 360-662-1982.

Make sure your personal contact information is up to date so you don’t miss important bargaining information and union benefits!

Update your information here >>