Providence Mt. Carmel - Bargaining Team Reaches Tentative Agreement—Contract Vote Scheduled!

After two full months of bargaining, despite challenges and difficult conversations with management, our bargaining team persevered and has reached a tentative agreement with Providence Mt. Carmel. On July 16, we will have a contract ratification vote. Please join the bargaining team at the vote and have any questions you may have answered. All documents will be provided at the time of the vote.

Contract Vote

July 16, 2025
4:00 PM - 8:00 PM
HEC

UFCW 3000 members in good standing are encouraged to attend the vote meeting, read the documents, ask questions, and vote on the contract. Reach out to your Union Representative, Lenaya Wilhelm, at 866-210-3000, Ext. 7369, with any questions or concerns.

Harbor Regional Health Community Hospital - Bargaining Update

We have been bargaining over wages and premiums. Management has proposed a different wage increase percentage for every job, and some jobs have various percentages depending on the step. For some steps and jobs, the increases are significant, and for other steps and jobs the proposed increases are low. We are continuing to propose competitive wages that can retain and recruit, keeping the hospital fully staffed.

Management is claiming (again) that they are interested in being average or "in the middle" for pay as compared to other local hospitals. This has been their stated goal for several contract cycles, but we know how challenging it is to constantly be understaffed. We carry the load as the hospital continues to undercut employees.

Find Out How We Can Help Management See Why It's Important to Value Our Work! Contract Action Team Meeting:

Monday, July 7
6:00 PM
Duffys

• 1605 Simpson Avenue

• Aberdeen 98520

For additional information, contact a bargaining team member or Union Representative Kimberly Starkweather at (206) 436-6515.

Update Your Information >>

Bargaining Team: Dan James, Eric Timmons, Janet Byrd, Ana Garcia, Debi Sturm, Bambi Shope.

Lourdes Counseling Center - Bargaining Update

Lourdes Counseling Center
Bargaining Update

Bargaining has begun! Fighting for fair wages, premiums, and much more! If we want a strong contract, we must show the employer that we stand together! Now's the time to be unified!

Bargaining Team: Nicole Arnzen, Shanelle Cox, & Joseph Goodman

On Thursday, June 26 and Friday, June 27, we met with the Lourdes management team and made our proposals. The team was receptive and provided us with proposals, counter proposals, and tentative agreements. Our next bargaining session is July 16 & 17.

If you have any questions, concerns, or would like to join your Union, please contact a bargaining team member or your Union Representative, Juanita Quezada at (509) 340-7407.

Join UFCW >>

St. Michael Medical Center RN - SMMC RNs Deserve More

On June 26, we met with SMMC management for our eleventh bargaining session, where the hospital presented what they called a "comprehensive counterproposal." While there was some movement on break relief RNs, bereavement leave, preceptor pay, and float pay, management's wage proposal and response to staffing remain deeply disappointing.

The hospital proposed a wage increase of 5.25% upon ratification—a number that still leaves SMMC RNs behind St. Joseph's pay rates. Despite repeatedly hearing from RNs that unsafe staffing is driving burnout and turnover, the hospital offered no real solution on staffing. In fact, when we presented our staffing proposal again, management responded with deafening silence.

They continue to insist that they're "staffing above the matrix" and claim that contractual guardrails are unnecessary. We strongly disagree. Every day, RNs are working below matrix staffing levels due to chronic short staffing, floating to other units to fill gaps, or taking full assignments as charge nurses—sometimes doing both at once. This is not safe. This is not sustainable.

The hospital's message is clear: They're not listening.

Instead of offering meaningful fixes, they've doubled down on targeting specific departments. For instance, their latest proposal would restrict scrub privileges to only Emergency Department RNs—and they've rejected any kind of ED premium despite the high-intensity work and constant short staffing in the ED.

We are at a critical moment in negotiations. While there's been some progress, we are still far from winning what RNs need most: fair wages and enforceable staffing protections. Competitive contracts at Multicare and Providence include understaffing premiums and stronger staffing language—and SMMC RNs deserve no less.

If we want to win the contract we need, we need to show we're ready to fight for it. One way to take action right now:

Sign the strike pledge card >>

Let management know we're united and serious about what's at stake—our safety, our patients, and our profession.

The strike pledge card is to show our commitment to winning the best contract possible—your signature indicates that if we have to reject an offer on the table in the future by a vote, you will also vote to authorize a strike.

Together, we can win the contract we deserve.

Bargaining Team: Kim Fraser, Pre-Op; Janice Brown, FBC; Meredith Francisco, Med Surg; Lindsey Gearllach, Obs; Tammy Olson, ICU

PRMCE Pro - Professionals' Wages: Progress Made, But Not Enough...

On June 16 & 17, our union bargaining team representing the Professional workers at Prov. Everett met with management for two full days of back-to-back contract negotiations: marking our sixth and seventh sessions in this contract cycle.

On Monday, Providence presented its first official counter to our wage scale proposal. While their offer still falls short of what workers at nearby medical centers are earning, our team noted significant movement towards changes to our wage scale structure that our team highlighted in our initial proposal, back on May 5, for instance, Providence's proposal:

• Eliminates all ghost steps in the wage scale

• Raises the step increases between each level on the wage scale and reduces the number of steps on our scale- with no loss of overall wage growth (which results in more money, sooner!)

While this was a meaningful first step, a closer look at the proposed rates confirmed there is more work ahead. Our bargaining team got to work immediately, drafting a new wage scale counter, which we returned to Providence the morning of Tuesday, June 17—holding strong to our position that the Professional workers at PRMCE shouldn't earn lower wages than surrounding Medical Centers bargained with their union three years ago...

Tuesday the 17: Building Momentum

Following our second wage scale proposal, our team noted a shift in the momentum at the table from the Employer- and the next few proposal exchanges brought positive movement from Providence, and even resulted in agreements on several important items, including:

• An increase to the premium in-lieu-of benefits for Per Diem employees and Professionals with an FTE of less than .49 at PRMCE

• A new Inclement Weather Article, outlining a clear process for approved time off when weather prevents safe travel to the Medical Center

• Expanded Bereavement Leave protections, providing more flexibility for time to grieve and heal—including extending these benefits to Per Diem employees

On the afternoon of Tuesday the 17th, Providence returned to the table with their second wage scale proposal, which included increased rates of pay compared to their initial offer. While this movement was a positive sign, our bargaining team noted that the proposed wages would still leave us trailing behind our largest competitor—a gap that must be closed.

This is shaping up to be a critical moment for Union Professionals at Providence Everett, that this is going to take all our collective strength, unity, and solidarity to push Providence to offer the wages we rightfully deserve. If you haven't yet signed our Strike Pledge Card, take a moment now to add your name before our next-scheduled bargaining day on June 30, and mark your calendar to attend our next Contract Action Team meeting:

"This week showed real movement from Providence—but their wages still aren't cutting it. The fight's not over, and it's going to take all of us standing together to win what we're worth."

— Sara Dillon, Sr. Discharge Planner (Case Manager)

Bargaining Team: Taylor Widener, Sr. Dietician; Holly Gramse, Physical Therapist; Sara Dillon, Sr. Discharge Planner (Case Manager)

CAT Meeting

June 25, Wednesday at 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM 
2810 Lombard Ave
Everett WA 98201 

Sign the strike pledge card: We need to show Providence we're ready to do what it takes to get what we deserve. Sign the strike pledge card or ask a fellow member to sign it if they haven't already.

Step up! We need department leaders to keep members engaged in the fight >>

Organize, organize, organize: Know a worker who wants to join a union? Send them here >>

St. Michael Medical Center RN - Management Rejects All Staffing Proposals at Ninth Bargaining Session

St. Michael Medical Center RN
Management Rejects All Staffing Proposals at Ninth Bargaining Session

On June 12, we met with hospital management for our ninth bargaining session. At our last session, we presented proposals aimed at addressing the ongoing staffing crisis, including:

• $5/hour staffing premium for nurses working below the staffing plan

• $5/hour Charge RN premium for nurses carrying a patient load due to understaffing or working double charge assignments

• Double-time pay for picking up vacant shifts after the schedule is posted

• Incentives for vacant call shifts

• Break relief RNs for all inpatient units—including the OR and Emergency Department

The hospital rejected every single one of these proposals.

When we asked management to explain why they turned down solutions designed by bedside nurses to fix a staffing crisis we live through every day, their response was insulting:

"You are asking for things that we do not think you need."

Let's be clear—hospital executives do not get to decide what nurses need to safely care for patients. Nurses do.

Our patients need more RNs and more support on the floors. The only way to get there is by recruiting and retaining nurses—not just offering flashy sign-on bonuses while ignoring the needs of the people already showing up every day.

Instead of investing in long-term staffing solutions, SMMC is choosing to underpay current staff and reject common-sense incentives. They're prioritizing temporary staff over the stability and experience that long-term nurses bring to the bedside.

SMMC must face the reality: you cannot fix staffing by ignoring the nurses doing the work.

We've made it clear: We need to be competitive—with St. Joseph's, with hospitals across Puget Sound, and even with Seattle, where many Kitsap nurses are now working for better pay and better conditions.

We're awaiting a response from management, and we hope they come back with a counterproposal that reflects what we know is needed—not what they think we can settle for.

Our next bargaining session is June 18. 

Join our CAT Meeting!

June 25
8:30 AM - 6:00 PM

Bargaining Team: Kim Fraser, Pre-Op; Janice Brown, FBC; Meredith Francisco, Med Surg; Lindsey Gearllach, Obs; Tammy Olson, ICU

Providence Centralia Technical - CONTRACT RATIFIED!

On Thursday, June 12, healthcare technical workers at Providence Centralia overwhelmingly ratified our new union contract following a series of highly attended vote meetings! After wrapping up negotiations in just five focused sessions with management, our bargaining team is proud of the work we accomplished at the table—and proud to share this win with all of you!

What's Next?

• Finalizing the Contract: Our union and Providence will now work to finalize and sign the new agreement. Once complete, printed copies will be distributed throughout the hospital.

  • Access in the Meantime: Redlined versions of the full agreement—including updated contract language and new wages—will be uploaded to our union's website so everyone can check them out right away.

• Wage Increases: Our new wages will go into effect at the start of the pay period following two pay periods from June 12; which means we should see the new rates take effect in mid-July, and increases will show up on our paychecks around the beginning of August.

• Experience Audit:

  • Within forty-five (45) days from June 12, we will receive the experience review form from Providence—based on this timeline, we expect to see the audit form be available by July 27.

    • Once received, we have thirty (30) days to fill it out, by including all healthcare Tech experience!

    • Once the experience form is closed for new submissions, Providence will notify all of us our new proposed step placement within thirty (30) days thereafter!

If you have any questions about our new union contract, please reach out to our Union Rep Collin Greer @ 360-662-1982, or contact a member of our bargaining team!

Bargaining Team: Jennifer Frunz, Mammography Technologist; Jennifer Mullins, CT Technologist; Shauna Allen, Pharmacy Tech; Shea Carney, Respiratory Care Practitioner

Kaiser Permanente Contract Act Team Meeting

CONTRACT UPDATE MEETING 

We are negotiating a new contract!  

Let’s get together and talk about the ongoing issues at Kaiser Permanente. Get an update on Local and National bargaining and find out what we can do together to create real change for us all.  

Tuesday June 17 6:00 pm 
Renton King County Library 100 Mill Avenue South, Renton, 98057 

For additional information contact your Union Representative, Aisha Womack 206-436-6584 or KP Contract Specialist JJ Benson 425-306-1357

Providence St. Peter RN - We're at the Table. Real Solutions Are Not.

On Thursday, June 5, our union bargaining team met with Providence to keep up our fight for better wages, safe staffing, real workplace safety measures, a retirement we can count on, and a strong healthcare plan.

Despite a relatively productive day of discussions on the non-economic sections of our contract, this meeting marked the second session in a row without responses from the employer on our core issues.

Furthermore, management's non-economic proposals still haven't properly addressed some of our key demands. For instance:

• Their proposal on Charge Nurse staffing did not guarantee that our Charge Nurses would be free from a dedicated patient assignment so they can ensure quality patient care and unit safety—without being stretched dangerously thin

• Their workplace safety proposals ignored our demands for emergency distress beacon towers in the parking lot and a weapon detection system in the Emergency Department

• They continued to reject language guaranteeing free on-site parking for nurses at PSPH; which at this time is simply maintenance of current practice

• They refuse to ensure release from work duties for union bargaining team members; essential for ensuring consistent & meaningful representation at the bargaining table

We remain committed to fighting for a contract that recognizes the skill, professionalism, and dedication of every nurse. However, given the serious and ongoing safety concerns facing both staff and patients, we are deeply concerned by Providence's refusal to engage meaningfully with these proposals. We feel that these solutions are not just reasonable—they are necessary.

Lastly, despite a productive day of discussions with Providence on the non-economic sections of our contract, June 5 now marks the second session in a row without responses from the employer on our wages, safe staffing language, or retirement & health plan proposals.

We continue pushing for meaningful progress on the issues that matter most: safe staffing, real workplace safety measures, strong union rights, and protections that reflect the work we do every day. We remain committed to fighting for a contract that recognizes the skill, professionalism, and dedication of every nurse.

Your bargaining team: Mary Bloomberg, Surgical Acute RN; Haley Sweet, Neurology RN; Jacob Kostecka, PACU RN; Kelly Williams, Inpatient Psychiatry RN; Melanie Oakes, ED RN; Darlett Holm, SADU West RN; Andy Dusablon, PACU RN; Grace Kraege, ED RN; Julia Douglas, Sepsis RN; Ashley McBride, L&D RN Not Pictured: Mike Staley, SADU RN

Contract Action Meeting (CAT)

June 12, 2025
8:00 PM - 9:00 PM
In Person: 906 Columbia St SW STE 330 Olympia WA 98502

Providence Centralia Hospital Technical - Celebrating Wins, but Still Holding The Line!

On Wednesday, May 28, our union bargaining team met with management for our fourth day of negotiations representing the Technical workers at Centralia Hospital. At yesterday's meeting, we held two joint-sessions with Providence, one in the morning and another in the afternoon. Across these two exchanges of proposals, we're feeling like serious progress has been made on achieving the contract PCH Tech workers deserve:

Progress on Non-Economic Proposals

We opened the day by presenting responses to a number of open non-economic Articles; key topics including:

• A new Workplace Safety article, to ensure stronger protections for workers and patients alike.

• Enhanced Bereavement Leave, recognizing the importance of time to grieve and heal.

• New shift assignment language, aimed at prioritizing union workers for pre-scheduled extra shifts before travelers or agency workers.

• Donning & Doffing clarification; workers who wear hospital scrubs should have appropriate (and paid!) time to do so.

• Bargaining team release time, reinforcing the importance of having our full union bargaining team present, prepared, and ready to represent coworkers at the table.

In our morning session, we also received Providence's second compensation proposal. While the employer made minimal movement on premiums and differentials; increasing the Preceptor Premium by just $0.25 and the 2026 across-the-board increase by .25%; their latest proposal on wage rates was far more encouraging:

Providence moved significantly closer to our union's wage rate proposals, in some cases offering rates that exceed hospitals in Olympia and Tacoma. This signals positive momentum. Our team did identify several classifications that are still falling short of market standards, and in the counter proposal we returned, we continued to push for equity across all positions.

Afternoon Session: Holding the Line on Key Economic Proposals

We responded to management's second wage proposal and highlighted our demand that all wage rates reflect competitive, market-based standards. We also held the line on key priorities, including:

• Shift incentives for staff who pick up extra shifts beyond their FTE

• Additional compensation for workers with multiple specialty certifications or advanced degrees.

What's Next?

Our team is eager to return to the bargaining table at our next scheduled session on Monday, June 2. Considering the progress made on May 28, we're hopeful that this momentum continues, and Providence continues this movement in the right direction!

Our Bargaining Team: Jennifer Frunz, Mammography Technologist; Jennifer Mullins, CT Technologist; Shauna Allen, Pharmacy Tech; Shea Carney, Respiratory Care Practitioner

"We're excited to see things moving in a positive direction. June 2 can't come soon enough! We're ready to keep the pressure on, and fight for real progress and the fair pay we deserve; in line with what neighboring hospitals are already offering!"

— Shauna Allen, Pharmacy Technician

Sign the strike pledge card: We need to show Providence we're ready to do what it takes to get what we deserve. Sign the strike pledge card or ask a fellow member to sign it if they haven't already.

Step up! We need department leaders to keep members engaged in the fight. Providence United — UFCW 3000

Organize, organize, organize: Know a worker who wants to join the union? Send them here.

Providence Mt. Carmel RN - Our Bargaining Team Met Strong Resistance from Providence the First Two Days of Bargaining

We just completed our first two days of negotiations with Providence. Our bargaining team came ready to bargain and gave a complete comprehensive proposal to Providence that included:

• Market wage increases that are competitive with Spokane Holy Family and will help us retain and recruit nurses to serve our rural community

• Paid education days like other Providence Hospitals

• Supplemental scheduling

• Premiums for nurses who are unable to move to newly awarded positions because Providence hasn't resolved their staffing crisis

• Sleep area for call staff required to stay on premises

• And more!

These sessions were not just hard; they were frustrating and at times deeply uncomfortable. Providence's attorney created an environment that made members of our team feel dismissed and disrespected. It quickly became clear that Providence doesn't see rural hospitals as deserving of the same standards or respect as our peers in urban hospitals.

"We walked away from the table deflated and discouraged. We don't feel like their attorney came prepared to bargain in good faith. We are hoping when we get back to the table it will be different. Now is the time to RALLY together, we must be prepared just in case it's not."

— Our bargaining team

We asked Providence for additional dates through the next few months; however, management claims they are only available to meet in person again on July 29, 30, and 31. Our bargaining team finds it difficult to believe that Providence is not available until the end of July, and this delay feels like a tactic to frustrate progress at the table.

Please watch for additional information on how you can get involved in fighting for a fair contract we all deserve.

United we stand, divided we beg.

If you have any questions, please reach out to our bargaining team or the Union Representative Lenaya Wilhelm at 509-340-7369.

Bargaining Team: Georgia Davenport, RN; Rebecca Landers, RN; Laura Swanson, RN