Children's Therapy Center - Bargaining Update—Session Cancelled

We are disappointed to share that management has canceled our upcoming bargaining session—which was scheduled for tomorrow, October 15—stating that their reason for doing so is a proposal which they felt was incomplete or missing information.

Specifically, management referenced our proposed "Caseload" language, which was intended to outline the anticipated workload of the various positions represented in our union contract, and includes factors like whether an employee is serving as a mentor, if they're a specialty coordinator for CHERISH, and so on. The proposed article we shared with the employer on October 3 outlines how different patient requirements are to be calculated together to ensure these are all considered in our overall workload.

After clarifying the language to the employer to show how the calculations would be completed based on the article—our bargaining team came together and drafted an example of a caseload document, which we then shared with the employer.

In summary, we shared that cancelling a session due to questions they have on certain proposal(s) feels counter intuitive to our bargaining team. We are hopeful that we have signaled our willingness to work with the employer and look forward to engaging in discussion and exchange of proposals at our next session on October 28.

Tonight, we have a Contract Action Team committee meeting, the details of which have been emailed out. This will be held with your representative Ian Jacobson and will help clarify any questions you might have.

Contract Action Team Committee Meeting

October 14, 2025
7pm

Kaiser Pro-Tech Optical Pharmacy - Pause on Partnership

All Alliance locals have sent notifications to Greg Adams, letting him know that we are immediately pausing participation in Labor Management Partnership (LMP) activities found in the National Agreement.

This action comes after a consistent pattern of disregard for partnership principles—delays, scripted responses, and a lack of genuine engagement. The LMP was created to solve problems together and improve care, not to serve as a formality. When leadership stops listening, partnership stops working.

Therefore, the following LMP structures and activities are paused, effective noon PST on October 8, 2025:

• Regional and Local Labor Management Partnership Councils

• Workplace Safety Committees

• Attendance Committees and Reviews

• Unit-Based Teams (UBTs) and UBT Projects

• Steward Training Sessions

• Alliance-Partnership Representatives

• Workforce of the Future Initiatives

For additional information reach out to Contract Specialist JJ Benson 425-306-1357 or Union Representative Aisha Womack 206-436-6584.

Capital Medical Center - We Approved the Tentative Agreement!

On October 8, nurses overwhelmingly voted to approve our new contract! This agreement makes us competitive with St. Peter and provides meaningful wage increases that will strengthen retention and recruitment.

From the beginning, our goal was clear: secure a contract that keeps us competitive with nearby hospitals and addresses workplace issues through stronger language. We believe this agreement does just that—supporting better staffing and giving management a clear framework to provide incentive pay when short-staffing occurs.

Nurses will see their wage increases reflected on the October 24 payday. Our next step is to finalize and post the blackline version of the contract online. In the meantime, you can review the redline version here: >>

Remember: a contract only matters if we enforce it. We encourage you to get involved in your workplace—join the Labor Management Committee, the Hospital Staffing Committee, or become a workplace leader in your department. An active and informed bargaining unit will ensure an even stronger contract in 2028.

If you're interested in getting more involved, please reach out to Kimberly Starkweather at 206-436-6515.

Please fill out our Post-Bargaining Survey >>

Wenatchee Regional Eye Clinic - Bargaining Update

Wenatchee Regional Eye Clinic
Bargaining Update

Our bargaining team met with the employer on October 1 and 2 and received the employer's economic proposal. The employer's proposal shows they are hearing our concerns regarding equity. We will be back at the bargaining table on October 22 with our response.

What is next: Leadership trainings!

Intro Shop Steward Training >>
October 15
10:00am or 6:00pm

Steward Training: How to Represent Co-Workers in Investigatory Meetings >>
October 22
10:00am or 6:00pm

Bargaining Team: Martin Hernandez; Sarah Edwards; Cirri Cornelus

"Many hours have been put into the negotiations with the employer, and they have listened. We are almost there. A good employer supported by unions recognizes that providing a good wage elevates the dignity of labor."

— Martin Hernandez

"We appreciate our employer's attention to our concerns. Through collaboration we are building a stronger, more equitable workplace. We are working diligently towards a fair agreement that meets our needs."

— Sarah Edwards

"It has been a process, but it feels good to see things progressing. The employer seems to be hearing our concerns and working with us. I know things have felt slow, but they are ramping up, and progress is occurring."

— Cirri Cornelus

Kaiser Pharmacy - Bargaining Update

We have been bargaining for five months and have several tentative agreements, mostly for non-economic contract language. We continue to argue with Kaiser about competitive wages. Kaiser seems unconcerned that wages are not aligned with other local healthcare employers. They seem only interested in the positions that are hard to fill.

The Pro Tech Optical and the National Alliance agreements both expired last week. Management has continued to push back on our proposal to align all contract expiration dates across the country. Our local Pharmacy contract expires July 31, 2026.

This is a priority for all contracts and we will continue to fight!

Nationally, Kaiser has made no substantial movement and there are a number of outstanding issues that need to be resolved.

Some other bargaining units that fall under the Alliance National Agreement have taken strike authorization votes and have notified Kaiser that they are planning to strike on or around October 13. Since the local Pharmacy contract has not expired, we cannot strike at this time but there are things we can do.

We can voice our concerns to management in solidarity with our Alliance National partners whose contracts have expired.

We can work together and push back against Kaiser's refusal to acknowledge that wages need to be sustainable and staffing needs to be safe.

We can support our local contract fight by filling out the card being circulated. If you need a card contact your steward or Contract Specialist JJ Benson 425-306-1357.

It's time to turn up the volume on our message and our collective power.

Children's Therapy Center - Bargaining Update: It's All Out There!

On Friday, October 3, our bargaining team met with management for our second day of negotiations on our first union contract.

We began our second bargaining day putting the finishing touches on what we would later present to the employer as the final few new proposals we expect to make towards our union contract. These primarily consist of the economic sections, some of which we have highlighted below:

Scheduling: A proposal to memorialize existing practices when it comes to our work schedules, particularly our day-to-day flexibility.

Caseloads: We proposed a framework to outline the appropriate day-to-day caseloads for each job classification and proposed earning an hourly premium when maximum caseloads are exceeded for a prolonged period of time.

Premiums: We proposed additional compensation if you hold specialty certifications, train or mentor new employees, are qualified to care for patients who are deaf/hard of hearing or require medically complex feeding, and more!

Health Insurance: Proposed that the employer pay more towards the cost of our health insurance premiums.

Continuing Education: We proposed to increase the amount of money available to employees for continuing education related expenses, as well as an increase to the paid education time we can utilize.

Wages and Placement on the Wage Scale: We proposed union wage scales which outline set increases for both continued years of experience and future cost-of-living adjustments. Furthermore, our bargaining team proposed a pathway for current employees to be placed onto these wage scales, incorporating credit for our relevant experience in our positions.

After presenting our initial proposals to the employer, they asked a couple of clarifying questions and went back to their caucus room to continue reviewing/discussing. Overall, our team were encouraged that the employer indicated that our proposals were thorough and straightforward. We are eager to get back to the bargaining table and remain hopeful that we will get responses to our proposals from the employer at our session scheduled for October 15.

Join our Contract Action Team Meeting to ask members of our bargaining team questions about our progress so far, and discuss next steps as first contract negotiations continue!

Bargaining Team: Lindsey Gilbert, Family Resource Coordinator; Ronda Duluoz, Infant Mental Health; Megan Rupert, Special Educator

"We're feeling great about the progress so far! Two sessions down, and all of our proposals are on the table!"

— Megan Rupert, Special Educato

Kaiser Pro Tech Optical - Bargaining Update

Kaiser Pro Tech Optical
Bargaining Update

Since our first meetings five months ago, our bargaining team has worked to reach agreement on a strong contract. This week we reached tentative agreements on:

• Establishment of a Joint Committee on Eyecare

• Occasional Floating improvements

• Establishment of a Joint Committee on Job Roles and Career Development

• New language in Article 8 creating a True-Up process

• Updated Experience language (addresses wage scale placement)

This is in addition to other tentative agreements reached previously including increases to premiums and differentials. We continue to work to ensure that Kaiser understands the extremely competitive wages offered by other employers in Washington.

Kaiser has made no substantial movement on raising wages at National Bargaining. This week we are continuing to fight for sustainable wages and also aligning contract expiration dates across all Alliance contracts.

It's time to raise our voices and let Kaiser know we are united in our collective power.

Both the local and the national contracts have expired. We are asking you and your coworkers to fill out a card letting us know what you can do to help. If you or a coworker needs a card, contact a steward or JJ Benson (425) 306-1357.

Q & A:

What can we do to help? Fill out a card and be ready for next steps.

Has our contract expired? Yes, both the local Pro Tech Optical and the National Alliance Agreement expired this week.

Is striking an option? Yes. Pro Tech Optical Union members can vote to authorize a strike. At this time no strike votes have been scheduled here.

If I check the box on the card saying I am willing to strike, is that a vote to strike? No. The card is to determine your interest in participating. You will be notified if and when a strike authorization vote is happening and have the opportunity to vote.

Are other Alliance Unions voting to authorize a strike? Yes, some Alliance Unions have already voted to authorize a strike, including a different union in Oregon, which represents union members in Vancouver, Washington.

Start the dialogue. Talk to your coworkers about the importance of standing together for our contract!

Capital Medical Center RN - Making Progress!

Over the past few sessions, our Capital Medical RN bargaining team has been working hard to move negotiations forward on a successor contract. While we have reached tentative agreements on many language items, we have not reached an agreement on a lot of economic pieces. In our most recent session on September 19, we put all our outstanding proposals on the table. These proposals are not minor details—they are critical to recruiting and retaining nurses at our hospital.

Let's be clear—our priorities aren't optional. Nurses need:

• Better staffing solutions and manageable patient loads

• Incentive pay for vacant shifts

• Competitive wages and benefits that recruit and retain RNs

• Improvements to report pay for on-call nurses

• Increases to premiums

• Respect for the work we do every single day

These proposals are the solutions we need to provide quality care for our patients. We've also made it clear that our hospital must remain competitive with Providence St. Peter's new contract. Our wage scale and contract need to be competitive with Providence. Anything less will only make staffing challenges worse.

We will be bargaining into the night on September 23 and 25. We asked that you show your support by:

• Wearing your union buttons and colors—make your solidarity visible

• Talk to your coworkers—make sure everyone knows what's at stake

• Be ready—if management drags their feet, we'll need to take action!

Bargaining Team: Bonnie Verellen, Dennis Verellen, Cindy Dixon

Questions or ready to get more involved? Contact our bargaining team or reach out to Kimberly Starkweather at (206) 436-6515.

This is our time. Our patients, our profession, our fight.