After months of negotiations and the strong solidarity shown by caregivers at the bargaining table and on the picket line, our Union Bargaining Team can announce that we have reached a tentative agreement with Kaiser Permanente.
Read MoreWe had our eighth session on March 2. Overall, it was a good bargaining day, and the atmosphere seemed more positive than on previous dates. The Employer gave us a counter to a proposal we had regarding work periods and meal and rest breaks. We then spent a lot of time going over different articles to find compromises and really prioritize the articles that make the most positive impact on members’ working conditions.
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As we are working to move some clinic workers into the hospital contract, we have had to expand our bargaining to include people who currently fall under the clinic contract. The reason for this move is that several departments are operating under the hospital license, and it was determined they should be under the applicable hospital contract. This is beneficial to all members because we can bargain some of the more favorable terms from the clinic contract into the hospital contracts. We are working diligently to make sure that the affected clinic workers do not lose any rights or benefits by moving contracts, while strengthening the hospital contracts at the same time.
Bargaining on Thursday, February 26 felt productive. We received the Employer's response at 9:35am and worked the rest of the day to come back with responses. As mentioned previously, the clinic contract differs from the hospital contract, and we made sure to capture the terms (including premiums) that we wanted to carry over. At the end of the day, we left everything in their court and are awaiting responses on our next bargaining day: March 13.
It's good to see buttons and stickers popping up everywhere around the hospital! If you don't have yours yet, please see a Bargaining Team member or your Union Rep.
Thursday, March 19: Three Options
6am Zoom
11am - 2pm in-person: Conference Room 2 (third floor of the clinic side)
6pm Zoom
Come visit with your Rep, Penny, and get updates on how you can support your Bargaining Team and win a fair contract!
Because of this gulf, we are creating a petition to pass around and sign. It will not be seen by the Employers until we surpass a certain threshold of signatures to ensure that people are not singled out. It will be circulated shortly, and we encourage everyone to sign!
Read MoreOver the last six months, your Bargaining Teams have continued working hard to secure a comprehensive contract and dignified monetary compensation for all your work and commitment. They have faced numerous hurdles, including negativity from the Employer, which has led to back-to-back meetings to expedite the process. The Employer has been unwilling to find common ground on topics that your Bargaining Teams have identified as crucial for the well-being of every worker at Skagit Regional Health. An aggressive Employer wants to take away privileges and practices that have endured for years. An Employer who is short-sighted to workers' needs and continues making decisions that affect workers' personal life stability. Your Bargaining Teams are still standing strong and even more energized to escalate this fight.
Last week, we presented all the research we spent almost 100 hours on collectively to the Employer, as requested. The Employer assured us that the information we presented shed light on the need to consider and review their market proposal and that he would get back to us last week. Last Thursday, when we advised that we are still waiting for their response as changes were expected, the Employer's attorney said, "That is unlikely. We will review, but our proposal is not likely to change." The Employer promised to review and respond in good faith but threw that away.
One of your Bargaining Team members expressed the following:
"After the Employer's recent email and yesterday's bargaining session, negotiations remain ongoing, and nothing is final. The Employer indicated they are unlikely to include the market research we provided. We know many of our members are struggling, and we are bargaining with that reality front and center. We remain committed to securing a contract that delivers real economic stability. Our unity is our power."
While we are ready to return to the table on the 13th, 26th, and 27th (CVH), it is time for us to show SRH our collective power. As Ashley P. (Bargaining Team and UFCW 3000 executive member) stated:
"We stand firm in our economics because fair pay isn't a request—it's what we deserve."
Let's make some noise about what we deserve.
Graydon H. (Bargaining Team member) reminds us, with his words, that we are still hungry and eager:
"A strong contract isn't rushed—it is built with time, unity, and unwavering determination."
Skagit Regional Health Bargaining Team: Marilyn Faber, Union Rep; Celia Ponce-Sanchez, Union Rep; Kendra Valdez; Cindy Tjaden; Isabel Contreras; Kalisa Dolph; Britney Myers-Fuller; Ashley Price; Briana Hovsepian; Graydon Hingey; Michael Koenig; Annalise Pasillas; Elizabeth Major; Alina Delano; Micheal Schwartz; Daniel Booker, Hospice of the Northwest; Cesar R Quiles-Borrero, Negotiator
Cascade Valley Hospital Bargaining Team: Bruce Le, Union Rep; Tia Hafner; Carl Ramirez; Calley Woodworth; Rana Rennels; Cesar R Quiles-Borrero, Negotiator
If you have questions or would like to get more involved in organizing a fair contract, please reach out to your Skagit Regional Health Union Rep, Marilyn Faber, at 1-866-210-3000, EXT. 4678 or Cascade Valley Hospital Union Rep, Bruce Le, at 1-866-210-3000, EXT. 6614.
February 18
Bargaining felt flat. We waited until 10:30am for the Employer to show so we could get them the proposal we'd worked on at our previous session—only to learn that their finance team wouldn't be present, so we couldn't get a response on economics from them. This has been the second time in a row that the Employer could not be there for bargaining or did not have the appropriate mix of people to give full responses to our proposals. Additionally, the Employer left mid-afternoon (which has happened before) despite us working to provide a list of topics we wanted to focus on in the next round of proposals. We had these dates scheduled far in advance and would appreciate more notice as issues arise.
That being said, we presented our counterproposals in the morning and then spent the rest of the day comparing and contrasting our proposals, the Employer's proposals, and the existing Capital Medical Center union contracts to get a thorough analysis of how to move toward mutual agreement on our contract language.
At our last session, we started rolling out strike pledge cards and by the end of the day we had the majority of members signed up.
Our next bargaining dates are March 2 and March 30.
"Bargaining is adults and Professionals coming to the table to work it out together."
— Roger
"We need action, we are spinning our wheels waiting for the Employer to get to work."
— Tammy
"Remember the MultiCare values, particularly, kindness, respect and collaboration. Also, do not forget about joy."
— Kimberly
March 5 @ 7pm and every two weeks after!
"We're not trying to take away the good things we love about our clinics or make huge changes; we are trying to create a more successful Dreamclinic for all workers and our clients!" — Erin Burgan, LMT
"The employee handbook is not enforceable—the Employer may change anything at will. We are simply asking for a transparent and fair set of guidelines for everyone." — Ross Honaker, LMT
"The Employer says they want to collaborate with us but their actions say they don't want us to have a seat at the table where our voices can be heard. So many of our proposals will cost them nothing." — Marianne Brennan, LMT
On February 20, we finally met with the Employer for our first in-person and almost full day of bargaining since January 13. We continue to negotiate in good faith, offering thoughtful proposals, but the Employer is pushing back against the most basic worker contract rights and protections including:
NO! Wage scale or annual wage step increases in the contract
NO! Worker legal rights in the contract
NO! Seniority
NO! Safety and Labor Management Committees
Refusing to provide all requested information to inquire in the Trust benefits including health insurance
Join us to learn what's happening at the bargaining table and review the proposals. Bring your questions and your thoughts!
Monday, March 2 at 10am
Join Zoom Meeting >>
Meeting ID: 337 759 5508
Thursday, March 5 at 4:30pm
Join Zoom Meeting >>
Meeting ID: 337 759 5508
Our Bargaining Team meets with the Employer:
March 17 and 31 for half-day sessions
Bargaining Team: Erin Burgan, LMT; Ross Honaker, LMT; Marianne Brennan, LMT
Please reach out to your Union Rep, Christie Harris, with any questions or concerns: (206) 436-6523.
Fresenius workers can see in Trevino’s story what solidarity looks like in action: Checking your check, speaking up when something's wrong, and stepping up to lead when your coworkers need you.
Read MoreOn February 12, we met for our seventh bargaining session with management to continue negotiations on our first contract. We received a response to our proposals from January 23 from the Employer at 10:30am and have been making steady progress.
After our discussion regarding inclement weather, the Employer came back with a proposal that addressed the majority of the concerns of the team from their previous proposal on the subject. We agreed to a 5% minimum increase in pay for those who obtain certification or licensing within the same covered discipline throughout their employment at CTC. This means if a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant, Developmental Specialist, Speech-Language Pathology Assistant (or other positions) obtains their licensing while working at CTC, they will receive no less than a 5% increase. We also have had ongoing conversations surrounding the caseload calculator.
We presented management last time with our market analysis of wages, so they returned with publicly listed jobs that had information about wages and paid time off at other organizations. The Employer is insisting their "Total Compensation Package" (which includes paid time off and health care insurance amongst other benefits) is the reason why their competitors might pay more or less in wages than CTC. The way we see it is our health care costs are very high, we do not feel our wages are very competitive, and we are offered less in total time off than other employers. We have pointed out to CTC that the current compensation model has not attracted candidates to fill open positions, leaving CTC with more vacancies compared to similar employers. It is difficult to reconcile how all of these components factor into the "total compensation" offered by the Employer, and we are currently analyzing the information to inform our next response.
We spent the rest of the day working on a response, however, we were unable to finalize one before the end of the day. Our next meeting with the Employer is on February 27, and we will present our proposals in the morning.
Please join us for a Contract Action Team meeting on February 24 at 7pm to discuss our next steps in securing our first Union contract!
We began our ninth session on February 9 with MultiCare by receiving the Employer’s proposal, which included some tentative agreements on shift differentials for RNs and Technical CBAs (Service was already above market), but left a lot of outstanding issues, including Charge Nurses, Staffing and Low Census, amongst others.
Read MoreAs we make final preparations for bargaining—our ability to win a strong contract depends on having active, informed, and united Union Members in the workplace. We are working towards a strong and sustainable contract for all!
Read MoreStay informed! Stay involved! Our Union Nurse Bargaining Team will begin your contact negotiations on March 11. Attend the next bi-weekly Contract Action Team (CAT) Meeting on Tuesday, February 17 via zoom.
Read MoreOur Bargaining Team is excited to announce on February 11 our contract was overwhelmingly ratified by Union members!
Read MoreIn March we'll be back at the table, and we are ready to keep up the fight! You are encouraged to join our upcoming Contract Action Team meeting on Thursday, February 19 to hear more.
Read MoreOn Tuesday, February 10 and 11, our union Bargaining Team representing the newly organized healthcare workers at the Optum Everett Clinic met with Management for back-to-back in-person negotiations sessions.
Read MoreOur team was informed at 7:20am that the Employer negotiator was sick. However, the Employer provided us with a proposal early in the morning that allowed us to work throughout the day. We were able to compile a response that we will be ready to present to the Employer at our next session on February 18.
In the meantime, our team is working on preparing strike pledge cards for all of us to sign! While a strike pledge card is not binding (that would require a vote of the entire bargaining unit), it is a great sign to the Employer of our seriousness. It indicates that we are ready to escalate our fight to get a fair contract. The pledge cards will be sent out shortly, and we encourage all of you to sign and show our solidarity!
As this campaign is moving along, we feel like scheduling regular Contract Action Team meetings to keep everyone informed. The cadence of these meetings will be every two weeks, and the next one is scheduled for February 19 from 7pm to 8pm. Please join us!
Bargaining Team: Amy Myrtue Nelson, Kimberly Vetter, Sela Smith, Tammy Taylor, Callie Hills (not pictured)
On Wednesday, February 4, our Bargaining Team representing the newly-unionized Pediatric Transfer Center RNs at Mary Bridge met with MultiCare for our first day of negotiations on how our group will enter into the existing RN Union contract.
Nurses working in the Pediatric Transfer Center won our Union election—certifying that we will be represented members of UFCW Local 3000—in late summer 2025. Because we will be joining the existing RN contract which already covers the majority of workplace topics like wages, working conditions, hours of work and overtime, we will engage in bargaining over the acquisition of our department into the larger contract.
For the most part, this results in a relatively more straightforward type of contract negotiations with the Employer. A direct example is the Memorandum of Understanding our team put together to present to MultiCare, which contained only five sections: seniority, PTO Requests and Accruals, floating and scheduling provisions within the Pediatric Transfer Center—and importantly—how our non-Union wages will be converted to placement on the Union contract wage scale. Unfortunately, this is where things seemed to get a bit more complicated in terms of management's position. In fact, placement on the wage scales remains the only piece we did not reach mutually agreed-upon language on.
While we proposed that placement would be based on credit for our years of nursing experience—with the important clarifier that this would not result in any decrease to our current wages if we're currently paid above where we would land on the Union scale based on experience—the Employer rejected the language that this placement would not decrease our wages. This theoretically opens up the possibility for a decrease in wages if our current rate is above that of the Union wage scale rate.
What's even more aggravating about this response is that MultiCare has agreed to follow a nearly identical process for several newly organized units across the past few years, meaning that what we are asking for is not anything more than what MultiCare has already agreed to for plenty of other unionized workers.
Unfortunately, our teams were not able to come to an agreement on our placement on the wage scales by the end of our scheduled session, and so we will now work to coordinate additional bargaining dates to continue these discussions. We're looking forward to winning a fair Agreement that respects our years of RN experience without compromising what we're already being paid by MultiCare.
Pediatric Transfer Center RN Bargaining Team: Kate Kersen, Megan Little
On Tuesday, February 3, 2026, our union Bargaining Team held a series of vote meetings regarding a Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) offering to begin negotiations on our union contract in the spring of this year- rather than late summer/fall, which falls closer to the current-expiration date of October 31.
Read MoreOur Bargaining Team is excited to announce that on February 5 our 2026-2029 contract was overwhelmingly RATIFIED by Union members!
Highlights include:
Market increase with retroactive pay to first full pay period after January 15, 2026
Increase in night shift differential
Additional call back language
"This agreement reflects the strength of our collective voice and the power of standing together."
For additional information, contact a Bargaining Team member or Union Rep Juanita Quezada, (509) 340-7407.
Bargaining Team: Monica Cacioppo, Pharm Tech; David Coomes, Surgical Tech; Rob Roy, Respiratory Therapist; Krystal Ramirez, Rad/CT Tech
Our Union Bargaining Team is committed to reaching an agreement that supports high-quality care, a sustainable workplace, and the long-term success of the organization. The Employer canceled our last session on January 27, and the only date offered was February 20. We continue to request more dates in February, but the Employer has nothing available.
Read MoreWe are the Union. The members of UFCW 3000 are over 50,000 members working in grocery, retail, health care, meat packing, cannabis, & other industries across Washington state, north-east Oregon, and northern Idaho. UFCW 3000 is a chartered member of UFCW International with over 1.4 million workers in North America.
To build a powerful Union that fights for economic, political and social justice in our workplaces and in our communities.
