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 >>

Sea Wolf Bakers - Bargaining Update

On Tuesday, June 17 our bargaining team met with management for another joint session. After the last few sessions of discussion around economic proposals, they were able to provide us with their initial comprehensive economic proposal. The highlight of their proposal was a wage scale that would guarantee increases in pay based on months of service, with the seventh tier being the top of the scale after 60 months. We also had lengthy conversations about our tipping proposal and the concept of a surcharge, but have not yet come to agreement on these subjects.

In our counterproposal, which we passed at the end of the day, we addressed retirement, sick leave, paid time off, wages, scheduling, holidays, breaks, and other benefits.

We look forward to coming closer to an agreement next Tuesday, June 24 when we will receive another counterproposal from management, and another update will be forthcoming after that session!

Our Bargaining Team (Left to Right): Frankie Hull, Delivery Driver; Sophia Cerreta, Savory & Bread Departments; Miller Hammond, Barista; [Not pictured]: Haley Rydberg, Bread & Pastry Departments

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

UFCW 3000 Demands the Release of David Huerta

On Friday, ICE agents dressed in military gear raided retail establishments across Los Angeles. During one of those raids, video shows SEIU California and SEIU-United Service Workers West President David Huerta being assaulted and arrested as he advocates for immigrant workers. He remains in custody following his release from the hospital.

In the following days, the Trump Administration escalated these attacks on working people and labor leaders by deploying the military on various communities in LA.

“These raids and the federal crackdown constitute a direct attack on our First Amendment rights to protest and organize. We must continue to fight for these rights and all workers,” said UFCW 3000 President Faye Guenther.

UFCW 3000, which represents more than 56,000 workers in Washington State, demands the immediate release of David Huerta and an end to these raids.

We encourage all in our region to join the #FreeDavidEndRaids rally in downtown Seattle outside the SEIU 775 office at 11 am on Monday, June 9. Find more details here.

Sea Wolf Bakers - Bargaining Update

Our bargaining team met with Sea Wolf management on June 3. Progress continued at a rapid clip as we reached Tentative Agreement on:

• Our Recognition clause firmly establishing our union as the sole and exclusive representative of the non-supervisory workers at Sea Wolf Bakers

• The employer's proposed Management Rights clause outlining their right to direct work and operations as long as it is within the parameters of the union contract

• The 90-day introductory period for new hires

• Successorship language, which details the process of the employer's responsibilities under the contract if Sea Wolf is sold to another owner

We also have come very close to agreed-upon language for a clear attendance policy, which will hold management to a defined process for treating us all equally. Last (but not least) we continued an open conversation with management about the structure of a potential wage scale and compensation overall.

Our next bargaining session will be June 10; after next week's session we will share details of another all-worker meeting to keep everyone updated and discuss next steps!

"We got a lot done and started an important discussion about compensation, though some of the conversations were more difficult than others."

— Miller

Bargaining Team: Frankie Hull, Delivery Driver; Sophia Cerreta, Savory & Bread Departments; Miller Hammond, Barista

Puget Sound Allied Grocery Stores - Puget Sound Grocery Store Workers Overwhelmingly Reject Contract, Approve Strike!

After three days of voting across the Puget Sound area, grocery store workers at Fred Meyer, QFC, Albertsons, Safeway, Haggen and Saars voted to reject the latest contract and to authorize a strike by over 97%.

Our union’s overwhelming support for a strike should serve as a wake-up call to these corporations as we continue to fight for better wages, better staffing, and better stores. As these results show, we’re past tired of waiting.

"Corporate is about to have 60,000 problems on its hands,"

— Kevin Flynn, Marysville Albertsons, referencing the workers impacted by strike authorization votes taking place in Colorado and Southern California this week.

Our member-led bargaining team returns to the table late next week, June 12 and 13.

Now is the time to prepare for a strike.

• Review your budget and look for ways to save.
• Contact your steward or union rep and learn how to become a strike captain.
• Keep your eyes peeled for strike schedules and W9s to make sure you qualify for strike benefits.

Providence Centralia Technical - Tentative Agreement Reached

After five bargaining sessions, our bargaining team has reached a tentative agreement.

Contract Ratification Vote

• June 12, 2025

• 6:30 AM - 8:30 AM and 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM

• Providence Centralia Admin Conference Room

Our bargaining team unanimously recommends a “YES” vote. Highlights of the agreement include:

Wages:

• Year 1 New Wage Scale with increases

• Year 2 & 3 ATBs of 3.00% & 3.00%

• Removed ghost steps at years 16 & 19

• Experience Audit following ratification, which will provide members with a second wage increase once moved to 1:1 years’ experience

• And more...

Union Membership:

• Reduced ‘opt-out’ window from membership from 30-days following ratification & 15-days following hire, to 10-days for both.

Union Representation:

• Significantly improved Union Rep Access to remove restrictions on rep visits which limited access to areas of the hospital that are ‘open to the general public’ & removed language stating that reps are ‘subject to the same general rules applicable to other non-employees’

• New Article which allows for two months of Union Leave

• And more...

All members of the Providence Centralia Technical Unit are encouraged to be part of this important vote. Your voice and vote are critical to building power for the future. Only members in good standing are eligible to vote, and voting will only be conducted in person.

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

“We made strong gains on wages, and our pay is now competitive in the market. We are thrilled to be moving forward.”

— Shauna Allen, Pharmacy Technician

Questions or to get more involved, please contact Union Representative Collin Greer, (360) 662-1982 or email Cgreer@ufcw3000.org

Spokane Zenith - Fair Contract Now! Online Vote Scheduled

After months of negotiations, it is time to vote on Zenith's final offer to us. Our coworker-led bargaining team is recommending a 'NO' vote on the employer offer and a 'YES' vote for an unfair labor practice strike authorization.

We believe the company has committed unfair labor practices, and the company’s last final offer doesn’t come close to being market competitive, and the additional healthcare costs mean more money out of our hard-earned wages. The work we do for this company must be respected. It is apparent from the company's latest offer that our work is not valued.

Informational Meeting

June 12
6:00 PM

We invite you to attend the virtual informational meeting on Thursday, June 12, at 6:00 PM to hear the complete offer and ask any questions you may have. The bargaining team will be present to answer any questions. You should receive an email with the vote document and vote instructions by 8:00 PM June 12.

If you do not receive the vote email, please contact Union Representative Mark Hansen at 509-340-7406.

If you have any questions, please reach out to your bargaining team or Union Representative, Mark Hansen 509-340-7406.