FM Personal Shopper Update - Union Proposes Return to 6 Tote Trollies and Fred Meyer’s Answers Raise More Questions

On May 5 we met with Fred Meyer reps to discuss the extension of the shopping carts. 

We proposed that FM go back to 6 totes per trolly to make sure workers are able to handle the trollies safely. Fred Meyer is considering our proposal, and we expect them to get back to us at our next bargaining session on May 19.

They did provide answers to questions from our previous meeting; but those answers only raised more questions, and we have serious concerns as to the accuracy of some of the responses. Especially the estimated weight of the totes and trollies, which seemed low at best.

Over the past month we have heard directly from personal shoppers about injuries sustained on the job because of the weight of the extended trollies and want to get more specific examples of these problems. Members have sent in pictures of heavy, overstuffed totes, broken carts, and accounts of the injuries, aches, pains, and accidents involving these expanded trollies. While Fred Meyer has said that “anecdotally” they have heard no complaints.

We need to show Fred Meyer that our safety is important, that our customers’ safety is important and that the new trollies are needlessly dangerous. 

Take action by sharing your story, concerns and evidence about safety concerns the new trollies have created at safetyreport@ufcw21.org or contact your union representative or shop steward!

“Fred Meyer’s response to our questions doesn’t fit with reality. The larger trolleys are too heavy and unsafe. Our members are getting hurt. It is time for Fred Meyer to take the matter seriously.” 

—Maggie Breshears, Personal Shopper at Fred Meyer Greenwood.

Don’t forget our grocery bargain is next year, Fred Meyer workers are signing Strike Pledge Cards to let Kroger know we are serious about getting a fair contract!

Swain’s General Store - Tentative Agreement Reached; Vote Scheduled

We are excited to announce that, after months of delays, your Bargaining Team has finally reached a tentative agreement with management for a full three-year contract! Details about the tentative agreement, which includes a $2,500 signing bonus, historic wage increases, and increased holiday pay will be available at the vote.

Last year we conducted a mail-in vote due to COVID-19, but due to easing government restrictions and the widespread distribution of vaccines we will be holding an in-person vote this time! However, in order maintain social distancing during the vote, we will be conducting the vote in a large conference room at the Red Lion Hotel instead of the Swain’s breakroom.

Your Bargaining Team: Leanne Price, Michael Nichols, Pamela Anuspach, Becky Peterson-Matthes, Richard Drake, Shawn Price

Vaccine or not, masks and social distancing are required and will be strictly enforced. Masks will be available at the vote if you forgot to bring one.

If you have any questions, please reach out to a Bargaining Team member or call Union Representative Ryan DeGouveia at (360) 662-1989.

CONTRACT VOTE SCHEDULED!

Friday, May 21

• 8AM – 10AM

• 12PM – 2PM

• 4PM – 6PM

Red Lion Hotel @
Port Angeles Harbor

221 N Lincoln St, Port Angeles, WA 98362

Juan De Fuca Room

Mason General Tech - Bargaining Dates Set!

Our Bargaining Team is excited to get to the table to negotiate a fair contract. We will begin bargaining on June 4, but we need to hear from you about your priorities! 

Make sure you fill out your bargaining survey!

We will have a Virtual Contract Meeting on Thursday, May 20 @ 7PM to go over the results and discuss our priorities. 

Your Bargaining Team: Brenda Routson, Jennifer Madara, Pam Murphy, Jessica Turner (not pictured), Melody Warren (not pictured)

Virtual Contract Action Meeting on Thursday, May 20 @ 7PM !

RSVP for Zoom info here: 

Planned Parenthood - Bargaining Continues

Our Bargaining Team met with Management on Wednesday to receive Management’s non-economic proposals for our contract. Unfortunately, many of these proposals were outright anti-union including:

• Using union dues to cover the cost of Management’s attorneys’ fees for lawsuits related to our contract

• Large expansions of Management rights, potentially eroding union rights 

• Voiding the entire union contract’s protections during “emergencies” as defined by Management

• Allowing discipline and attendance to determine layoff and recall instead of seniority and disrupting seniority for certain recall scenarios

• Limiting workers’ ability to take action educating co-workers and the public during contract disputes and bargaining

Our Bargaining Team proposed adding per diem employees to our contract, and Management rejected the idea entirely. If you work with a per diem, please reach out to a member of the Bargaining Team.

We need to stand together for a contract that improves our wages and working conditions with NO TAKEAWAYS. Wear your sticker to support the Bargaining Team when we return to the table May 10!

Your Bargaining Team: Charlie King, PAC Rep - Tacoma; Monalisa Baumann, MA - Kent; Jennifer Morgan, PCC - Tacoma; Sage Alixander, Insurance Biller - Seattle

Join us for a Virtual Contract Action Meeting on Tuesday, May 11 @ 7PM for more updates! Get the Zoom info here: 

Worker candidates WIN at PCC!

PCC has just announced that worker candidates Donna Rasmussen and Laurae McIntyre have WON seats on the co-op Board of Trustees! They are the newest board members governing our co-op, alongside new candidate Rodney Hines. 

We know why this happened: Hundreds of PCC workers spent months organizing to make it happen.

We gathered thousands of signatures, wore buttons, held actions outside our stores, spoke up at board & CEO meetings, participated in info pickets and Contract Action Team meetings, and kept talking with each other about why we deserve representation on the co-op board and how we can work for the changes we want to see. We did this!

And our community stood with us all along the way, from signing petitions to contacting PCC administration to showing up in person at our pickets.

“We listen to hundreds of customers every day, and they told us PCC would be a better co-op for members, customers, workers, and the community with both of us on the board. We’re ready to share our expertise in shaping the values and direction of this community.” - Donna (View Ridge)

“Our co-op can expand without losing its core mission and overstressing our existing stores and staff. With our voices on the board, the decisions that steer the future of our co-op can be informed by our one-on-one conversations with our customers and working with the beautiful food from our farmers and providers.” - Laurae (Fremont)

Let’s celebrate this win, and keep the momentum going: Our bargain for a fair contract isn’t over, but we move forward knowing that when we organize, we can win. PCC members are energized, and we are ready to do what it takes to win a contract that respects our work, protects us from harm, and pays us fairly for the essential work we do.

Lourdes Counseling Center- Important Vote Scheduled

After a year of negotiations, the employer continues to neglect the needs of its employees. The Employer has continued to refuse to fairly compensate employees, recognize Charge RNs desires to be part of the Bargaining Unit, and pay employees overtime for work performed beyond their daily shifts as it does for other represented employees at the hospital. We continue to fight for just compensation including a fair placement on the new wage scale for existing employees that recognizes their experience with Lourdes.

Our last bargaining date was April 30, and due to the lack of movement from the Employer, it was determined by our committee that it is time for a STRIKE AUTHORIZATION vote. Therefore, at the date, times, and location set forth, we will be holding a contract ratification and strike authorization vote.

Our Bargaining Team is recommending:
NO Vote on the Employer’s latest Contract Proposal
YES Vote for a Strike Authorization

Now is the time to make your voices heard. Come to a vote meeting to review the full details of the employers proposed contract, get questions answered, and vote.

Join the Contract Ratification and Strike Authorization Vote Meeting
Thursday, May 13
8 am - 10:30 am
2 pm - 5 pm

Courtyard by Marriott Richland Columbia Point
Fairway Boardroom
480 Columbia Point Drive
Richland, WA 99352

These votes are open to all Represented workers at Lourdes Counseling Center. Employees must be present at whichever time is most convenient in order to cast your vote.

If you have any questions, please contact our Bargaining Team members or your Union Rep Austen Louden at 509-340-7372.

UFCW 21 Endorses Nikkita Oliver for Seattle City Council

UFCW 21 PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: Date
Contact: Tom Geiger, 206-604-3421

One of Region’s Largest and Most Influential Labor Unions Endorses Nikkita Oliver for City Council Seat

Seattle, WA – Adding significant momentum for Nikkita Oliver’s bid in Seattle’s At-Large Position 9 City Council race, UFCW 21 today announced its endorsement. UFCW 21 represents nearly 50,000 workers across the state in grocery store, health care, retail, and other industry jobs. The union represents over 10,000 workers who either live in, or are employed in, the City of Seattle. The union has been a leader in most of our city and region’s largest workplace and social issue efforts over the last decade – from higher wages, Paid Sick and Safe Leave Paid Family Leave, Secure Scheduling, to greater protections in the COVID 19 pandemic, as well as strongly supporting efforts to reform policing, and improve equity in housing and in cannabis legalization.

“We are excited to endorse Nikkita Oliver and look forward to educating voters across the city on their record of helping the working people of the Seattle,” stated Jeannette Randall, a grocery store worker from Seattle and UFCW 21 member. “We know that having Nikkita on the Council, who will complement Teresa Mosqueda as the other at-large council member, will fight to give a fair shot to those of us who want to afford to live and work in Seattle.”

Oliver reacted to the endorsement: "UFCW 21 has been at the forefront of pushing our elected officials towards bold, equitable policies. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the union was key in ensuring the health and safety of essential, frontline workers throughout the state. As a Seattle City Councilmember, I would be honored to continue to fight alongside them for workers' rights, housing justice, and cannabis equity. The power of organized labor and movements for racial justice is undeniable. Together, we can push for the redistribution of political and economic power to working people in our city."

“Far too often candidates for office shy away from leading on the hard, important issues. Nikkita Oliver is not the typical candidate – they have worked with us over many years, both out of the lime-light and in the streets, to improve workplace safety, to take on corporate power, to increase worker protections in the cannabis industry, and build support for police accountability,” said Zion Grae-El, a Budtender at Have a Heart in Seattle and UFCW 21 member. “Nikkita has continuously demonstrated commitment to speak up against injustice and foster transparent and open communication. We believe they will be a very good addition to our city council as we continue to push to address workers’ rights, housing and homelessness, racial and social inequities, and the need to further police accountability reform.”

UFCW 21 has a long history of successfully taking on corporate power and monied interests in contract negotiations as well as in the halls of government. UFCW 21 is building a more powerful union for economic, political, and social justice in our workplaces and communities. We pursue that mission through organizing workers who want a union at their job, negotiating and enforcing standard-setting contracts, partnering with other unions and organizations, and supporting candidates and then holding elected officials accountable in local, state, federal office. One way to advance the interests of working people is to elect the best candidates for office who will hold true to their word once elected. We believe Nikkita Oliver is such a candidate. To find out more about UFCW 21, our members, and our community partnerships, go to UFCW21.org

PCC - PCC Reveals Priorities

In a week where PCC promotes office staff and shares that their sales have increased 25% over the past year, they hold to their unacceptable wage proposal. Through three days of bargaining PCC proposes no wage increases in the first year of the contract and no increases to the wage scale through the life of the contract, with only an increase to the Journey rate of 5 cents from their last proposal. 

Last week our Bargaining Committee made wage proposals to increase the Journey rate of pay by $1.45 each year with improvements to the wage scale in each year of the contract, including a safeguard to keep our wages above State and Seattle minimum wage. We reached an agreement for new safety committee language in the contract which will help ensure a safer workplace. We also made proposals that maintained our commitment to improve our retirement, create a better process for PCC to partner with community and to create a training program that would help workers develop skills in our industry. 

Join us at a Contract Action Team meeting where we will be doing a Picket Captain Training and discussing how to prepare for a possible strike. 

May 17 - 10am & 7pm
May 19 - 10am & 7pm

RSVP through the link below!

“PCC needs to be a leader in the Grocery industry and if they are not prepared to lead, we are prepared to fight to return PCC to its roots and for a contract that gives us better wages, better access to training, a better retirement and community a stronger voice.” 

– PCC Bargaining Team

Atsuko Koseki, Edmonds Deli;
Greg Brooks, Fremont Meat;
Keith Allery, Greenlake Village Deli;
Quinn Ráo, Ballard Front End;
Scott Shiflett, Redmond Meat;
Yasab Pfister, Burien Front End

Our next bargaining dates are 5/18 and 5/21. 

Kaiser Spokane Pharmacy Techs - Positive Gains in Bargaining

On April 29, bargaining went well as we continued negotiations and had a robust session that led to some agreements. These positive conversations around key topics are leading the way for us to have a fair contract. 

We are excited to say as we ended the day of bargaining, we had agreements on Rest and Meal Periods and Stand-by pay.  We continue to talk about Vacation PTO, Floats and Staffing, and Alternative work schedules to include daily overtime. We feel confident that these few topics will be agreed upon early in our next session and we will head to economics.  

Questions or ideas to share, please reach out to the Bargaining Team or Union Representative Maureen Hatton at 509-340-7370

“We are optimistic about the forward movement in bargaining as our seniority and time of service was acknowledged by management showing us we that our voices are valued.” 

– Jackie McFarlen and Tiffany Yeates, Bargaining Team

MultiCare Update - "Stop the disrespect!"

“Stop the disrespect!”

Your Bargaining Team: Alexis Dotts, Glen Steele, Gregg Barney, Heidi Strub, Jamie Fenton, Julianna Van Enk, Kelly Gusman, Kurtis Chaffin, Patricia Brown, Ryan Boyd, Sammy Bainivalu, Teri Kruse, Wanda Rodriguez-Ramos, Yvette Broeckel

Your Bargaining Team met with management again this week.

We spent countless hours working through the outstanding issues on the table, trying to come up with a counteroffer that might be more acceptable to the Employer but still address our members’ concerns. For example, the Union floated the idea of allowing the PTO-WS program but, instead of a use it or lose it system, hours would instead roll back into our standard PTO bank at the end of the year. However, we told management that if they expect us to make real movement on the PTO issue, they first need to guarantee that we will not lose PTO hours AND must make movement on several of our proposals.

MultiCare responded with nothing. That is right, management not only failed to make movement. They failed to make a proposal altogether. We are working hard to have a constructive dialog with management, but they continuously treat our efforts with disrespect. It is extremely frustrating that we have had 15 bargaining sessions and have made so little progress just because MultiCare “is not interested” in changing the status quo.

At this point, the only way to get MultiCare “interested” in change is if we get the community involved in our fight. That is why we have planned a Community Car Caravan for Thursday May 13 @ 3pm, where we will hear from the bargaining team then drive our cars over to Tacoma General. MultiCare members and community leaders will join together, showing management that we stand in solidarity for a fair contract.

Your Bargaining Team will meet with Management again on May 11, 18, 25, 27, and June 1.

RSVP to join the Community Car Caravan!
Thursday, May 13
3 PM
Shiloh Baptist Church
1211 S I St
Tacoma, Wa 98405
>>Click HERE to RSVP<<

Join the UFCW 21 MultiCare Facebook Page for the latest updates

Zenith American Solutions - Bargaining Continues

We met with Zenith management on April 27, 2021 and discussed our Healthcare proposals. A few agreements were reached but nothing substantial was agreed too. Management rejected our proposal that would have eliminated any additional healthcare costs and proposed to only contribute the minimum amount required to our pension plan. We know that these issues are important to you and we will continue to represent our collective interests at the table. .

“We are standing together to secure a fair contract that addresses your priorities. We still have a ways to go as we get into economics in the coming sessions.” 

— Carlotta Bogdon

Your Bargaining Team: Carlotta Bogdon, Sr. Fund Accounting Specialist; Debbie DeVore, Sr. Pension Processor; Sue Wehmeyer, Sr. Claims Processor. 

Questions or concerns? Contact your Bargaining Team or Union Rep, David Trujillo @ dtrujillo@ufcw21.org or 360-419-4665

Not getting communications from us? Be sure to update your contact information!

Next Bargaining Date: 
May 10 and 24

Harbors Home Health and Hospice tentative agreement reached

Harbors Home Health and Hospice

Tentative Agreement Reached

Bargaining Team Recommends a YES Vote

Our bargaining team reached a tentative agreement with management that includes some of these highlights:

• Wage Increases Each Year

• Increases to Wage Premiums

• Ratification Bonus

• Retirement Improvements

Please join us on Zoom May 6 from 6:00pm-7:30pm to learn more about the exciting changes to our contract.

Harbors Home Health and Hospice Vote Meeting

May 6, 2021 at 6:00PM Pacific Time

“We hope everyone will be able to attend and look forward to talking about the important wins we achieved during these negotiations.” - Harbors Home Health and Hospice Bargaining Team: Sarah Schimelpfenig, RN; Megan Rolfing, RN; Stacy Mathis, Medical Records

Vote Online on May 7th from 9:00am – 9:00pm

Bellingham grocery workers win their fight for a $4/hour hazard pay mandate

The Bellingham City Council voted 5 to 2 last night (May 10) to mandate $4 per hour hazard pay for frontline workers at large grocery chain stores in the city. Last night’s vote was a final procedural step, following initial approval of the ordinance two weeks earlier. The ordinance will go into effect at 12:01AM on May 25th. It will cover unionized employers, including Fred Meyer, Safeway, and Haggen, as well as some non-union stores such as Whole Foods.

Chris Vincent, a veteran produce worker at Bakerview Fred Meyer, helped organize co-workers to send emails and give public comment at multiple City Council meetings. Upon hearing of the victory, Vincent offered words of celebration:

“We fought an honorable fight for an honorable cause to give the hard-working people on the front lines what they deserve in these hazardous times. I want to personally thank the Bellingham City Council for recognizing the hazardous conditions we work in and for their support in compensating us for it. When we stand together, we win together!”

The Northwest Central Labor Council, led by Secretary-Treasurer Michele Stelovich, and Whatcom County Jobs With Justice, led by Betsy Pernotto, provided crucial support to UFCW21, engaging Council Members and mobilizing supporters to send messages of support and provide comments at several meetings.

Speaking before Council on March 8, the Labor Council’s Stelovich lauded frontline grocery workers:

“They stepped up, they went to work, and they made sure that we had food on our tables. So I just wanted to thank all the grocery workers that have done that. You know that some of the grocery stores have made huge profits… So these are things that they can afford to be able to give their workers… and reward them for being good employees that came to work under very difficult conditions.”

The Whatcom County DSA also mobilized supporters to speak up for grocery workers at multiple Council meetings.

The Northwest Grocery Association and Fred Meyer sent representatives to Council to speak against the ordinance, but there was little opposition, otherwise.

The City Council’s action last night was the culmination of a nearly year-long campaign by Bellingham grocery workers to demand continuation of hazard pay, after Albertsons and Kroger discontinued it last Spring. Members and community supporters held multiple protest actions to educate the public and sent hundreds of messages to City Council once the issue moved into the legislative arena in February.

Throughout the campaign, UFCW 21 members have also emphasized the need for improved COVID safety in their workplaces.

City Council Member Lisa Anderson shepherded the hazard pay ordinance to victory over several months, never backing down in the face of the grocery industry’s legal threats and misinformation.

The hazard pay ordinance covers workers at companies that employ at least 500 employees worldwide and at least 40 in Bellingham. At these companies, hazard pay will be required at stores that are over 10,000 sq. ft. and primarily sell groceries for offsite consumption or which are over 85,000 sq. ft., with 30% or more of their floor space devoted to groceries.

Thank You to the Bellingham City Council members who voted to support grocery workers: Lisa Anderson, Hannah Stone, Michael Lilliquist, Hollie Huthman, and Daniel Hammill

These Bellingham City Council members voted against grocery workers: Gene Knutson and Pinky Vargas

North Valley Bargaining Update

North Valley Bargaining Update: Management still wants to limit our EIB Usage

While we agree on many issues the limited use of EIB affects all members. As we continue to go through the COVID -19 pandemic management proposing to limit our EIB usage is not acceptable.

Support your Bargaining Team by signing the petition and wearing your sticker to show management we want a fair contract.

“In Solidarity — sticker up! We are working hard to have all our voices heard”

Our Union Bargaining Team: Amy Radcliff, HUC; Michelle Beattie, Radiology; Megan Vickers, RN; Jason Daniels, RN

Lourdes Counseling Center Contract Vote

LOURDES COUNSELING CENTER CONTRACT VOTE SCHEDULED OUR BARGAINING TEAM IS RECOMMENDING A NO VOTE 

After a year of negotiations, the employer continues to neglect the needs of their employees. The employer has continued to refuse to recognize Charge RNs as part of the Bargaining Unit. We continue to fight for Compensation including a fair placement on the new wage scale for existing employees that recognizes their experience with Lourdes as well as Daily Overtime which is a staple in most Union Contracts.

Our next bargaining date is April 30, 2021 and will determine if there is a need for an additional vote.

Now is the time to make your voices heard. Come to a vote meeting to review the full details of the employers proposed contract, get questions answered, and vote.

CONTRACT VOTE SCHEDULED
Wednesday, May 5, 2021

» 8:00 am – 10:00 am
» 1:30 pm – 5:30 pm
Hampton Inn Richland
486 Bradley Boulevard
Richland WA 99352

These votes are open to all Represented workers at Lourdes Counseling Center. Employees must be present at whichever time is most convenient in order to cast your vote. If you have any questions, please contact your Union Representative Austen Louden at 509-340-7372.

Planned Parenthood Bargaining Begins

Summit Pacific Medical Center - Getting Closer!

Our Bargaining Team met with Management Wednesday and bargained into the night. We were able to make a lot of headway on our outstanding issues. Just a few issues remain including:

• Daily Overtime

• Unpaid time off in certain circumstances

• Grievance and arbitration process to handle contract violations

We were ready and willing to come to an agreement Wednesday night, but Management has said that they need to review our proposals further. We are eagerly awaiting a response from them so that we can move to voting on a fair contract for workers. 

Your Bargaining Team: Angi Swinhart, Barbara Ford, Jessee Bednarik, Michael Granstrom

Bartell Drugs - Bartell’s (actually Rite Aid) Says Spare Change Only for Wages

We met with Bartell Drugs (actually Rite Aid) again today to bargain over our pension, health care, and most importantly our wages.

Their reaction to our wage proposal was surprising, as it seemed to us that they thought we had just asked for the $8.6 million that the Rite Aid CEO made in 2020. They claimed that our proposal was “pie in the sky” and that even though we made substantial changes to our proposal, it was characterized as just “shaving nickels.

We were then shocked that Bartell’s (actually Rite Aid) only added a nickel to both of their 10-cent wage increases to make it them just $0.15. And these increases again came with no guarantee to be in addition to increases in the minimum wage.

“We did a lot more than just ‘shave nickles’ from our proposals. But somehow they think adding nickels amounts to a living wage” 

— Kia Haggerty

We head back to the bargaining table May 7! 

Upcoming Meetings 

Tuesday, April 27

6:00 PM

Thursday, April 29

7:00 PM

Contact your Bargaining Team or Union Rep for call-in details. Details will be also emailed out.

Zenith American Solutions - Progress Made, but More Work to Be Done

Your bargaining team met with management on April 19 and 21 to continue negotiations. We reached agreements on many of the remaining language proposals but there are still a few more to discuss. 

We also passed the employer our Healthcare and Pension proposals, that would eliminate the additional healthcare costs for employees and increase the employer’s contribution to your pension. We look forward to getting a response from them on those proposals and hope to start digging in on wages in the coming sessions.

“We feel encouraged by the movement at the table this week. But we still have a lot of work ahead as we discuss economics.” 

— Sue Wehmeyer

Your Bargaining Team: Carlotta Bogdon, Sr. Fund Accounting Specialist; Debbie DeVore, Sr. Pension Processor; Sue Wehmeyer, Sr. Claims Processor. 

Questions or concerns? Contact your Bargaining Team or Union Rep, David Trujillo @ dtrujillo@ufcw21.org or 360-419-4665

Kaiser Spokane Pharmacy Techs - Progress on Our Issues

On April 15, our Bargaining Team met with Kaiser to continue negotiating on important language issues. We made gains in conversations regarding seniority dates and highlighted how important this is to members. We worked collaboratively to make improvements to the Vacation PTO request process. Our team discussed weekend on-call shifts and industry standards on standby pay and call-in premiums. Other top issues worked on include daily overtime and scheduling and lunches/breaks. A big thank you to everyone  who shared feedback regarding preferences for breaks- this helped our team to work through ideas and solutions to make sure everyone is getting their breaks. 

The Union proposal to maintain our current retirement plan is currently being reviewed by the Kaiser National Benefits Department and we will share more details soon.
Our next bargaining date is scheduled for April 29 and the entire day will focus on the topics of Floats and Staffing. 

Questions or ideas to share, please reach out to the Bargaining Team or Union Representative Maureen Hatton at 509-340-7370

“We are excited that we are pushing forward! It’s motivating to see movement and we look forward to talking to everyone as we prepare for the next session.” 

– Jackie McFarlen and Tiffany Yeates, Bargaining Team