Lourdes Counseling Center - United We Win, Divided We Beg

Our Bargaining Team met with the Employer on Friday, June 11, for a long session. This is the first time in bargaining that the Employer has appeared to want to continue bargaining outside of "banker's hours" to get a contract.

We received an improved wage scale counter by the Employer that would give current employees slightly better placement than what the Employer had proposed prior. Before we can accept a wage scale, we need more information that takes into consideration annual increased steps, COLA, etc. We expect the Employer to present this at the time of our next bargaining session on June 25.

Our Bargaining Team:

Jordan Cox, RN
Pam Garland, RN
Paul Knighten, MHC

Please reach out to our Bargaining Team or Union Rep Austen Louden (509) 340-7369 with any questions or concerns.

Ferry County Hospital - Tentative Agreement Reached In Record Time

After just 6 hours of meeting with the Employer a fully recommended Tentative Agreement has been reached.

We were able to agree to some minor language clean up and secure the highest wage increases we have seen at Ferry County Hospital with no takeaways.

All members in good standing are eligible to vote and must do so in person. You will be able to review the complete document at the vote.

Our Bargaining Team:
Spring Lundgren, RN Beverly Morris, RN

Please reach out to our Bargaining Team or Union Rep Lenaya Wilhelm (509) 340-7369 with any questions or concerns.

PCC Tentative Agreement Reached

Fully Recommended Tentative Agreement Reached!

There will not be a vote on Tuesday, June 15 it has been rescheduled to a recommended yes vote on June 23

As a result of all of your hard work, solidarity, and preparation for a potential strike, PCC is now offering a contract that will remove their takeaway proposals and put money into the wage scales. The result is higher increases than we have ever won from PCC!

In addition, we were able to win new language on safety, worker committees, and training with NO TAKEAWAYS! Over the weekend, we reached a fully recommended TA that includes:

• $1.80 to $1.90 for Journey increases over 3 years

• Money at the bottom of the scales to address increasing minimum wages

• Adding Meat Lead premium of $2 per hour and moving Deli Lead from Group B to Group A increasing premium by $1 per hour.

• New Worker Caucus Committees to meet and address issues like gender and racial equity at the store level

• New Safety language that will help improve workplace safety

• New Workforce Development language to address training needs

• Securing and improving our pension benefits

• Improve and streamlined grievance language

• No Takeaways!

View the full vote document at bit.ly/june23pccvotedocument

We will be voting via secure email ballot on Wednesday, June 23 from 12AM to 11:59PM. If you do not receive an email from UFCW 21 or “Simply Vote,” on June 23, with your unique log in credentials, first check your spam folder. All active members in good standing are eligible to vote. If you have still not received any emails from the union, please update your information at ufcw21.org/update-your-information or contact your union rep.

Vote Meetings Scheduled!

June 16 @ 10-11am

June 16 @ 7-8pm

June 23 @ 10-11am

June 23 @ 7-8pm

Juneteenth celebrations happening all over the State

UFCW 21 members explain what Juneteenth means to us. To learn more about the Juneteenth holiday, go to juneteenth.com, nmaahc.si.edu/events/juneteenth, or blkfreedom.org. Join one of the many Juneteenth celebrations happening all over Washington State!

Planned Parenthood - Bargaining Continues

We met with Management Tuesday and delivered our economic proposals:

• A two-year contract

• Daily overtime for work past your scheduled shift

• Wage increases retroactive to June 1

• Moving to increases twice a year: June 1, and your anniversary

• Adding Juneteenth (June 19) as a recognized, paid holiday

• Reinstating retirement matching contributions

• Premiums for receiving training in specialty skills

• Expansions to bereavement and sick leave

• Minimum wage escalators to keep all scales above the minimums

• Improvements to bilingual premium

• Severance in the event of layoff or closure

Additionally we have made proposals to improve incentives and rotation of on-call work for clinicians!

We were able to reach Tentative Agreements (TAs) on:

• Innovative work schedules beyond the standard 5 – 7.5 hour days

• 30 day notice if asked to return to the office from a telecommuting agreement

• Expanded grievance timelines

• Clarifications to job posting language and management rights

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

Join us for a Virtual Contract Action Meeting on Wednesday, Jun 23 @ 7PM to hear more about the proposals! 

June Telephone Town Hall: Mon 6/14

We are continuing to hold regular Telephone Town Hall calls for members to get important updates, ask questions, and come together to plan how we can keep each other safe and fight for fairness at work.

UFCW 21 Member Telephone Town Hall
Monday, June 14 at 6:30 PM
☎️ 888-652-0386 Meeting ID: 5952

 All you have to do is pick up the phone when it rings between 6:30 - 6:40pm on Monday, or if you don’t receive a call, just use the call-in number and Meeting ID above.

UFCW 21 Health Care Member Telephone Town Hall
Monday, June 14 at 7:30 PM
☎️ 888-652-2664 Meeting ID: 5953

All you have to do is pick up the phone when it rings between 7:30 - 7:40pm on Monday, or if you don’t receive a call, just use the call-in number and Meeting ID above.

NW Administrators - Bargaining Update

Our Bargaining Team met with Management again on Wednesday, June 2 for not only our first day of mediation, but also the first time we’ve met since December 2020.

While we did see some movement on both sides of the table, Management only showed a willingness to make hairline movement on the issues that matter most. They did back off their proposal to reduce our retirement benefits, but their proposed wage increases and refusal to accept retro pay are completely unacceptable.

It’s time for Management to put away their coin purse and get out their wallet, rise out of the bargain basement and present something acceptable. We are not finding bargains at the grocery store or gas station, Management proposed wage increases are not even close to keeping up with the skyrocketing cost of living. We also need Management to offer a fair pension increase, investing in our future so that we can retire in dignity.

On the heels of a once in a lifetime pandemic, will Northwest Administrators step up and take care of their employees?

We are meeting with Management again on Tuesday, June 29 and are hoping that mediation will help build momentum towards a deal.

“We work hard everyday to seek improvements in our wages, retirement benefits, and working conditions to reflect our value to the company”

— NW Administrators Bargaining Team

What is mediation? When the Union and Employer have reached a point when little progress is being made, the parties have the option to bring in a neutral third-party mediator to help move things along. The federal government provides a free meditation service (FMCS) that works exclusively on Union-Employer disputes and has assigned a mediator to help us reach a deal with Management. The role of the mediator is to help the parties better understand the other’s point of view and to push both sides towards an agreement.

Summit Pacific Ratifies First Contract

On Thursday, we ratified our first contract with UFCW 21! It was great to see our coworkers turn out to support this first contract that guarantees wage increases and other economic improvements. More importantly, we now have the protection of a union contract and can hold management accountable.

The Bargaining Team and your Union Rep have paper copies of the contract and wage scales if you were unable to make it to the vote.

Fill out your Membership Application

Join our Union by filling out your membership application! join.ufcw.org/join/21

Thanks you for all your support through this process!

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

Albertsons Safeway Department Manager Vote

tentative agreement reached contract votes scheduled

UFCW 21, 367 and Teamsters 38 have reached a tentative settlement pending the ratification of the membership, arising from a grievance filed on behalf of all effected members for unilateral changes and implementation of the existing company’s matrix formula for department managers beyond positions bargained over in the contract.

Wage increases, as part of the settlement, went into effect

May 1, 2021, pending ratification of the membership.

RSVP to a vote meeting

Vote meetings will be held on June 22 at 11am-12PM & 6pm-7PM where we will be reviewing the tentative agreement and answering any questions.

Secure online voting will begin on June 22 at 12AM and end at 11:59PM. You will receive a ballot through your email where you can review the highlight sheet and vote on to accept the settlement. All active effected members in good standing in the following positions, Safeway/Albertsons Produce Managers, Safeway/Albertsons Starbucks Managers, Safeway/Albertsons Floral Managers, Safeway/Albertsons Deli Assistant Manager, Albertsons Butcher Block Supervisor, Safeway Seafood Department Managers and Safeway GMHBC Department Managers are eligible to vote but must have an active email on file with the union in order to vote by secure email.

Make sure your information is up to date! Go to: www.ufcw21.org/update-your-information

If you have questions, please contact Sean Embly 206-436-6545

Mason General Tech - Good Progress on Day 1

Our bargaining team met with management on Friday with the goal of settling a fair contract by the 6/30 expiration. To that end, both sides presented all proposals for language and economics. We were able to reach Tentative Agreements on:

• New Hire Orientation: New employees will now get an introduction to our union

• New Union Leave article

• Updating Earned Time article to show annual accrual and pay period accrual

• Access to Earned Time after 30 days of employment

• Other cleanup and clarification language

We’re awaiting a response from Management on economics and vacation scheduling changes that would allow us to have more flexibility in requesting vacation time.

“We made our priorities to management clear, and we’re hopeful that we can reach a fair resolution by expiration that includes respectful wage increases.”
— Our Mason General Bargaining Team: Brenda Routson, Jennifer Madara, Pam Murphy, Jessica Turner

Providence Everett RNs and Providence St. Peter’s Techs Vote to Authorize a Strike

On June 2 and 4, Providence Everett RNs and Providence St. Peter’s Techs overwhelmingly voted to authorize a strike. Both units have been at the bargaining table since 2020 with little progress around economic issues and Providence has committed unfair labor practices along the way.

Providence Everett is negotiating a successor agreement while Providence St. Peter’s is negotiating their first contract. Along with these two units, Providence Centralia Techs and Support Services are also at the bargaining table negotiating their first contract. Providence Centralia will also be holding a strike vote on June 16 to show Providence that all three units stand united and a fight with one unit is a fight with the rest! 

At all three hospitals, Providence is proposing to eliminate EIB, reduce PTO, and move everyone onto a short-term disability program which does not give caregivers wage replacement if they are out on medical leave for a family member. In addition, at all three tables they have committed ULPs by 1) PSPH and PCH: changing the PTO plan while in negotiations 2) PRMCE: implementing bonuses and incentives without bargaining with the Union and diverting close to a quarter of a million dollars away from the bargaining table. 

We believe if we were to call for a strike, it would be a ULP strike since we are striking over the ULPs and economic issues. We intend to continue bargaining with Providence, but we need to prepare for a strike if things do not progress. 

We are calling for everyone to sign onto the “strike pledge” card! By signing this card, you are saying that you will go out on strike and stand alongside your coworkers! Please share this card and strike manual with your co-workers. 

In addition, we will be holding strike education meetings every Tuesday at 8 PM, June 8 at 6 PM (Fort Borst Park), June 10 at 1 PM (Fort Borst Park), June 15 at 6PM. If you have questions, please reach out to the bargaining teams and your union rep, Erin McCoy (PSPH and PCH) and Anthony Cantu (PRMCE). 

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Whidbey Health - We finally reached a deal! Electronic Vote on June 25m

In 2019, WhidbeyHealth and the Pro-Tech/LPN and Support Services bargaining units reached a one-year contract agreement. At that time, the Hospital asked for a “longer runway” so that they could sort out their finances and plan for annual wage increases for 2020 and 2021. We granted them more time and decided we would fight for fair wage increases in 2020. 

We have been at the bargaining table since January 2021 and were able to finally obtain an agreement in May 2021! The delays in bargaining were in part due to the Hospital’s financial situation. At the table, we heard WhidbeyHealth mention that they had negative days of “cash at hand.” The Employer made proposals to take-away benefits and offered no wage increases. 

We were able to push back on these proposals and finally won yearly increases, retroactive pay from 2020 until present, improvements to contract language, and no takeaways! 

We will be voting online on June 25 via SimplyVoting from 12:01 AM to 8 PM. Every union member in good standing and union dues paying member will receive an email on June 25 with a unique login in order to vote. The full vote document will be available at UFCW 21 and on SimplyVoting. We will also be going over the document on June 14 and June 23 via Zoom. 

Click HERE to UPDATE YOUR CONTACT INFO

If you have workplace or disciplinary issues, please contact your union rep, Adrian Noel at anoel@ufcw21.org  or (360) 419-4677. You may also call the Member Resource Center at (206) 436-6570.

In solidarity, 

Pro/Tech/LPN and Support Services Bargaining Team

Providence Centralia - Vote “NO” on the contract offer and “YES” to a Strike authorization

We have been at the bargaining table since October 2020 fighting for our first contract. One of the reasons we organized was to keep our EIB and PTO. Throughout bargaining, we have made thoughtful proposals which would improve our working conditions, make our pay rates competitive compared with similar sized hospitals in the area, and continue our EIB/PTO plan. We believe these proposals will help recruit and retain caregivers so we can provide better patient care, but Providence has rejected many of these proposals.

In our last bargaining sessions, Providence finally made their wage proposal for the technical unit and support services unit. Their proposal would continue their “minimum, midpoint, and maximum” wage table, merit increases which are dependent on your “core leaders,” and there would only be a guarantee of 1.5% pay increase for the life of the contract. This proposal deviates from all other UFCW 21 contracts with Providence. Other contracts have a wage scale, 2% wage increases on your anniversary date, and a cost-of-living increase every year of the contract. In addition, they continue to propose language which would give Providence the ability to change, potentially eliminate, your retirement plan, health insurance, education plan, non-legally mandated leaves of absence, and PTO plan.

Given this, we believe we need to vote down the contract to show Providence that we will not accept their proposals!

Additionally, Providence also changed our PTO plan on January 1, 2021 without bargaining with us. We have filed an unfair labor practice (ULP) with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)! The NLRB has already found merit in the ULP we filed for Providence St. Peter’s around the same subject and we believe they will find merit in our ULP at PCH.

Given the rejection of our proposals and the unfair labor practice, we are calling to vote “NO” on the contract and “YES” to a strike authorization! To go out on strike, two-thirds of voters must approve the strike. Going out on strike is always our last resort, but it is clear to us at the bargaining table that Providence is not willing to listen and does not respect us so we must take further collective action! Authorizing a strike means that your Tech and Support Services bargaining team will have the ability to call a strike, potentially a ULP strike, if Providence continues to drag their feet at the bargaining table.

We will be joining about 1,700 nurses at Providence Everett who voted to authorize a strike earlier this month! Our vote will take place online via SimplyVoting and you will receive a link with your unique login information on June 16.

To better inform our units on what it means to strike, we will be holding an education meetings in-person and online on June 8, 10 and 15. Please update your contact information on the UFCW 21 website or email Union Rep Erin McCoy if you do not receive email notifications from the Union at: emccoy@ufcw21.org

Upcoming Strike Education and Contract Vote Meetings

Join in person at Fort Borst Park
June 8 • 5 PM - 7 PM
June 10 • 1 PM - 3 PM

Join online via Zoom
June 8 • 8 PM
June 15 • 6 PM
Contact your Bargaining Team or Union Rep for call-in details. Details will be also emailed out.

June 16 • 12:01 AM - 8 PM
Contract vote instructions will be emailed to you via SimplyVoting

MultiCare Bargaining Update Progress at Last

“We’re feeling more optimistic than we were a few weeks ago”

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.

After months of a virtual statement, we finally started the mediation process on May 25.

What is mediation? Mediation is when the Union and Employer have reached a point when little progress is being made, the parties have the option to bring in a neutral third-party mediator to help move things along. The federal government provides a free meditation service (FMCS) that works exclusively on union-employer disputes and has assigned a mediator to help us reach a deal with MultiCare. The role of the mediator is to help the parties better understand the other’s point of view and to push both sides towards an agreement.

So far it’s working. While we are still far apart, we have seen the most significant movement from the employer we have seen since we started in January. The mediator seems to have been doing a good job of forcing the employer to hear and understand our concerns. We noticed the most movement on economics with the employer being more resistant to our non-economic proposals. Our action last month, and the outpouring of community support since then, has certainly been a continuing factor to the movement.

This is very encouraging news, but don’t celebrate just yet. We still have many outstanding issues to resolve (staffing, PTO, wage premiums, floating, preceptor pay, seniority, extra shifts, etc) before we can reach a deal. And while the employer has put more money on the table, we are still worlds apart on our wage proposals.

Keep applying pressure on MultiCare, join the Rally @ the Park on June 30 at 3:30PM at Wright Park (Near Tacoma General Hospital). We already have many community leaders who have pledged to join us again at this action.

Join UFCW 21 MultiCare Page for the latest updates! facebook.com/UFCW21Multicare

Sign the Petition for a Fair Contract! secure.everyaction.com/FQW4R6K7oUC2rFmurWktrg2

Have a Heart Bargaining Begins

Bargaining Begins

Kick-off Proposal meetings

As we prepare for bargaining, we want to make sure all Union members have a chance to voice their concerns and let us know what they want to change in our Contract. Have A Heart Bargaining Proposal Meetings: Join us for one of our Bargaining Proposal meetings on Zoom! If you have any questions, please contact your Union Representative Timothy Moisio 206-436-6517

Macy’s Only Offers 25¢ and Wants to Eliminate the Wage Scales

On June 1, Macy’s gave us their wage proposal, offering colleagues only a $0.25 an-hour raise in each year of the contract. We deserve more than that! 

“The prices customers pay for our products go up by dollars per year, not a quarter a year. Macy’s needs to do better. We worked through this pandemic and put ourselves at risk on the job every day. A quarter just doesn’t cut it.”

– Curtisy Bryant, Southcenter Cosmetics

Macy’s also proposed to eliminate the wage scales that provide us with a pathway to the highest wages in our contract. Make no mistake, eliminating wage scales will:

• Keep wages down for us as a group, the newer you are the worse it would be. 

• Not give us proper credit for the experience and skill that we gain on the job.

• Cease to acknowledge the differences in jobs and responsibilities at Macy’s.

All of that is on top of their previous proposals that:

• Delete all of our attendance credits via their Reliability Program.

• Leave it up to managers to decide if we can take PTOs.

• Allows them to open on Christmas & Easter & schedule you work.

• Allows them to schedule us more late shifts every week then is currently allowed.

But this fight isn’t about Macy’s bad ideas. It’s about us moving forward with a better Union contract. Your bargaining committee is at the table fighting for:

• Have MLK Day become a full PTO instead of a floating holiday.

• Get us the protections we need in this pandemic and any future ones with

• Safety standards,

• Hazard pay for when our work puts us at risk,

• Protections from store closure and loss of hours.

• Wage increases that sustain us better than 25¢

• A shorter probationary period after being hired

• Make it easier to qualify for FMLA leaves

• Improve bereavement leaves to include more family members.

Get ready to take action soon. Macy’s needs to hear from you, its employees, so that they know their proposals for our contract are unacceptable. In 2018 we turned out repeatedly to show Macy’s that we would not accept anything less that a fair contract. 

Ashley House Workers Ratify new Contact

On May 28th workers at Ashley House ratified a new contract. Our bargaining team worked hard to reach an agreement that would increases wages, maintain healthcare and create new funds for training and workforce development. Talk to your bargaining team or your union representative for more information about our new contract.

Bargaining Team: Rose Shrader – CN.A, Kris Spencer – RN, Jeff Stone – Maintenance

If you have any questions, please contact your

Union Representative Ian Jacobson @ 206-436-6550

Summit Pacific Medical Center - Vote Date and Time Scheduled— Bargaining Team Unanimously Recommends a YES Vote!

After close to a year of bargaining, we have finally reached a recommended tentative agreement on a contract with UFCW21. Thank you for all of your support throughout this process. All that remains is the final step of voting. 

Come vote for your contract! 

Thursday, June 10

• 10 AM - 12 PM

• 2 PM - 4 PM

• 5 PM - 7 PM

Elma Grange 26
401 W Waldrip St
Elma, WA 98541

These are drop-in times when voting will be open. You will have the opportunity to review the full document when you come to vote. We will have COVID safety precautions in place to make sure we all stay safe while voting in person.

For our first contract (3 year duration) we won:

• Respectful wage increases each year of the contract

• Increases to many premiums, and new premiums for some job classifications

• Just Cause and a fair grievance procedure to handle contract disputes

• Creation of a Labor Management Committee to address ongoing issues in between bargaining cycles

• Clear, enforceable definitions of practices for seniority, pay, scheduling, hours, leaves, and more

• The right to join and participate in your union free from retaliation

Details of the agreement will be available from your bargaining team members as we finalize our documents. The full document will be available at the vote.

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

Northwest Administrators - Bargaining Update

After months of delay, we have finally confirmed our next bargaining date with management on June 2. This will be the first time we’re meeting with a federal mediator, which we hope will speed-up the process so that we can reach an agreement soon.  

During this time, we reached out to some of our community partners to ask for support in our fight for a fair contract. One leader who responded to our call for support was Rick Hicks, President of the Joint Council of Teamsters No. 28, who was appalled by management tactics at the bargaining table.

In a letter to Chris Hughes, Rick wrote “It has recently come to our attention that Northwest Administrators has presented to the two bargaining units represented by our sisters and brothers at UFCW Local 21 unacceptable proposals that would impact their members’ own retirement account… this is unacceptable!” He continued “the workers represented by UFCW Local 21 work hard for our Teamster members every day and we value their expertise managing the Health and Welfare and Pension plans of our membership.”

“We look forward to seeing the bargaining process move swiftly towards and acceptable settlement that values the work of your employees.”

Rick’s letter is significant because he is also Co-Chair of the Washington Teamsters Health & Welfare Trust and a Trustee on the Western Conference of Teamsters Pension Trust. He has pledged to continue lending our bargaining team support until we win a fair contract, and for that we are eternally grateful. 

The bargaining team will meet this week to plan our next steps as we prepare for our first day of mediation next week. Please reach out to a bargaining team member or call Union Representative Rhonda Fisher-Ivie at (206) 436-6584 if you have any questions. 

BARGAINING TEAM: Chris Covey, Jennifer Harris, Iva Johnson, Katrina Kromm, Lulu Morgan, Grace Tsuchikawa

Macy's - Macy's Reliability Program Seems Unreliable

Today Macy’s went over their Reliability Program proposal in-depth and presented their healthcare proposals. 

• The Reliability Program would radically change the attendance system, so we asked a lot of questions. While are still assessing it, the answers to our questions were troubling. The biggest issues we have are:

• With no attendance credits, Macy’s said they can terminate employees based on “a pattern” of being “unreliable.”

• Managers have the sole power to approve or disapprove “occurrences” that negatively effect your “reliability percentage”. There is no appeal to change a negative to a positive.

• That means that you could actually be penalized for staying late and coming-in on an off day at a manager’s request, if they don’t agree with your dispute of the occurrence.

• The Reliability score is based on a percentage of the hours you work, so part-time employees are penalized more than full-time employees for the same occurrence.

There is too much to explain in this update, which is why you should come to our next set of bargaining update meetings (see below), to get the full details. We want to hear from you what your thoughts are.

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Macy’s Makes Healthcare Proposals 

Macy’s has finally put some economic proposals on the table for our healthcare, but still no wage proposals. We asked lots of questions about their proposals and are expecting to get some answers back; but we can’t make any decisions on healthcare proposals, till we know what they are proposing for wages and other economic parts of the contract.  Our wage proposals are on the table, and so we look forward to hearing theirs at our next session on June 1.

“At first glance this Reliability Program doesn’t seem to benefit us much at all. The parts Macy’s sees as positive don’t outweigh the negatives by a longshot.” 

– Emily Hunter, Alderwood Support Staff