Capital Medical Center - We Have Reached an Agreement with MultiCare!

On April 1, 2021, MultiCare acquired Capital Medical Center from LifePoint. The Union was notified in February 2021 by MultiCare that they would be acquiring Capital Medical Center and we asked to bargain over the acquisition. Under the National Labor Relations Act, when a business is acquired by another company, the new company has the option of recognizing the current union contract or bargaining a completely new agreement. MultiCare agreed to most of our current contracts for the RN and Service/Tech/Office units, but wished to bargain over PTO, pay period, holiday worked premiums, and health benefits. 

We identified that under MultiCare’s proposals health insurance premiums would increase, and PTO accruals would decrease for full-time employees. We made proposals to provide bonuses to the two units to offset the health insurance premium increases and maintained that PTO accruals remain at status quo. MultiCare continually rejected our proposals around health insurance but accepted to keep PTO at status quo. 

As a team, we decided that the new health insurance plans were a slight improvement and that we will fight for reduced health insurance premiums in a few months for the Service/Tech/Office unit and we will bargain in 2022 for the RN unit. Additionally since April 1, MultiCare has incorrectly calculated full-time employees PTO. They have agreed to correcting everyone’s PTO accruals, but first must build a payroll system to calculate accruals. These accruals should be corrected by or before September 2021. 

Given that there are changes to the current contract, both units must vote to ratify the agreement. We will be voting on July 20 online from 12:01 AM to 8 PM. All union members in good standing will receive an email from Simply Voting on July 20 at 12:01 AM with a unique login ID to vote online. 

Your bargaining committee fully recommends a YES vote! 

If you do not receive emails from UFCW 21, please update your information through the link below:

We will be going over the contract changes on Friday, July 16 @ 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM and 4 PM - 5 PM on Zoom. If you have any questions, you may also contact your union rep, Ian Jacobson (206) 436-6550. 

Vote Meetings on Friday, July 16

9:30 AM - 10:30 AM

https://zoom.us/join

4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

https://zoom.us/join

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

UFCW 21 Opposes Seattle Charter Amendment 29

UFCW 21’s executive board announces our opposition to Seattle Charter Amendment 29 with this public statement:

“Dealing with our region’s housing crisis is a top priority for UFCW 21 members, many of us frontline workers who have experienced housing insecurity and interact daily with customers and patients who are underserved by current housing and mental health systems. But sweeping unhoused people from one place to the next is a waste of city resources, degrading to our unhoused neighbors, and an ineffective solution to a systemic problem. Real solutions will put affordable housing first, refrain from criminalizing homelessness, and invest in racial and economic equity. Charter Amendment 29, calling itself 'Compassion Seattle,' does none of this and we condemn its attempt to write a policy of encampment sweeps into our city’s founding document for years to come. We urge Seattleites NOT to sign the petition for Charter Amendment 29.”

-Jeannette Randall, UFCW 21 Executive Board Member

On June 28, an overwhelming majority voted to approve the contract offer! We were able to win competitive wage increases and no takeaways to current contract language! Below are the wage increases which will appear on your paycheck on July 7:

• Retroactive pay from April 1, 2021 of $.50/hour or an increase to $15/hour, whichever is greater

If you do not see this pay increase on your paycheck, please contact your Union Rep Monica Smith @ 206-436-6524.

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¡Mayoría ratifica contrato!

¡El 28 de Junio, una mayoría votó a favor de aprobar la oferta contractual! ¡Obtuvimos incrementos salariales competitivos sin reducciones al lenguaje contractual actual! A continuación, se presentan los incrementos salariales que aparecerán en su cheque de pago el 7 de Julio:

• Pago retroactivo a partir del 1 de Abril de $.50/hora, o un aumento a 15 dólares por hora, lo que sea mayor

Si no ves este aumento de sueldo en su cheque de pago, favor de contactar su Representante de la Unión Mónica Smith @ 206-436-6524.

WhidbeyHealth: New Union Contract is Ratified

WhidbeyHealth: New Contract Ratified

On June 23, the Professional/Tech/LPN and Services/Support units overwhelmingly voted electronically to approve the contract offer!

Currently we are waiting for WhidbeyHealth to give us the date when wage increases and retroactive pay will be reflected on paychecks. Below is the wage increase which you should see on your paychecks:

Pro-Tech LPNs
1% pay increase, retroactive pay to 2/7/2020
1.5% effective 7/1/2021

Services/ Support
1% pay increase, retroactive pay to 6/7/2020
1.5% effective 7/1/2021

We were able to bargain contract increases higher than the RN unit and were able to win retroactive pay, but we understand that there are still more workplace issues to address.

Through the Labor Management Committee, we can address workplace issues like staffing and workload. If you are interested in being a part of the LMC, wish to be more involved, or have workplace issues please contact your union rep, Adrian Noel (360) 419-4677.

Bartell's New Union Contract is Ratified!

Bartell's Union Members Overwhelmingly Ratify New Contract

The results of our online ratification vote are in, and union members have overwhelmingly ratified the new contract that includes pay increases and guarantees that all wage classifications will be above minimum wage.

As soon as Rite Aid notifies us about when the increased rates, the retro back to May 1 of this year, and ratification bonuses will be paid we will let you know.

Macy's - After two days of bargaining, Management does nothing on wages

Contrary to any other non-union updates you may have read, on June 29, Macy’s finally withdrew its proposal to take away our unscheduled PTOs. They also withdrew their proposal to be open on Christmas and Easter that same day.  But they changed little else in their proposals.

On June 30, the Bargaining Committee offered a complete set of counter proposals. We previously proposed Easter as a holiday, but in light of the recent new national holiday recognizing Juneteenth (June 19), we proposed Juneteenth instead. Macy’s, however, rejected it and wanting to make MLK Day a full PTO because they are an “incremental expense,” which says a lot about how they look at us as workers.

Macy’s expressed to us that they are unhappy with the pace of negotiations, and they want us to settle. But then they delivered a counter proposal where Macy’s is still:

• Offering raises of only $0.25 and $0.30 an hour

• Proposing to eliminate our wage scales completely 

• Rejecting our proposal to keep MLK Day as a full PTO

• Wanting to implement their ridiculous Reliability Attendance program

• Changing the definition of late shifts in the contract, which means more late shifts for you.

•  Refusing to give credit for commissioned employee’s regular pay rate and vacation time, if there is a new pandemic

•  Rejecting our pandemic safety proposal language

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Join us on at your store to engage the public about our fight for a FAIR CONTRACT!

Wednesday, July 7
2:30 PM @ Southcenter Macy’s
12:30 PM @ Alderwood Macy’s 
3 PM @ Bellingham Macy’s

“If Macy’s wants to settle this contract they know what we need; livable wages, safety on the job, and taking their other shameful proposals off the table. And we know what we need to do, take action!”

—The Macy’s Bargaining Committee

Let Macy’s know that we won’t settle for anything less than a fair contract! Contact your rep or shop steward to find out more.

Providence Centralia Tech - Providence’s Proposals Come Up Short Again!

On June 16, our PCH Tech unit authorized a strike by 88% and rejected Providence’s current contract offer by 97%! We joined the PCH Support Services, PSPH Techs, and PRMCE RNs in authorizing a strike! Together we are more than 2,000 caregivers who will potentially be going on strike if Providence continues to make subpar proposals!

On June 30, we met with Providence for our tenth bargaining session. As a team we went through our priorities and drafted proposals which will help advance negotiations.

One of the package proposals that we presented include union membership language, management’s rights, premium pay, and hours of work/overtime. Under union membership language, we proposed “ modified shop”, which is the same language PCH RNs currently have in their contract. This gives caregivers the option of becoming union members or opting out 30 days after initial hire or after ratification for current employees. We also proposed premiums like daily overtime, overtime above your FTE, increases to shift differentials  and lead pay, and preceptor pay.

Providence did finally hear our arguments and understood that training new hires and students goes above and beyond our job duties and agreed to preceptor pay!

Providence also made a counter proposal to our longevity wage scale and across the board increases. They proposed to keep their current wage ranges and merit system in place with a 2% wage increase.  This is extremely disappointing given that Providence St. Peter’s Techs were offered across the board wage increases with a longevity wage scale. Our team made it clear that we deserve the same type of wage scale and we do the same work as PSPH Techs!

Throughout this bargain, Providence has treated us differently than PSPH Techs and other units. It is time that we show Providence that we are willing to fight just like our sisters and brothers at PSPH. We are asking that you sign onto our strike pledge card and pledge to participate in a strike if it comes to that! Please attend a strike education meeting on July 7 @ 6 PM via Zoom for a bargaining update and to learn more about your right to strike.

If you have any question please contact your union rep Erin McCoy. Our next bargaining dates are on July 19 and 26.

In Solidarity, Your Tech Bargaining Team: Jen Mullins, Rad Tech; Verity Olsen, Pharmacy Tech; Kathleen Spencer, RT; Jen Frunz, Mammo Tech 

Strike Education Meeting

Wednesday, July 7 

6:00PM

https://zoom.us/join

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

L&I's Updated COVID-19 Safety Requirements for Employers as Washington Reopens

Washington State Department of Labor & Industries released updated requirements for Washington employers on June 30, 2021, recognizing the new phase of reopening we are in after the COVID-19 pandemic. If your employer is not following the state requirements for COVID safety in your workplace, talk to your Shop Steward or Union Rep right away, or submit a safety report with your name, workplace, contact information, and description of the safety issue to safetyreport@ufcw21.org.

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Updated COVID-19 requirements for employers as Washington state reopens

Businesses in Washington state are able to open at full capacity and have fewer requirements to follow to protect employees from COVID-19.

Both OSHA and L&I continue to recognize COVID-19 as a workplace hazard for unvaccinated individuals. Employers have an obligation to provide a safe and healthy workplace and assess the level of hazard to determine if additional steps should be taken to protect workers who are not fully vaccinated. Updated rules and guidance detail the changes employers need to know.

Employers must:

• Ensure unvaccinated employees wear a mask while working indoors.

• Verify vaccination status before lifting employee mask requirements, and be able to show the process used for verification.

• Keep employees with possible or confirmed cases of COVID-19 from working around others.

• Provide handwashing facilities and supplies.

• Train employees to recognize and respond to workplace hazards, including COVID-19.

• Assess recognized hazards, including COVID-19, as part of the ongoing requirement to provide a safe and healthful workplace and, where appropriate, take additional steps to protect unvaccinated employees.

• Notify employees in writing within one business day if someone they had close contact with tests positive for COVID-19 (without disclosing the person’s identity).

• Report COVID-19 outbreaks of 10 or more employees at workplaces or worksites with more than 50 employees to L&I within 24 hours.

Masks and face coverings

• Employers must provide cloth face coverings or a more protective mask to employees, free of charge, when use of a mask is required.

• Employers may still require or encourage mask use, regardless of employee vaccination status.

• Employees have the right to wear a mask or other protective equipment, regardless of their vaccination status, as long as it doesn’t create safety issues.

Industries where masks are still required for all workers  

• Health care (long-term care, doctor’s offices, hospitals)

• Public transportation (aircraft, trains, buses, road vehicles)

• K-12 schools, childcare facilities and day camps in locations where children are or are expected to be present

• Correctional facilities

• Homeless shelters

Verifying worker vaccination status

Employers must be able to show the process used to verify employee vaccination status. They do not need to keep an actual copy of the employee’s vaccination records.

Acceptable types of verification include:

• Vaccine card or photo of vaccine card.

• Documentation from a health care provider.

• State immunization information system record.

• A hard copy or electronically signed self-attestation from the employee.

Resources

L&I’s COVID-19 guidance includes resources from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Department of Health (DOH) and U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration: www.Lni.wa.gov/CovidSafety.

DOH Secretary of Health Order: www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/1600/coronavirus/Secretary_of_Health_Order_20-03_Statewide_Face_Coverings.pdf

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Planned Parenthood - Economic Response from Management

We met with Management on Monday to receive their first response to our comprehensive economic proposal. They rejected many of our non-wage proposals including:

• Cash out of vacation over the cap

• 3 additional sick days

• Premiums for receiving training in specialty skills

• Commitment to reinstating retirement match

We did get agreement on an increase to the bilingual premium and adding Juneteenth (June 19) as a holiday beginning in 2022.

“We see the affiliate offering recruitment bonuses for certain positions, but we’d rather see that money invested in keeping current employees. Better wages and premiums will also help with recruitment.” 

—Your Bargaining Team

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

We need to hear from you! Management is saying they cannot yet commit to when retirement matching will be reinstated. How has the pause in matching affected you? 

Share your story with us here:

Jefferson Healthcare - JHC Rejects Our Staffing Proposals!

On June 28, 2021 we had our second session with Jefferson Healthcare Center (JHC) regarding the restructure of the ED, ACU, ICU, and FBC. Currently JHC is proposing that all nurses must be cross-trained to another unit: ACU/ICU, ED/FBC. This means that nurses will be floated to a secondary unit if there is low patient volumes in their primary unit.

We have proposed that cross-training should be voluntary, call should be voluntary and caregivers who volunteer for call should receive an incentive of $100 (day shift) or $150 (evening/night shift), $4 float premium for floating to secondary unit, $1 pay for CNAs who read telemetry monitors, separate charge nurse for ICU and ACU, the ability to submit preferred work schedules, healthcare coverage through December 1, 2021 for caregivers who resign due to the restructure, and a minimum of three weeks of cross-training with additional training if requested by the nurse.

We believe our proposals are fair and equitable and keep patient and caregiver safety at the forefront. JHC has opposed all of our monetary proposals and told us at the bargaining table they understand employees will leave due to the restructure, but this is what is best for JHC. It is clear that if we do not take public facing action, JHC will move forward with their restructure plan as is. 

We are asking you all to write a letter to JHC Commissioners expressing how this restructure will hurt staffing and the community and wear a sticker!

Please send your letters to 

• jbuhler@jeffersonhealthcare.org; 

• mready@jeffersonhealthcare.org; 

• mdressler@jeffersonhealthcare.org; 

• kkolff@jeffersonhealthcare.org; 

• bmccomas@jeffersonhealthcare.org 

• ...and copy charrison@jeffersonhealthcare.org and ttoner@jeffersonhealthcare.org

Our next bargaining date is scheduled tentatively for July 13 or 14. If you have any questions, please contact your union rep Ryan Degouveia.

King's Command - Bargaining dates are set!

Bargaining Dates Are Set!

After multiple extensions of our contract, King’s Command has finally agreed to come to the bargaining table. From your surveys, we know we need to focus on wages that can keep up with area competitors and entice new workers. We also heard you that we need to find a way to reduce the amount of weekend work.

Scheduled bargaining dates:
July 20
July 21
July 27
July 28

Our Bargaining Team:
Mamadi Coulibaly - Grinder
Dwight Smith - Shipping & Receiving
Marcelina Torres - Packer

Lourdes Counseling Center - Tentative Agreement Reached! Contract Vote Scheduled

After over a year of bargaining—and late into the night on Friday, June 25—your bargaining team has a fully recommended tentative agreement that includes significant wage increases over a 4 year contract and an avenue to have our voices heard in the work place. 

Please join your bargaining team at the contract offer vote on July 7 from 8AM - 10AM, and 2PM - 5PM in the large conference room. 

Your Bargaining team is recommending a YES Vote.

If you have any questions, contact your bargaining team or Union Representative Austen Louden @ 509-340-7372.

A complete contract offer will be available for you to review and ask questions at the vote.

Mason General - Contract Ratified!

Our Mason General Bargaining Team: Brenda Routson, Jennifer Madara, Pam Murphy, Jessica Turner

On Monday, June 28, members at Mason General ratified their new three-year contract. We were able to win a fair agreement that increases wages and premiums. Thank you for joining us in the online vote to ratify this agreement!

Seattle Children's Hospital UCMA - We Have Reached an Agreement! We Recommend a “YES” Vote!

When we started bargaining back in November 2020, management made it clear that they intended to give us more of the same in our first contract. They wanted to have all the power over our work, at the expense of us the workers. With a lot of hard work and the support of all of our co-workers, we were able to push back on management in order to demand and secure a very strong full contract! This includes:

• Monumental wage initial increases for across the board effective upon ratification

• Replacing the merit raise system with wage matrix that includes steps, where everyone is guaranteed two wage increases (combined average of 4.1%) every single year

• Guaranteeing that everyone’s wage placement is based on the same transparent factors.

• A retro bonus equal to 3.5% of our wages

• Juneteenth as a holiday

• Severence pay

• Increases to the per diem premium for current per diems to 12%

• Protections for every worker against unfair discipline

• A robust grievance process we can use to make sure our contract is respected

• The same full Union protections we would see in a standard Union contract

• Language protecting the various benefits that worked for us and enhancing the ones that didn’t

• And much more!

The bargaining committee recommends a “YES” vote on July 6!

Our Urgent Care Medical Assistant Bargaining Team: Wendy Rivas, Angie Acevedo, Joey Martin

Online vote is scheduled for Tuesday, July 6

We will be voting online via “SimplyVoting” on Tuesday, July 6 12:00 AM to 11:59 PM. You will be receiving an email from UFCW 21 via “SimplyVoting” with your unique login information. If you do not receive an email by Tuesday July 6, check your spam folder first.

If you have still not received an email, contact your rep Christie Harris @ 206-436-6606.

MultiCare - You're Invited! Rally @the Park

Join the UFCW 21 Bargaining Team, MultiCare workers, Pierce County Movement Builders, and community leaders for a Rally @the Park to support employees at MultiCare who are currently fighting for a fair contract. 

We have been in negotiations with MultiCare since January for contracts that cover healthcare workers at Tacoma General Hospital, Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital, Allenmore Hospital, Auburn Medical Center, and various clinics in King & Pierce County.

Unfortunately, MultiCare continues to push an inequitable economic proposal that would give some healthcare workers less than a 0.50% wage increase at ratification and would allow Management to increase our healthcare premiums by up to $120 a month over the next three years. To make matters worse, Management has been sending out false and misleading statements to Union members, leading the Union to file an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) charge against the Employer.

We invite you to join us for the Rally @the Park to show Management that the community continues to stand in solidarity with MultiCare workers. We’ll gather at Wright Park, just down the street from Tacoma General Hospital, to hear from workers about negotiations and from community leaders who support their fight for a fair contract. 

Join us for the
RALLY @THE PARK

June 30 • 3:30 PM

Wright Park
501 South I St
Tacoma, WA 98406 

25th Anniversary Refuse to Abuse 5K is July 17, 2021

UFCW 21 members and staff participating in the Refuse to Abuse 5K in 2017, when we could all do it in person at the Mariners’ stadium in Seattle. This year, most people are participating virtually by walking or running a 5K in their neighborhood with friends, family, coworkers, or by themselves.

Once again UFCW 21 is partnering with the Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence (WSCADV) to raise awareness of domestic violence and fundraise for WSCADV at the Refuse to Abuse 5K. This year, the 25th anniversary of Refuse to Abuse, there is an option to participate in this 5K fundraiser from your home or neighborhood and support WSCADV.

There are three main reasons why UFCW 21 members participate in this annual event: 

1. WSCADV is a UFCW 21 partner organization working to end domestic violence, which impacts members and our families in our workplaces and communities 

2. Anyone on our union Sound Health & Wellness Trust gets their event registration fee reimbursed and HRA credit for participating in the 5K

3. It’s fun to take part in events with fellow UFCW 21 members! 

Want to join us? Contact Community Organizer Faviola Lopez for more information (flopez@ufcw21.org), or just sign up for our team:

At this year’s Refuse to Abuse 5K on July 17, you will join other UFCW 21 members and thousands of others across the state walking or running a 5K with friends or coworkers, by yourself—even on a treadmill. WSCADV will send you your race swag for participating in the mail after the event. If you want to print a race bib to wear while you participate in your own 5K, you can download those from WSCADV here.

Your entrance fee, which will be reimbursed for anyone on the Sound Health & Wellness Trust, supports WSCADV and their work to end domestic violence. This event also raises awareness about domestic violence, and WSCADV will be interacting across social media on race day. Want to spread the word on social media? Here’s their toolkit of images.

For more about the event, see our event page or the WSCADV event page, or call your Union Rep.

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Domestic Violence is a Union Issue! 

We work with Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence because domestic violence is an issue that affects UFCW 21 members. One great way to celebrate this event even if you can’t participate is to familiarize yourself and your coworkers with workers’ rights around domestic violence. We’ve fought hard to pass laws in Washington State that protect us from work if we face threats of violence, stalking, or sexual assault.

If your employer is not respecting your rights as a survivor, contact your Union Rep for help. 

MultiCare - NO AGREEMENT YET

“Wages for some but not all, healthcare for some but not all. UNACCEPTABLE!”

“Some members would receive less than a 0.50% wage increase.”

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 just finished three long back-to-back days of negotiations with MultiCare in the hopes of reaching a deal on a fair contract that would benefit all our members. Unfortunately, we concluded our last session just before midnight on June 24 without an agreement.

While we are pleased to report that there is a significant amount of money on the table, that money is not being distributed equitably amongst all employees. The employer’s last economic proposal did include large wage increase for some members; however, other members would receive less than a 0.50% wage increase. MultiCare will tell you that the average wage increase is high but there is a good chance you won’t get anything close to their average. The people at the top of the wage scale, who are the most experienced and dedicated employees, are the employees most likely to receive an insultingly low wage increase with the employer’s proposal.

Management is also demanding that the Union increase management’s control over our member’s wages. For example, management wants to have the authority to bring in new employees at a higher wage without having to increase the wages of all existing employees. Does that seem fair to you?

To make matters worse, the employer has refused to implement wages retroactively back to contract expiration (3/01/2021) and instead proposed an insulting $200 ratification bonus. They’ve also continued to reject our COVID-19 Hero Bonus proposal, refusing recognize the significant risks that healthcare workers and their families experienced on the front lines of the pandemic. In fact, never once has management acknowledged these risks during any of our bargaining sessions, as if they are pretending it never happened.

Your Bargaining Team has been working tirelessly to restructure our wage scale in a way that would help with the hiring and retention of workers, which would address the staffing issues that members have reported to be of the utmost importance. However, we must be very careful to make sure that any such changes would provide fair wage increases to all our members not only today, but into the future as well.

Apart from wages, members ranked the affordability and access of healthcare as a top priority on the bargaining survey. We have been fighting for months to address these problems with proposals to rein in the constant preimum increases and to make it easier for members to qualify for health insurance. Managament has shown an unwillingness to make any significant movement on healthcare, only agreeing to limit annual premium increases to no more than $40 more each month. That would mean management would have the right to raise your premiums rates by up to $120 a month by the end of a three-year contract.

In addition to the above, management is proposing the removal of President’s Day as a holiday, new PTO-ws language that makes it easier to lose PTO, elimination of the Respiratory Therapist incentive pay program, and other power grabs that would increase management’s control.

Do not trust management when they claim to be offering a good deal, what they are offering is unacceptable. In fact, their June 18 bargaining update to you included so many factual inaccuracies that the Union filed an Unfair Labor Practice charge against the employer for lying to and misleading their employees. Now is the time to fight, time to show the employer that we will not accept an offer that leaves so many behind.

Our next bargaining dates are not until July 28 and 29, which are further away than we would prefer. We requested additional dates between now and July 28, but the employer never responded to our request.

You’re Invited! Rally @the Park

June 30, 2021 3:30PM

Wright Park, 501 South I St,

Tacoma, WA 98406

Join the UFCW 21 Bargaining Team, Pierce County Movement Builders, and community leaders for a Rally @the Park to support employees in at MultiCare who are currently fighting for a fair contract.

PCC Update: New Contract Ratified

PCC Union Contract Ratified

Our 3 year agreement with PCC was ratified on June 23, 2021. This agreement runs through December 31, 2023 for both grocery and meat contracts.

We won higher increases for Journey than ever before from PCC as well as improvements to our pension, new language about Safety, Training, and new Worker Caucus Committees.

“After more than half a year at the table, I have nothing but gratitude for our bargaining unit and all of my fellow PCC workers. This contract was hard fought and would not have been possible without everyone’s resilience and passion. I’m proud to have reached an agreement that brings us a step in the right direction, and hope we continue to fight for what we deserve as essential workers. Thank you everyone!” -Quinn Rao

“We have won a good contract that keeps our healthcare, strengthens our pension, and raises wages – all without any takeaways. This is an important step in the right direction.” - Scott Shifflet

No matter how you voted yesterday, this contract was made possible by all of our activism. A strong contract is a key step toward growing our power at PCC, raising standards for all co-op workers in Washington, and holding PCC accountable to their co-op roots.

But this doesn't stop with just ratifying our contract. We can keep this momentum going: Join your coworkers for a discussion July 15 @ 7pm on how we can use our recent wins- hazard pay, getting workers on the board, and ratifying a historic contract- to build power and continue to raise standards at PCC and within the grocery industry.

PCC Action Meeting
July 15 @ 7pm

Contact Bargaining Team member or Union Rep for meeting details.

Providence St. Peter Tech - Providence Makes Movement at the Bargaining Table but Not Enough!

After hundreds of members took action together this month to overwhelmingly authorize a strike, (Providence St. Peter’s Technical Unit, Centralia Support Service Unit/Technical Unit, and Providence Everett RNs) Providence proposes a wage scale and longevity wage increases at the bargaining table!

On June 22, our committee spent the morning identifying our priorities in order to advance our bargain to win a first and fair contract. Our team has presented a proposal which includes:

• Wage scale with longevity wage increases and cost-of-living increases all three years of the contract

• Reinstatement of our original PTO/EIB program which will ensure we receive wage replacement while we are on medical leave for ourselves and our family 

• 100% Employer paid healthcare and contract language which would prevent premium increases

• Securing our current retirement plan and contract language which would prevent reductions to contributions

• Daily overtime and overtime for hours above our FTE 

• Increase to lead pay 

Providence presented a package proposal which requires us to agree to the entirety of the proposal. Providence proposed: 

• 1.5% wage increase in Year 1 and Year 2 of a three year contract 

• Wage scale with longevity step increases in Year 2 and Year 3 of the contract 

• Current PTO plan with PTO reductions to employees with 10 years or more of service

• Preceptor pay

• Voluntary union membership

• Same insurance benefits as non-union employees and the ability to bargain over material changes

• A retirement plan that would allow Providence the ability to reduce the benefits without bargaining with the union 

Providence’s wage scale proposal was a significant win, but there is still more work to do! Our strike authorization and other actions are the reasons why we were able to obtain this proposal! We now need to fight for our EIB/PTO, a wage scale for all three years of the contract, and wage equity between new hires and senior employees. 

Striking is always our last option and our team is committed to bargaining in good faith to find solutions at the bargaining table. 

We will be at the bargaining table on July 21 and July 22. Remember if you didn’t vote please take a minute to sign a strike pledge card and attend a strike education meeting so you can better understand what it means to strike! 

In Solidarity, Your Tech Bargaining Team: Josh Wood (CT), Shapel Morgan (X-ray), Rae Lynn Korpi (RT), Colleen Castaneda (Cath Lab)

Kaiser Pro Tech/Optical and Pharmacy Update from the Alliance of Health Care Unions

Alliance presents interests and options to improve benefits, management focuses on costs and wages

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In 2020, KP asked more of health care workers than ever before. Throughout the COVID pandemic, we gave high-quality patient care and service in spite of PPE shortages and a lack of planning, systems, and protocols. Now as we are trying to recover from the stress and horror of the pandemic, KP is saying our wages are too high.

The writing is on the wall. First, Kaiser Permanente presented cherry-picked data to allege our wages are too high compared to the community. Then, when we explained to new KP managers that the bedrock of our Labor Management Partnership (LMP) is best care and best jobs, they tried to revise it to best care and average jobs.

While KP hasn’t yet presented us a proposal for the “affordability” solutions they seek, we know what they’ll look like. We sacrificed and risked - and in some cases lost - our lives during the pandemic. We will not settle for average jobs. And we don’t need to—there are many ways to address affordability if we work in partnership.

“This is a remarkably profitable, successful employer, with a workforce trying to emerge from the worst pandemic in memory – and our members have made that success possible,” said Alliance Executive Director Hal Ruddick. “We expect our members’ contributions to KP’s success and our extraordinary dedication over the last 15 months to be recognized with wage and benefit improvements.”

“After the year we’ve been through, management’s posture is hard to believe. It’s time for Alliance members to send a clear message to Kaiser Permanente leadership by taking action on June 28-30,” said UNAC/UHCP President Denise Duncan, RN.

At the most recent meeting of the national bargaining economic subcommittee on Monday, June 14, Alliance leaders shared three overarching interests on benefits: preserve industry-leading benefits, raise standards for regions or bargaining units with substandard benefits, and expand the benefit package to address new challenges and opportunities. Our bargaining team presented a comprehensive, fact-based, and interest-based overview of options for improving benefits in targeted areas of opportunity, including medical plans, increased tuition reimbursement, retiree medical, help for employees with student debt, assistance with citizenship classes and fees, and other areas.

• Help with student loans: More and more employers — like Aetna, Google, and Staples — are taking advantage of the COVID relief bill that allows them to provide employees with tax-free assistance paying off their student loan debt. In fact, KP already offers the benefit to a small group of employees.

• Increased tuition reimbursement: Alliance members’ tuition reimbursement cap has not increased in six years. Improving this benefit will help workers improve our living standards, while also helping KP prepare workers for the jobs of the future in an increasingly competitive environment.

• Aid upward mobility: Alliance members who use KP programs to upgrade their degrees or certifications frequently find they cannot put their new skills to work inside KP due to experience requirements. This barrier could be addressed with a partnership solution.

In recent bargaining years, we’ve made progress in making benefits more equitable and consistent across the organization, but gaps remain.

“In spite of the progress we’ve made, KP employees in Washington state still have benefits far below the rest of the enterprise,” said Cathy MacPhail, UFCW Local 21 Negotiator. “It’s great the Alliance is working with us to close the gap on our members’ benefits.”

“Outstanding benefits have been a hallmark of Kaiser Permanente and the labor management partnership, and a proven way to attract and retain skilled employees. This will be more important in the coming years as the shortage of health care workers intensifies,” said Micheal Barnett, president of USW 7600.

Take Action! June Actions:

June National Bargaining Tele-Town Hall - June 24th, 2021

• Session 1: 9am Pacific Time

• Session 2: 3pm Pacific Time *Time Change*

• Session 3: 6pm Pacific Time *Spanish Interpretation Available*

• Session 4: 8pm Pacific Time

Save the date for future Tele-Town Halls

• Thursday, July 22, 2021

• Thursday, August 26, 2021

• Thursday, September 23, 2021

• Thursday, October 28, 2021

1. Participate in the National Bargaining Sticker Days June 28-30

   Contact your Union Rep to get your “United for Best Jobs Best Care” stickers. When you wear them at work starting June 28, 2021, take a picture during non-work time and share your “sticker selfie” on social media with the hashtag #BestJobsBestCare

2. Sign the National Bargaining Pledge

3. Register for National Bargaining Tele-Town Halls (see dates below)