Fresenius Renal Care - Tentative Agreement Reached!

After months of bargaining we have reached a tentative agreement with Fresenius! The tentative agreement includes substantial wage and premium increases over three years and other contract improvements.

The details of the tentative agreement will be available during the online vote on September 22 from 5am-5pm.

You will receive an email from UFCW 3000 via “SimplyVoting” with your unique login information. All members in good standing are eligible to vote.

TO VOTE ONLINE: Make sure your information is up to date! In order to vote on this tentative agreement, make sure your personal email is up to date in our records. If you did not receive this announcement via email, please update your email address at: ufcw21.org/update-your-information

If you do not receive an email to vote on Thursday, September 22, please reach out to Union Rep Ryan Degouveia rdegouveia@ufcw3000.org or 360-662-1989 to provide an updated email address.

JOIN THE VOTE INFORMATION MEETING!

Wednesday, September 21
10-11:30am OR 6:30-8pm

It is important that members attend the Zoom Meeting to review the proposed contract changes and have your questions answered.

Contact a Bargaining Team member or your Union Rep for meeting details. Details will also be emailed to you.

Richland Fred Meyer Community Action

This community has our back! Give us a fair first contract!

Show your support for Richland Fred Meyer workers, join us on the sidewalk outside the Richland Fred Meyer to demand a first contract for workers at the Richland Fred Meyer.

Friday, October 7 @ 1PM

Richland Fred Meyer workers organized at the end of last year and have been bargaining with the company since early spring for a first contract.

ALSCO Linen - Bargaining Begins!

On September 6 and 8, we met with ALSCO Linen management. We were able to reach an agreement on reinstating the original seniority date for members who were laid off for more than three months due to the pandemic. These employees will start accruing their vacation time using their original date of seniority. We also were able to win annual sick time cash-out if you have over forty hours of sick time in your bank. 

We presented to management our wage, pension, and health insurance proposal on September 8. We proposed competitive wage increases which will help ALSCO recruit and retain workers. We also proposed to change our pension to a better pension plan which will result in a higher monthly pension benefit when members retire. Management asked us for more time to review the pension proposal, so we will be meeting on September 22 and 26 to continue bargaining.

On September 22 and 26, please wear your UFCW yellow shirt and support your bargaining team! It is important that we stand united in order to win competitive wage increases and a fair contract!  

Our next contract action team meeting will be on:

Friday, September 23 

Kent Commons 

525 4th Ave N

Kent, WA 98030

Olympic Room

3:00PM - 5:00PM

If you have any questions, please contact your union representative Jose Veliz 509-228-7103. 

Wildfire and Smoke Information for Workers

As our state faces wildfire season, wildfires and wildfire smoke may affect us in the workplace and at home. Below are important things to know to stay safe and enforce your rights at work. Here are the most important actions to care for yourself and your coworkers during wildfire season:

1. Report any safety concerns to your worksite safety committee & management right away, and get support from your Shop Steward and/or Union Rep if your concerns are not addressed

2. Get accommodations if needed and exercise your rights—use your sick leave if you become unwell; speak with a health care provider and use FMLA or exercise your disability rights under the ADA if you have a health condition that makes you vulnerable to wildfire smoke

3. If your home or work is affected by wildfire and financial assistance would help, speak with your Union Rep about the UFCW 3000 Membership Assistance Fund

L&I Emergency Rule for 2022 Wildfire Season

L&I has adopted an emergency rule again this year, effective June 15 through September 29, 2022, to protect workers who may be exposed to wildfire smoke on the job.

This rule requires covered employers to:

• Have a written wildfire smoke response plan.

• Determine employee smoke exposure levels before work and periodically during each shift when smoke is present.

• Train employees on wildfire smoke hazards.

• Train supervisors on how to respond to health issues caused by wildfire smoke.

• Inform employees of available protective measures against wildfire smoke.

Further requirements will depend on the level of smoke in the air, or the Air Quality Index (AQI)—read the summary or full emergency rules above for information, or talk with your Shop Steward or Union Rep.

Your employer may or may not be covered by the emergency rule depending on the potential for exposure to smoke in your workplace. But you should still report smoke-related safety concerns to your employer and alert your Shop Steward or Union Rep if your concerns are not addressed. The state L&I website reminds us:

“Employers are never allowed to retaliate against an employee for reporting an air quality hazard, an adverse health effect, or for seeking medical treatment due to a work-related illness or injury.”

---

Workplace Safety for Wildfire Smoke

You have the right to a safe workplace, and if wildfire smoke makes your workplace unhealthy for you, you should be able to address that with your employer and get support from your Shop Steward and/or Union Rep.

Masks

• You can wear a respirator mask at work that helps protect you against wildfire smoke.

• Most masks we wear to protect against COVID-19 do not actually protect against wildfire smoke. The right mask to protect against wildfire smoke is an N95 mask or other respirator with the same or higher level of protection. These respirator masks should have two straps and the word “NIOSH” and/or “N95” or “N100” printed on it. More information on respirators from L&I >>

Exposure to smoke

• When the air is smoky, your employer should allow workers to follow basic steps that will help prevent excessive exposure to wildfire smoke—that could include things like reassigning workers to less smoky areas or allowing for extra rest and water breaks away from smoky work areas.

Medical Leave and Accommodations

• If you or a family member gets sick because of wildfire smoke, you have the right to use Paid Sick & Safe Leave for illness

• You may also be able to use your Paid Sick & Safe Leave if your child’s school or place of care, or your worksite has been shut down by a public official due to health-related reasons resulting from exposure to wildfire smoke

• If you are vulnerable to smoky air due to an existing medical condition, talk to your health care provider about your workplace and see if they have recommendations for how to keep you safe from smoke exposure. Use FMLA if needed, or exercise your disability rights under the ADA.

---

Your Rights During Wildfires

If your workplace, home, or family are evacuated, burned, or otherwise affected by active wildfires:

With a union contract, you have “just cause” protection, meaning you should not be disciplined at work for reasonably having to deal with a circumstance outside of your control like a wildfire that affects your home, work, or commute to work

• Make sure to invoke your right to union representation if you are called into a meeting that could lead to discipline (we call these “Weingarten Rights,” read more here)

---

General Information and Resources

• Airnow.gov Federal Air Quality Information

• Washington State Air Quality Map

• L&I Information on Worker Health and Smoke/Air Quality

• Department of Health Information & FAQ on Smoke from Wildfires

• How to Keep Indoor Air Clean at Home on Smoky Days (King County Public Health)

Take Action with Organizing Starbucks Workers This Labor Day Weekend!

View fullsize

Our fellow coffee and food workers at Starbucks stores across the country have been organizing for change at work, including forming Starbucks unions, and UFCW 3000 members have been taking action alongside them here in our area. This weekend, Starbucks Workers United are asking allies to join "Sip-In" actions on Sunday and Monday, by visiting specific Starbucks locations at certain times and showing support for the organizing effort. We encourage any UFCW 3000 members to join in solidarity if you can.

More information about these actions is in the flyer and below, and further Starbucks solidarity actions are planned for later this month, on Tuesday September 13. Find that 9/13 event information on our events calendar >>.

---

When workers are organizing, especially in our region or industries, we stand with them because we know that it takes a powerful, united movement of working people to make real change. And during our contract negotiations and workplace actions, other workers, unions, and community groups stand with us.

Want to get more involved in supporting organizing efforts at Starbucks? Sign the "No Contract, No Coffee" pledge, or get in touch with your Union Rep about ways our union is supporting these workers.

---

Labor Day Weekend Actions at Seattle Starbucks Locations:

SUNDAY SEPT 4

• 11am: Broadway & Denny Sip-In

  101 Broadway E, Seattle

• Noon: University Way Sip-In

  4147 University Way NE, Seattle

MONDAY SEPT 5

• 10am: Holman Road Sip-In

  9999 Holman Rd NW, Seattle

• 2pm: Reserve Roastery Sip-In

  1124 Pike St, Seattle

How to Participate:

• Order simple drinks! Avoid Frappuccinos, Refreshers, or anything with cold foam (or just get a water if you don't want to give Howard Schultz your money)

• Give your name as: "Union Strong," "Workers Rights," "Solidarity," etc. (if you use the Starbucks app, change your name in the app, as it puts your name in automatically)

• Leave thank-you notes and words of encouragement on community boards. Tell workers how inspiring they are!

• Encourage customers to tip

• Sign the "No Contract, No Coffee" pledge

Mason General Professional, Technical, Business Office, Service and LPN Unit - Wage Increase Vote

Management and the Union Bargaining Committee have met and discussed ongoing wage concerns and have reached a tentative agreement on a mid-cycle wage increase. For details of the wage offer drop into one of the vote meetings.

This is a FULLY RECOMMENDED TENTATIVE AGREEMENT!

For additional information reach out to a bargaining team member or your union representative Brandan Zielinski @206-436-6603 or bzielinski@ufcw3000.org

Upcoming Contract Vote Meetings

Friday, September 9, 2022

10:00AM - 1:00PM

3:00PM - 5:00PM

Mason General Hospital

901 Mountain View Drive

Shelton, WA, 98584

Pershing Room

To vote you must be a union member in good standing.

If you did not receive this notice by email, update your contact information here.

Sequim School District Maintenance - The District Makes Positive Moves, Except for Wages

Our first day of bargaining with the District had its positive points, a modest increase to the clothing allowance, movement towards being able to cash out some vacation time, adding Juneteenth as a holiday, and an exchange of ideas about improving safety. But that was soured by disappointment on wages. We don’t think that the employer heard us when we talked about needing better wages to pay our bills and getting serious about providing real money to workers taking positions of increased responsibilities and training.

We will be back bargaining again on September 14, so stay tuned because we might need to take action to make sure the District hears us.

Your Bargaining Team: Tharon Iverson, Aaron Colwill, Joe Gordon, Erik Cisneros

“Why take on new responsibilities for just a little extra money?”

— Joe Gordon, Bargaining Committee Member

Forks Community Hospital (Technical and Service) - Wage increase vote

Forks Community Hospital Technical and Service
Wage Increase Vote

Management and the Union Bargaining Committee have met and discussed ongoing wage concerns and have reached a tentative agreement on a mid-cycle wage increase. For details of the wage offer drop into one of the vote meetings. This is a fully recommended tentative agreement.

Join your coworkers and vote on the new wage increase:

Monday, September 12
12pm - 3pm
4pm-7pm

Forks Community Hospital - Lee Merrick Conference Room
530 Bogachiel Way, Forks WA 98331

To vote you must be a union member in good standing.

For additional information reach out to a Bargaining Team member or your Union Rep Brandan Zielinski @ 206-436-6603 or bzielinski@ufcw3000.org

If you did not receive this notice by email, update your contact information at: ufcw3000.org/update-your-information

Filson - Contract Ratification Vote Meeting

For CC Filson Union Members in Good Standing

Tuesday, September 13, 2022
11am to 3:30pm

*Updated Meeting Address!
6111 South 228th Street, 
Kent, WA, 98032 

Break Room

All the details of the proposed new contract will be available at the meeting.

Harbor Regional Heath - Fired Up & Ready for Action

Your Bargaining Team: Janet Byrd, Ricki Franklin, Dan James, Bambi Shope, Debbie Sturm.

Our Bargaining Team met with management on Friday August 26. Management made a proposal almost identical to the last one they gave us but in a different format. This time they gave a wage scale. All of the previous proposals have been percentages. They tried to make it seem like the proposal was new and wonderful, but our bargaining team spent a large part of Friday crunching the numbers and not much has changed.

Our Contract Action Team Meeting was Tuesday, August 30, and we discussed how we are going to move Management off of their ridiculous proposals. 

Everyone is fired up!!

We talked about spreading the word and getting the community involved, reaching out to other labor groups and informational pickets. 

Sign the strike pledge card to let management know you are willing to do whatever it takes to win a fair contract:

“I’m tired of seeing the same proposals, every time!” 

— Janet Byrd, Bargaining Team

Capital Medical Center RN - Bargaining for better pay, PTO, and patient safety

Capital Medical Center RN
BARGAINING FOR BETTER PAY, PTO, AND PATIENT SAFETY

On August 30, we met across the bargaining table from Capital Medical Center and proposed our economics. The market for Nurses in Washington state is evolving rapidly, and we’re holding it to Management to work with us to keep Capital Medical Center at the forefront of our needs.

Beyond the wage scale, we’ve continued to flesh out our counter proposals on PTO. Management initially brought us language to provide consistency between contracts, and we must ensure whichever plan we agree upon is equitable, and amends the ongoing concerns around benefits and accruals.

Lastly, our Bargaining Committee has been creative in our approaches to staffing and education. Although these conversations are still in their beginning stages, we know that our day-to-day lives as Nurses are about more than just pay and benefits: we must honor our safety as well as our patients!

Stay tuned for more information on joining the Contract Action Team (CAT)!

Please reach out if you have any questions or concerns to Union Rep Brandan Zielinski @ 206-436-6603 or BZielinski@ufcw3000.org

Our Capital Medical Center Bargaining Team (L - R): Steven Toff (Chair 1 Bargainer for UFCW), Bonnie Verellen (Labor & Delivery), Dennis Verellen (ICU/PCU), Cindy Dixon (PACU). Not pictured: Carol Cairone (OR) & Elisabeth Hildebrand (Cath Lab)

UFCW 3000 Stands in Solidarity with the Members of Local 555 in Bend, Oregon After Safeway Shooting

The 50,000 members of UFCW 3000 stand in solidarity with the members of UFCW local 555 who are mourning the killing of grocery store workers in Bend. All workers, including those of us in grocery stores, deserve a safe place to do our jobs.

We urge all who would like to learn more to read the statement issued by UFCW local 555.

St. Joseph Medical Center - Bargaining Continues

"After much input from our bargaining unit survey, we had meaningful conversations with Management that made headway on our collective concerns."

-Beau Chiba, SJMC Pharmacy

We met with St. Joseph Medical Center Management for our second bargaining session on August 24. While still early in this process, we were able to discuss improvements to language in your contract around discipline, grievances, workloads, and more. We look forward to future bargaining sessions, transitioning towards our economic discussions, and will meet next on Wednesday, August 31.

Join us via ZOOM for the Contract Action Team (CAT) meetings!

Thursday, September 1
7pm

Friday, September 2
1pm

Contact a Bargaining Team member or your Union Rep for meeting details. Details will also be emailed to you.

UFCW 3000 Stands with Starbucks Workers United

UFCW 3000 is disappointed to learn of the latest union-busting activity by the Starbucks Corporation, which has announced closures at ten locations which either organized or were engaged in the process of organizing with Starbucks Workers United. The company’s blatant disregard for workers’ free and fair choice to form a union is disgusting and we condemn the union-busting behavior by Howard Schultz and Starbucks management.

At UFCW 3000 we stand with the more than 200 Starbucks stores which have organized with Starbucks Workers United and will do anything we can to support the courageous workers who have stood up to this greedy corporation. We continue to wholeheartedly back these workers in their efforts to achieve a fair contract with Starbucks management. Our members and staff have walked the picket lines alongside striking Starbucks workers in Washington state and we will continue to aid them however we can.

We understand the most recent store closure in Seattle, at the Holman Road location, is slated to become a licensed location operated by the Kroger Corporation. As a result of our hard-fought victories against Kroger over the years, all workers hired into QFC stores become union members. As such, workers in the reopened location will receive the pay increases, contract, health care, pension, just cause, and other rights and benefits of a UFCW 3000 union contract. We demand that Starbucks work with Kroger to provide the Holman Road workers a just transition to the QFC-operated store and insist that any currently employed Starbucks worker be offered continued and uninterrupted employment and full credit for all time worked for Starbucks.

Furthermore, UFCW 3000 calls on Howard Schulz and Starbucks management to cease and desist from any further store closures and bargain fairly with the organized workers of Starbucks Workers United. We will continue to connect our own member leaders who work at the licensed Starbucks stores with the worker leaders of Starbucks Workers United, because when we fight together, we win. These member leaders of UFCW 3000 working inside our Starbucks union grocery stores have some of the best union contract language in the nation and it shows that a Starbucks store and a quality union contract can work just fine together.

Skagit Regional Health Bargaining Continues

On August 17th and 25th our Bargaining Team met with Management for our 12th & 13th negotiation sessions. We discussed staffing, wages and other economic issues we believe are important to all of us working for Skagit. Our team was disheartened to see Management’s economic proposal. After our bargaining session on the 17th, Management claimed “More than 80% of the bargaining unit would receive between a 4.5% and 16% increase in 2022 under our proposal.” Please read that carefully! This apparently includes market adjustments or longevity steps you have ALREADY received or are due in 2022. Increases that had to be done because SRH cannot attract and retain new workers in many departments.

The truth is they offered a fixed base wage increase of 3% in year 1 and a total increase of 7.5% to cover a proposed nearly three-and-a-half-year term. While we continue to push for additional market adjustments and believe those are important, the Employer’s base wage proposal averages less than 2.5% per year. Our Union Bargaining Team does not believe such a proposal is a serious attempt by Management to remedy staffing shortages or creates a compensation package competitive enough to attract new workers. We also believe it is unfair to existing employees who are experiencing increased housing, food, gas and living costs.

In addition to the economic proposals, our Bargaining Team continues to push for agreements regarding safe staffing practices, including rest between shifts, limitations on the amount of standby employees must work or time they may be held over the end of their shift, and compensation for per diems in order to make SRH more competitive in attracting additional help. We also made proposals we believe are important reflections of the organization’s claim to be more inclusive like requirements to have Spanish and Russian speaking interpreters available at the Hospital to assist us with patient care. We proposed adding Juneteenth as a holiday, an already federally recognized holiday, but it was rejected by Management. Skagit Regional Health tells us they value diversity-but they are yet to show it. Upcoming bargaining sessions will be September 2, 8, and 14.

Our team will continue to fight for wage increases for all classifications as well as ways to address staffing and safety issues. We will continue to bargain in good faith but we need to hear from you.

NOW IS THE TIME TO GET INVOLVED WITH OUR UNION!

Join us in Solidarity at our next Contract Action Team meeting on August 31 at 1pm via Zoom, Or at 6pm in person at UFCW 3000 Union Office, 1510 N 18th Street, Mt Vernon.

RSVP to the online meeting ▸

We demand Skagit Regional Health pay us higher wages and create a great work life balance environment!

Add your name to our petition! bit.ly/skagit-petition-sign

WhidbeyHealth - Management Rejects Union Proposal

On August 25, we met with WhidbeyHealth management for our second bargaining session regarding the wage reopener for the Pros/Techs/LPNs and Support Services. Management rejected our across-the-board 25% wage increase proposal. They told our team that they believe their targeted market adjustments on July 31 is the first step to helping resolve retention and recruitment issues.

Management used Jefferson Healthcare and Island Hospital wage rates to create their wage scale. We are encouraged that some have received a substantial increase, but others received between a 0% to 2% increase. We need equitable pay for all workers!

We have been below market for several years, in some classifications by more than 20%. Union members organizing pushed Management to announce the July 31 increases. We have been asking Management for several months for competitive pay to resolve our recruitment and retention issues.

We have asked Management to revisit our proposal and expect them to respond with a proposal that addresses our concerns. Our next bargaining session is on September 23 and have requested to meet sooner. We have also asked Management to send their proposal prior to the meeting to expedite the bargaining process.

If you have any questions, please reach out to your bargaining team members or union representative, Celia Ponce-Sanchez.

Your bargaining committee,

Jennifer MacNeill, Rosalie Nguyen, Qiana Johnson, Marilyn Faber, Gwendolyn Cole, Lisa Olds, Marty Riley, Elke Rogers

Capital Medical Center RN Bargaining Update

We had two more bargaining sessions with Management where we got a few more tentative agreements. We spent a lot of time talking about PTO. Management wants to keep us in alignment with all of the other MultiCare facilities, which we are okay with but they also need to recognize we are our own bargaining unit with our own needs.

We, as a Bargaining Team, want to be sure that none of us are left behind. If Management wants to make changes and put us in alignment, we want to make sure that all our coworkers are coming out on top.

“Things are moving in bargaining, but it seems like we have more questions for Management than what they are giving us. We need more answers from Management so we can get more done.” – Elisabeth Hildebrand, Cath Lab

“Management has made proposals around PTO that leaves some of our coworkers behind. We want to make sure none of our coworker are left behind!” – Cindy Dixon, PACU

LabCorp - What is our union doing to make our workplace better?

What is our union doing to make our workplace better?

We have several grievances currently ongoing including the payroll crisis, the missing 401k contributions, and mandatory overtime. We’ve demanded to bargain the installation of GPS trackers on the courier vehicles. We’re also working to resolve ongoing issues, such as:

• Inappropriate and false messaging - Yes, the contract says they can give you a raise!

• New employee orientation - LabCorp says it’s too difficult to email the agreed-upon union welcome letter to the new hires.

• Unknowingly reassigned job descriptions/classifications other than what you were hired for

• Difficulties in taking breaks/lunches

• And much more!

Earn dues credit if you’ve been with LabCorp for less than 6 months! Attend a virtual New Member Meeting and receive a $50.00 credit towards your initiation fee. It’s only half an hour and you’ll learn a lot of your valuable rights, protections, and benefits that will help and protect you. Sign up at: ufcw21.org/new-members

If the online New Member Meeting schedule does not work for you, call Union Rep Christie Harris @ 206-436-6606 to do a one-on-one anytime via online, phone, or in person!

We’re continuing to build our power for more fair and just workplaces. At our next monthly virtual meeting, Sunday, August 28, we will strategize a plan to win a strong contract next year, including substantial wage increases to recruit and retain staff. Improvements will be on the table, such as:

• An option to take home your courier vehicle

• Stronger protections against mandatory overtime

• More affordable health care

• Better call-in pay/language

• And much more!

Join your coworkers for the next virtual meeting! All questions are welcomed and encouraged. Go to the URL next to the meeting time that you will attend.

Sunday, August 28
10am and 6:30pm
Contact Christie Harris for meeting details. Check your email for the direct links!

Stay up to date with the information that impacts your workplace. Scan the QR code to join our private Facebook group page!

Your Weingarten Rights: If you’re called into a meeting that you think could lead to discipline, STOP! Ask for union representation. “I request a union representative during this meeting. If you accuse me or ask me questions I believe may lead to my discipline, I have a right not to answer those questions and will continue to ask for a union representative until you comply with my request.”

Fresenius Renal Care - Bargaining Update

Workers at Fresenius are standing up against low wages!

Many Fresenius workers have signed the petition asking management for fair wages and to respect the work we do!

Let management know that we need to be treated with respect!

If you have not signed the petition, here is the link:

Representatives from UFCW and WSNA are working together! Both the Techs and the Nurses are in bargaining and at both bargains it is clear that management isn’t worried about our low wages and serious staffing issues.

So we have started a second petition that is for community, family and friends to let them know what we need from Fresenius!

Sign the community petition below:

If you have need additional information, reach out to Union Representative Ryan Degouveia 360-662-1989 or rdegouveia@ufcw3000.org

If you or a coworker are not getting emails from us, use this link to update your contact information:

www.ufcw21.org/update-your-information

Harbor Regional Health - Management is Unprepared

Your Bargaining Team: Janet Byrd, Ricki Franklin, Dan James, Bambi Shope, Debbie Sturm.

Our bargaining team was scheduled to meet with management on Friday. The bargaining team met at 9:00am and waited for management’s proposal. Management contacted us around 11:00am and said they were working on a complex counter proposal and wouldn’t be able to get it to us that day.

They had three weeks to get ready! Yet again they came to bargaining unprepared!

Hundreds of workers are relying on management to do what’s right and pay them what they deserve.

We do our jobs—management needs to do theirs!

We need management to see we are prepared to do what it takes to get this contract. Talk to your coworkers about signing the strike pledge card.

Join us for our next Contract Action Team Meeting

Tuesday, August 30 • 6:00 PM

Duffy’s

1605 Simpson Avenue

Aberdeen, WA 98520

See you there!