St. Joseph Medical Center Technical - Bargaining Continues

“Progress at the bargaining table has moved at unprecedented speed! However, important issues such as call/standby remain unresolved.”

Our Bargaining Team: Vanessa Giles (Surgical Tech), Kat Wood (Radiology Tech), Michelle Gilmore (Respiratory Therapist), Monica DeWitt (Pharmacy Tech), Sissy Allison (Surgical Tech)

Our Union Bargaining Team met with St. Joseph Medical Center management again on February 22, 23 and March 2 to continue negotiations for our successor contract.

Understanding the need for swift action to stay competitive, contract negotiations began earlier than ever before. The employer, in their own proposals, quickly demonstrated that they shared our Bargaining Team’s sense of urgency to make changes to help recruit and retain high quality staff.

That doesn’t mean that we can only focus on wages and overlook the other important issues we face for the sake of speed. The Bargaining Team has been working to address other issues such as low census, the overuse of travelers, posting of FTE’s where needed, our slow grievance process, and much more.

We have made significant progress on the above issues, which is why our Bargaining Team decided to give management our initial economic proposal on February 23. We crafted our proposal after conducting a comprehensive market analysis that included a review of competitors such as MultiCare Tacoma General, Providence St. Peters, UW Valley Medical Center, and Swedish Medical Center.

One of the major factors considered was MultiCare’s move to eliminate all ghost steps (years with 0% increases) during their last round of negotiations. This has made it difficult for St. Joseph Medical Center to recruit and retain staff when healthcare workers know they can move down the street and get paid higher, years earlier than under our current wage structure. Thankfully, the employer agreed with our Bargaining Team’s assessment and has agreed with our proposal to eliminate all ghost steps! However, management’s plan to eliminate ghost steps is different from the Union’s, so more time will be needed to reconcile our differences.

We have also been holding management accountable to the concerning exodus of Anesthesiologist, which are required for many departments to function. Our Bargaining Team has brought the issue up at EVERY bargaining session with management reassuring us that the issue is being handled and that there is nothing to worry about. However, we haven’t seen any substantive changes that indicate that the issue has been resolved, so we will continue to discuss this issue at the bargaining table until we are confident the hospital has a good plan to handle the matter.

Our Bargaining Team will meet with management again on March 17, 24, 28 and 30 with our contract scheduled to expire on April 1. Stay tuned for further updates as bargaining progresses.

AW Rehn contract proposal meeting

contract proposal meeting

Thursday, March 30, 2023 at 5:30pm

UFCW 3000 Office 2805 N. Market St. Spokane WA 99207

Please attend so that you can have input on the terms and conditions in your Union Contract.

If you have questions contact our Rep Mark Hansen 509-340-7406

Ray's Meats Tentative Agreement Reached! Contract Vote Scheduled!

Ray’s Meats

Tentative Agreement reached! Contract votes scheduled!

Highlights include:

• Significant Wage Increases

• Affordable Health & Welfare

Contract vote details:

Thursday, March 23, 2023

8:00Am—10:00Am

Ray’s Meats, 2113 3rd Ave, Yakima WA 98903

All members in good standing are eligible to vote on the contract offer. If you have questions contact our Rep Pete Nunez at 509-340-7396

Genes Home Owned Grocery and Meat Tentative Agreement Reached!

Tentative Agreement reached! Contract votes scheduled!

Highlights include:

• Permanent Hazard Pay for members hired on or before date of ratification

• Wage Increases

• Added Pension Security

• Affordable Health & Welfare

Contract vote details:

Wednesday, March 22, 2023
6:00pm—8:00pm 
Hometown Pizza, 740 Riverside Dr, Omak, WA 98841

All members in good standing are eligible to vote on the contract offer. If you have questions contact our Rep Tammerly Evans at 425-760-7225

Alsco Linen - CONTRACT RATIFIED!

Our Bargaining Team:

Eli Rivera, Terry Truong Nguyen

After 7 months of negotiations, members at ALSCO Linen overwhelmingly voted YES to approve the new contract with ALSCO.

The new contract includes:

• Historic wage increases

• Shortened eligibility time for health insurance

• Improved and secured pension

• Reinstated seniority and vacation accruals to workers who were affected by covid layoffs

• Sick leave payout option

• First ever Union Leave language

• Increased timelines for grievance process

Questions about the contract? Or want to continue to help build a stronger union?

Join us for an online training on Tuesday, April 4, 2023 where we will review our basic contractual and legal rights as union members and learn about special rights that apply when we are acting as Shop Stewards.

Tuesday, April 4, 2023

• 10:00 AM–11:30 AM

• 3:00 PM–4:30 PM

• 7:00 PM–8:30 PM

Use the QR code to register online, or contact your union representative to sign up!

ACME Farms + Kitchen ACME Workers Ratify First Contract!

ACME Farms + Kitchen ACME Workers Ratify First Contract!

On Friday, March 3, 2023 ACME workers overwhelmingly ratified the first contract. This one-year contract had big wins like:

• Wage Scales for all union jobs with increases based on length of service. Including language that moves the wage scale up when minimum wage goes up.

• Time-and-one-half for:

  • More than 9 hours worked in a day.

  • Work performed on holidays that ACME is operating.

  • All shifts during inclement weather events where ACME members commute to work.

• Paid holiday benefits.

• Paid time off:

  • 5 personal days a year.

  • 40 hours of vacation in the first year of employment, 80 hours for 1-4 years, & 120 hours for 5+ years (earned as you work).

  • Paid sick leave. Plus quarantine pay.

  • 7 paid days for bereavement leave for those that have more than 90+ days of employment.

• Protections from unjust termination.

• Seniority rights for hours and recall from layoff.

There are many other benefits to union members. Make sure you get signed-up as a union member right away. To get copies of the vote documents contact our Union Rep Aisha Womack at 360-419-4681.

Mariners Retail Workers Tentative Agreement Reached!

Mariners Retail Workers

Tentative Agreement Reached! Contract vote scheduled

Our Union Bargaining Team has reached a tentative agreement with Seattle Mariners Management that includes 9.25%—11.13% pay increase! Additional gains includes:

• Increased pay for special events

• Higher discounts on Merchandise

• Nine holidays that include holiday-pay when worked

• Progressive discipline language that keeps our jobs protected

• Complimentary game tickets

• Orca passes and more!

CONTRACT VOTE details:

Saturday, March 18 from 1PM to 2PM

at T-Mobile Park – Ellis Room (accessible from the Lobby at the Third Base Entry)

Retail staff have an in-person staff training on March 18 that is scheduled to end at 1pm. After the training, please come to the Ellis Room at T-Mobile Park between 1PM and 2PM to vote on our contract, (accessible from the Lobby at the Third Base Entry). Union Representatives will be available to walk us through our contract and answer any questions we have on the new contract language! If you have questions contact our Union Rep Mohamed Bonah at 206-436-6514.

Welcome to Our Union: Mfused Workers Won Their Union Election!

MFused workers posted their win to social media

We are excited to announce that workers at Mfused have won their union election to become a part of UFCW Local 3000! This is the first cannabis processor/producer in Washington State to have its workers go union! Mfused cannabis oil cartridges are sold in most dispensaries across the state. The workers do just about everything at Mfused; lab work, production, delivery driving, and marketing! Stay tuned as the workers and our bargaining staff start the process of bargaining their first union contract. Congratulations!

UFCW 3000 Member Story: Krystal Krotzer

Krystal Krotzer beams over the win of retro pay for her and her coworkers!

Shop steward Krystal Krotzer works as a pharmacy tech for Kaiser Permanente in Spokane. As a leader, Krystal took on an arduous fight with her union rep to get Kaiser to make good on owed retroactive pay dating back to December 2021. She helped gather evidence for the group grievance and didn’t give up until her coworkers got paid. Moving forward Krystal’s stewardship will be much appreciated by her fellow Kaiser union members. Good work Krystal!

Kaiser Permanente - PSP and Retention Bonuses

Kaiser Permanente
PSP and Retention Bonuses

You should have received your PSP payout! In the National Alliance Agreement, we won language which guarantees $200 per goal met at TARGET, even when the KP financial gate is not met. In Washington, the PSP payout is between $400 and $600 depending on your 2022 attendance and is broken down like this:

The Five Goals

1. Affordability
   Everyone receives $200

2. Workplace Violence Prevention Training
   Everyone receives $200

3. Quality (DREs)
   Goal not met $0

4. Service (QR codes)
   Goal not met $0

5. Attendance
   If you personally met target for unprotected ill time used in 2022, you received $200

To reach the PSP goal for attendance and receive a $200 payout for 2022, you must have achieved either Target or Stretch:

• Threshold: 2.0% or less of unprotected time taken off $0

• Target: 1.4% or less of unprotected time taken off

• Stretch: 1.16% of unprotected ill time taken

If you reach one of these goals or a number in between, you received one $200 payout for attendance. You will not receive more than one $200 payout if you reach Target or Stretch.

---

Note: Unprotected ill time is defined as time off not approved by Management such as an unscheduled absence. Protected sick leave under a federal, state, city, or contractual leave of absence such as PSL, WPFML, Matrix, FMLA, Leave of Absence, etc. is protected.

“Unscheduled time off is considered excessive if it occurs more than 6 times during a year, or more than 3% of the employees work time.”

(See Article 12.02.2 for Pharmacy and Article 13.02 for Pro-Tech/Optical of the UFCW 3000—Kaiser Permanente contract.)

---

Retention bonus coming soon!

These bonuses are a result of union members mobilizing and speaking out. Advocacy won the $500 bonus here is Washington State! But this is not enough. We need a comprehensive, long term solution including wage adjustments, training programs and conditions that cause people to quit. While a one-time bonus is a positive step, we know the cure is going to require much more, and we won’t rest until we achieve a full solution for our patients and union members.

For additional information, please reach out to Contract Specialist, Penny Manker @ 425-306-1357 OR Union Rep Lauren Van Wormer (effective Tuesday, March 7) @ 206-436-6584.

Mariners Retail Workers - Tentative Agreement Reached! Your Bargaining Team Recommends a “YES” Vote

Congratulations on your FIRST UNION CONTRACT! We have reached a tentative agreement with the Seattle Mariners that includes between 9.25% increase and a 11.13% pay increase over the life of the contract, depending on your position with the Mariners. Increased pay for special events including the All-Star Game, World Series Games and American League Championship Games held in Seattle. 50% off meals and 30% off merch. Protections for you that include: progressive discipline language, grievances, Air-quality and other weather related protections, and MORE!

Year-round employees will receive: An unlimited Orca pass and 4 complimentary tickets PER GAME, Healthcare for 1k or more hours worked in a year. 9 paid holidays!

Seasonal employees will receive: 4 complimentary game tickets per month, holiday pay including for Memorial Day, July 4th and Labor Day. Free ORCA transit for commuting to work shifts. 

What’s next? We are working with the Mariners to schedule a day for you to VOTE on your NEW contract and will be reaching out to you again with a vote day. On that day we will walk you through your entire new contract!

Safe Staffing Bill SB 5236 Passes Senate Ways & Means Committee

We’re writing with an update on the progress of Senate Bill 5236 – our bill to create safe staffing standards in Washington.

Last Friday, the Senate Ways and Means Committee voted to pass an amended version of SB 5236. It is worth celebrating that this bill is continuing to move forward through the legislative process, even as we know the fight for a strong version with meaningful enforcement provisions is ongoing. At this point, a few senators have prevented us from implementing statewide safe staffing standards across the board as initially proposed. Despite this, the committee did amend SB 5236 to strengthen staffing committees and improve enforcement, setting a solid foundation for us to keep fighting for safe staffing standards. We’re confident this agreement gets us closer to enforceable staffing standards by establishing penalties for hospitals that continue to violate staffing plans, and under the amended bill, if hospitals continue those violations, they would be subject to Labor and Industries’ strict enforcement of safe staffing standards.

The most important thing for all healthcare workers to know is that negotiations at the Capitol around this bill – what staffing standards and enforcement will look like – are ongoing as we speak, and state senators need to hear loud and clear from their constituents that this bill should stay as strong as possible. 

There is still time for hospital lobbyists to try to weaken the bill, but that means there is also time for us to make our voices heard. Contacting your senator, and encouraging your coworkers, family, friends, and community to do so as well, is the main way we can keep up the pressure. Share your experiences with short-staffing and what it means for your patients. Let them know what the current lack of accountability around staffing plans looks like day to day. Make it clear that their constituents are paying attention and demanding action.

• Contact your state senator directly–find their name and contact information here.

• Or leave a voice message for your state senator via the legislative hotline: 1-800-562-6000.

Our next hurdle will be to get SB 5236 passed off the Senate floor by March 8th. We thank Sen. June Robinson for being our legislative champion on behalf of Washington’s healthcare workers and Sen. Christine Rolfes, who chairs the Ways and Means Committee, for keeping the focus on this bill until it was voted out of committee.

Your work and advocacy up to this point have been invaluable. We encourage you to continue reaching out to your Legislators to urge them to pass SB 5236.

Acme Farms + Kitchen Contract Vote Rescheduled

Acme Farms & Kitchen

VOTE MEETING RESCHEDULED

On Wednesday, February 8 our union bargaining committee reached a tentative agreement for the first Acme Farms & Kitchen Union contract! This tentative agreement is unanimously recommended contract by our Union Bargaining Committee for a “yes” vote at the ratification meeting now RESCHEDULED for Friday, March 3, 2023 at 3:30pm. It includes:

• Wage Scales for all union jobs with increases

• based on length of service.

• Paid holiday benefits.

• Paid vacation benefits.

• Protections from unjust termination.

• Many other benefits to all employees.

In-Person Contract Vote Details:

Rescheduled Vote: Due to the COVID-19 outbreak at the worksite and the Employer’s closure of the warehouse, the contract ratification vote, has been rescheduled for:

Friday March 3, 2023 at 3:30pm

909 Squalicum Way, Unit 104 Bellingham, WA 98225

All eligible current bargaining unit members are eligible to vote. Full details of the contract will be available in a vote summary document and the full version of the tentative agreement.

Alsco Linen - Tentative Agreement Reached—Vote Scheduled!

We have reached a tentative agreement with ALSCO. When we first started bargaining, our goal was to win competitive wage increases, maintain our healthcare, improve our pension and to reinstate seniority and vacation accruals prior to covid layoffs.

We continued pushing the Company and were finally able to settle on competitive wages, maintained our health insurance with improved eligibility, and improved and secured our retirement.

Other wins include:

• Improved layoff language

• Reinstated seniority and vacation accruals to those affected by covid layoffs

• Improved New Employee Orientation language

• First ever Union Leave language

• Increased timelines for grievance process

• Sick leave payout option

• New improved vacation payout

• An additional floating holiday for workers hired after 2019

We will be going over the details of the agreement during our in-person vote! Join us:

Tuesday, February 28

2:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Breakroom at ALSCO

The Bargaining Committee is recommending a YES vote!

UFCW 3000 members in good standing are encouraged to attend a meeting, ask questions, and vote on the contract. Contact a Bargaining Committee member or your Union Representative for any questions.

St. Joseph Medical Center Technical - Cautiously Optimistic—Bargaining Continues

“As a team, we’re fighting for every bargaining unit member at the table. We’re very encouraged with our progress and look forward to back-to-back bargaining dates with Management this week.”

Our Bargaining Team: Vanessa Giles (Surgical Tech), Kat Wood (Radiology Tech), Michelle Gilmore (Respiratory Therapist), Monica DeWitt (Pharmacy Tech), Sissy Allison (Surgical Tech)

Our Union contract is scheduled to expire soon, giving us the opportunity to engage in contract negotiations with our employer for better wages and working conditions.

Our Bargaining Team began preparations last year and then met with the employer for the first time on January 5, much earlier than in previous years. At that session we provided the Employer with ALL our non-economic proposals. The team wanted to give the employer as much as possible upfront as to avoid any possible delay in our fight for a fair contract.

We then met with the Employer again on February 16 to receive their counter proposal. The team was pleasantly surprised by the Employers response, which included significant movement not usually shown in an initial response. In fact, we already have a tentative agreement on improvements to our low census process and are close to reaching agreements on other important issues.

The Employer’s proposal may be a signal that they are willing to work with the Union towards a mutually agreeable settlement without delay. However, we all must remain prepared to take action if the conditions at the bargaining table sour. While we are cautiously optimistic about our upcoming meetings with management, our Bargaining Team remains prepared to take action if necessary to win the contract that we deserve.

St. Michael Medical Center - Protech Bargaining Continues

Our Bargaining Team: Paul Harris, ER Tech; Chris Young, Transport; Don Szabo, Lead Medical Imaging; Rob Shauger, CNA 8th floor; Angela Roberson, Heart and Vascular; Connie Baker, RT; Kain McLeod, Pharm Technician

After evaluating the issues of the workplace and listing to you, our coworkers We have met with management for the first time and presented our non-economic language proposals. We had good discussion and look forward to start talking about wages the next time we meet.  

“After the first day of sitting across the table with management I am hopeful that they have heard our concerns and will respond positively. It’s time for management recognizes that we are the ones who do the work everyday and they need to respect our voices and our experience.” 

— Don Szabo, Lead Medical Imaging  

We are just beginning but if you want to be connected and get more information, please join one of our Contract Action Team meetings!

Thursday, February 23, 2022

10:00 AM • 7:00 PM

In-Person:

UFCW Silverdale office  

3888 NW Randall Way #105, Silverdale, Wa. 98383

Or join by Zoom:

https://zoom.us/join

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

Remembering Candice Hemphill

Over the decades, Candice Hemphill was a leader in this union, her union. As a Macy’s worker, she felt a connection with co-workers and customers. What she demanded at work was respect from her employer, and at the most basic level, that respect is what she fought for. The headline of her column in a local paper in 2018 read “Macy’s workers unite for better working conditions and respect.” That says a lot about how she approached union activism. A call for unity. A call for better conditions at work, the place where we spend a large part of our lives. That call for respect, something that does not cost the employer anything, is often hard to get an employer to understand; but time after time Ms. Candice succeeded in making sure that it was heard.

Candice’s efforts toward worker solidarity took place in a consistent, relentless, and effective manner year after year. Whether it was coming to a large training of union stewards, getting co-workers to wear MACY’S UNITED buttons (like in the picture below) during a nationwide Macy’s action, or speaking at a national press conference, she was both fierce and friendly. It was those two things that would often make her so effective and so inspiring to others. Her smile would welcome everyone into the group; her ability to stare anyone down would show that she meant business. Her persistence demonstrated to everyone that she was not going to be ignored or worn out.

Here Canide has covered her sweater in Macy’s United Buttons, making it easier for her to hand them out to co-workers and to make a statement to everyone about our collective activism.

For those of us who knew her, we know how lucky we are. We were blessed by her energy, her smile, her empathetic nature, and her sense of humor and wit – a  comment delivered with a sly grin provided just the right medicine after a long day of bargaining or a cold and rainy leaflet action. Last but surely not least was her sense of style and fashion that would outshine most of us any day of the week, no one else could wear warm layers on a 75-degree day like Candice.

Stories about her activism come to mind quickly when looking back over the years. She helped win advances and protections in her Macy’s contract, bargain after bargain. She was one of many members of our union who serve on bargaining committees, sitting across the table from the employer, pushing for progress. Despite not being able to return to work at Macy’s in 2021 because of the pandemic and her health she still served on Macy’s bargaining committee and led her coworkers to take repeated action to fight for a fair contract.  She did all of that by calling and texting her coworkers remotely, which is why Candice is one of the most gifted labor organizers ever. That’s the kind of member-led union Candice wanted and it is the union she helped build.

Candice also attended community meetings, rallies, marches, and events to build a bigger and more powerful movement. After having pushed for Paid Sick Days for years in contract negotiations, Candice was one of the hundreds of our union members who helped qualify the Paid Sick and Safe Leave/Higher Minimum Wage Initiative in 2016 and then made sure voters passed it into law. That one law has changed the lives of hundreds of thousands of workers who needed Paid Sick & Safe Time.

At an event in 2015, Candice got up in front of a large audience and did what she did so well. She told her story in a way that made others want to be part of the change that needed to happen. Here is what she said:

“Good evening. It is an honor to be here tonight and to speak with you all. Let’s talk for a minute about the struggle for fairness. Our successes that have taken place and those which have yet come to pass. It means so much to me, to workers everywhere, to our customers, and everyone in the community.

My name in Candice and I love helping people. I love my co-workers and I love my family. I also love my union UFCW 21. I love justice.

I have a weakened immune system that makes it dangerous for me to get sick or be exposed to people who are sick. So if I, or one of my co-workers is sick, I need to make sure we are all safe. I need people to be able to stay home, rest, drink plenty of fluids, and get well before they return to work. Not come to work sick so they don’t miss a day’s pay. 

But I also understand that is a false choice to put before someone who has to pay the rent.

I need parents to be able to stay at home and care for a child when they are ill and not send that kid to school so they can go to work themselves because they don’t have paid sick days. But I understand that parent also needs to provide for that child’s well-being with food, shelter, and clothing and may not be able to forgo a day or two of pay to care for a sick family member.

We need this injustice resolved.

My health and well-being is connected to all of you. And your health and well-being is connected to thousands of others in the community. Where we work. Where children go to school and play. The library, the community pool. The grocery store. The bus. The restaurant. The movie theater. We are literally all connected in our community. One person’s fate touches everyone else.

That is why we have fought for and continue to press on for paid sick leave for all.  We have not won it yet. But we have been denied justice before and fought on. That is how we won it in Seattle. That is why I joined our US Senator Patty Murray on a press conference call to advocate for national paid sick and safe leave. That is why I have gone to our state’s capital to push for a new state law. That is why we will keep it up TOGETHER to win where we can win and keep pushing elsewhere. Thank you.”

Thirteen months after she gave that speech, we passed Paid Sick and Safe Leave for all in Washington.

We know that Candice will be dearly missed by her former co-workers, her union colleagues, all her friends, and family members including nieces and nephews to whom she was a dear Auntie. You are in our thoughts and prayers. 

ALSCO - Strike Vote - Enough is enough

ALSCO - STRIKE VOTE
Enough is enough

We have been at the bargaining table since September 2022. During this time, we have told ALSCO that employees must work two jobs to make ends meet and many employees are considering leaving ALSCO for higher paying jobs and jobs with safer working conditions.

ALSCO continues to propose increases to our health insurance, below market wage increases, and refuses to improve our retirement pension. Enough is enough! We are committed to bargaining in good faith, but we believe it is time to take action so ALSCO understands we are unwilling to agree to their current proposals.

On February 23, we will be voting to authorize a strike unless ALSCO proposes a fair contract which we can ratify on February 21, our next bargaining session.

ALSCO, do better by your employees. We deserve a fair and competitive contract.

Strike Vote
Join coworkers and vote to authorize a strike.

Thursday, February 23
1pm-5pm

Hampton Inn Kent - Mt. Rainier Conference Room, 21109 - 66th Ave S., Kent, WA 98032

Macy’s - Negotiations Underway

Macy’s
Negotiations Underway

On February 14, we met with Macy’s Management for the first time and presented them with proposals to improve:

• Scheduling

• Holidays (including the ongoing issue of the MLK day PTO)

• And security and safety in the workplace that would enhance protections in the store from unruly and even violent members of the public, and require de-escalation and anti-bias training for all employees that are more than just a computer module we complete once a year.

We also had discussions about the Draw v. Commission system, and flex colleagues being assigned shifts. Macy’s didn’t have proposals for us, as they wanted to respond to our initial proposals. Our committee is going to meet again to finalize more proposals on February 24, in anticipation of our next bargaining session on February 28, and March 1.

“At all our stores, our personal security is increasingly at risk. Today we made proposals to help make sure we are safe at work. I hope Macy’s management takes them seriously.”

- Curtisy Bryant, Impulse and Benefits Counter Manager, Southcenter Store