VMFH St. Joseph Medical Center (Technical) - Bargaining Continues

VMFH St. Joseph Medical Center (Technical)
Bargaining Continues

Our Union Bargaining Team met with St. Joseph Medical Center Management again on March 2, 17, 24, 28 and 30 to continue negotiations for our successor contract.

We continue to make remarkable progress this bargaining cycle with many important issues resolved in record time. Tentative agreements include improved language on:

• Union Rep access to the medical center

• New hire orientation (NEO)

• Preceptor

• Discipline / personnel files

• Donning & doffing

• Layoff

• Low Census

• Shift differential

• Certification pay

• Bereavement leave

• Grievance

• Successorship

• And much more!

However, we have yet to reach an agreement on wages, healthcare, standby/call, and other differentials. Wages are the biggest hold up because we are working on designing an entirely new wage scale that eliminates ghost steps (years with a 0% increase) and enables members to get to the top of the wage scale earlier in their career.

While the Employer has agreed conceptually to our proposal, we remain apart on the scale cadence (increases between steps, how members progress up the scale). There are significant implications with the proposed changes to our wage scale and our Bargaining Team wants to thoughtfully review each proposal from the Employer to ensure that everyone will receive a fair market competitive wage increase.

While we hoped to have an agreement before contract expiration (April 1), the complexities of the proposed scale changes have caused necessary delays in the process. In the meantime, we have signed a contract extension agreement through the end of this month to ensure that all our contractual benefits and protections continue as we move forward with negotiations.

We also continued to discuss the concerning developments regarding the mass exodus of anesthesiologist and the impact on our members ability to work. Unfortunately, we have not received any firm answers from the Employer on how this issue will be resolved. Our Bargaining Team will continue challenging Management on this issue until we have the answers we need.

We are scheduled to meet with the Employer again tomorrow for a marathon session. It is possible that we’ll have a tentative agreement and subsequent vote after tomorrow, however, that will only happen if the offer on the table meets the needs of all bargaining unit members.

“We are fighting to ensure that EVERY member will receive a fair wage increase with our new contract!”

—St. Joseph Medical Center Bargaining Team: Vanessa Giles (Surgical Tech), Kat Wood (Radiology Tech), Michelle Gilmore (Respiratory Therapist), Monica DeWitt (Pharmacy Tech), Sissy Allison (Surgical Tech)

Lourdes Counseling Center - Per Diem - Tentative agreement reached

Lourdes Counseling Center - Per Diem
Tentative agreement reached

There will be a vote for all per diem employees to review and vote on our new contract Tuesday, April 18 @ 11am—1pm in the large conference room.

Our contract includes job security, guaranteed wage increases each year, grievance process, and more!

All documents will be available at the vote and Union Reps will be there to answer any questions you may have.

QUESTIONS? Please contact Union Rep Juanita Quezada @ 509-340-7407.

EvergreenHealth Kirkland - UFCW 3000 Bargaining Team Meets With Evergreen Management!

It’s time for change. We feel unappreciated, underpaid and understaffed. 

Our Union Bargaining Team met Friday, March 31 and made initial non-economic proposals. Management did not respond to any proposals made, but committed to review. 

We are scheduled to bargain again on April 12. The Bargaining Team is now focused on fine-tuning economic proposals in anticipation of our next session. 

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Meet Our Union Bargaining Team:

Front Row: Kim Mitchell, Labor and Delivery Surg Tech; Justy Hedrick, CT Tech; Desiree Huttinger, Cardiology Tech; Back Row: Jack Crow, UFCW 3000 Rep.; Jennifer Bradshaw, Mammo Tech; David Dimalanta, Rad Tech; Chris Dizon, Echo Tech; James Kerr, OR Surg Tech. Not Pictured: Anna Hennager, Respiratory Care; Kevin Daly, Lab Med Tech

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“If you have any issues, come to me and I will do my best to bring your thoughts to the Bargaining Team. I’m always willing to facilitate ideas.”

— DAVID DIMALANTA, Surg Tech, 8 years

“I wanted to be on the Bargaining Team because I want to help my team. We started to fall apart when we went through Covid. We need to focus more on retention. The hospital could do a better job and that is what I am hoping for.”

— JUSTY HEDRICK, CT Tech, 5 years

“Now is such an important time. There are so many things that we need, and I wanted to be on the Bargaining Team to make sure our department is represented. I didn’t want to let my coworkers down.”

— DESIREE HUTTINGER, Cardiology Tech, 12 years

“I was on the Bargaining Team last contract, and it was a lot of fun. I never realized how much goes into it. It helped me to have a better understanding of the contract itself.”

— ANNA HANNAGER, Respiratory Care Practitioner, 7 years

“I come from Wyoming and Idaho, and I cannot stress enough how much better the benefits are in Washington than over there. That has a lot to do with the Union and the market that we are in. Having a say in how you’re treated at work through the Union helps tremendously. If you come from a right to work state, like Wyoming or Idaho, it’s hard to get any kind of concession from Management on anything. That’s why I am here. I have experienced the other side of the coin. The Union makes a difference.”

—  KEVIN DALY, Lab Med Tech, 12 years 

“I want to be involved in making changes and improving things at Evergreen. I don’t want to just be a grumbling voice. I want to feel like when I go home at the end of the day that I was able to give good patient care. I don’t always feel that. It is something that has been an issue the last couple of years.”  

— JENNIFER BRADSHAW, Mammography Tech, 17 years 

“I feel proud to say I am a healthcare worker. But I have seen and experienced first-hand how important it is to have representation and make sure everyone is treated fairly. That’s why I wanted to be a part of the Bargaining Team.”

—  KIM MITCHELL, Labor and Delivery Surg Tech, 2 years

“I’ve been in this field for 14 years now, and I’ve been around enough hospitals to know what works and what doesn’t. I joined the Bargaining Team because I was hoping to influence some of those positive changes for the hospital.”

—  CHRIS DIZON, Echo Tech, 2 years

“There hasn’t been a surg tech on the Bargaining Team for the last two contracts and it’s time we had someone. A lot of folks don’t understand what goes into our job, and they don’t understand the responsibilities that go into our position.”

—   JAMES KERR, OR Surg Tech, 8 years

Washington State House Passes Safe Staffing Bill — Next Up, the Governor’s Desk!

Today the House passed the healthcare staffing bill (ESSB 5236), the final legislative hurdle in a long process, to begin addressing the ongoing hospital staffing crisis this legislative session. The bill now heads to the governor’s desk.

We would not have gotten this bill through the Legislature without the countless members like you who sent in selfies, signed in “pro” on bills, contacted your legislators, testified in hearings, and so much more. The voices of healthcare workers at the bedside pushed the State Senate to go farther down the path toward safe staffing than ever before.

ESSB 5236 reflects a compromise between SEIU Healthcare 1199NW, UFCW 3000, the Washington State Nurses Association and the Washington State Hospital Association. The final compromise will strengthen accountability to staffing plans and allow for corrective action by state agencies if necessary up to and including enforcing safe staffing standards on hospitals. It represents a meaningful step toward safe staffing.

The final bill:

• Strengthens accountability to hospital staffing plans. If hospitals fall below 80 percent compliance with their staffing plans, they are required to report noncompliance to the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I). Noncompliant hospitals will be assigned a corrective action plan by L&I and DOH, which may include elements like safe staffing standards set by L&I that the hospital will have to follow.

• Expands meal and rest break laws to include all frontline staff, closes loopholes to make mandatory overtime laws fully enforceable, and ensures hospitals follow the law. If there are more than 20 percent of breaks missed in a month, L&I will issue escalating penalties.

• Funds the WA State Institute for Public Policy to conduct a study of existing staffing plans to establish what’s actually happening in WA hospitals and compare them to elsewhere. This study would set a baseline understanding of the staffing crisis in WA by a credible, nonpartisan source, and provide a benchmark against California and professional association standards for staffing levels, which is critical for continued work to ensure safe staffing in Washington.

After the Governor signs the bill, we will turn to implementation and enforcement. We will be reaching out about plans to educate members – particularly members of staffing committees – on the elements of the bill.

Crossroads Trading Company CONTRACT RATIFIED!

Crossroads Trading Company CONTRACT RATIFIED!

We’re excited to announce that UFCW 3000 members at Crossroads Trading Company voted to ratify our first Union contract on April 5, 2023!

Our new Union contract includes many new benefits and protections such as:

$0.75/hr wage increase with a $350 ratification bonus, both effective later this month.

• FREE ORCA PASSPORT! All bargaining unit employees will be provided with an Orca Business Passport at no cost to employees while covered under the bargaining unit. This exciting new benefit provides UNLIMITED public transit use throughout Puget Sound! Employees should receive this pass sometime in May.

• Fair Discipline Process: Our contract includes some of the best Union discipline and discharge language, with (1) a clear and consistent discipline procedure, (2) automatic removal of discipline from employee’s files, and (3) a grievance and arbitration process that allows employees to challenge their discipline.

• Workplace Safety: The employer must provide onsite security personnel to protect employees anytime an employee is onsite. They are also required to provide all employees with anti-bias and de-escalation training.

• Schedule Posting: The Employer must post work schedules at least 14 days ahead of the start of the schedule.

• Paid Holidays: Any employee working on New Year’s Day, Independence Day, Martin Luther King Jr Day, and Labor Day will be paid time and one-half (1-½) their regular rate of pay.

• And much more!

You can find our new contract, learn about your rights as a Union member, sign-up for a training, and hear other exciting news at ufcw3000.org

Please reach out to our Rep Dominick Ojeda at 206-436-6586 with any questions.

UFCW 3000 Members & Grocery Store Workers Across Nation to Hold Actions Opposing Kroger-Albertsons Megamerger

Coming soon to a store near you!

Leaflet Actions in Front of Kroger and Albertsons Stores “Stop The Merger – protect jobs, shoppers and access to food”

Grocery store workers from seven UFCW Local Unions – representing over 100,000 Kroger and Albertsons workers in eleven states and the District of Columbia – will hold actions in front of stores between April 4th – 13th to connect with customers about the impacts of the proposed megamerger.  Since the companies announced the proposed merger in October, workers, unions, consumer groups and others have raised the alarm about the negative impact on workers, shoppers, and suppliers such as farmers and ranchers. In mid-March a national coalition of over 100 organizations was announced with a new website: https://www.nogrocerymerger.com/

If the $24.6 billion megamerger is approved, it will drive out competition, increase food prices, create food deserts, and put up to 100,000 union jobs at risk. The growing opposition is asking the Federal Trade Commission to block the megamerger from moving forward and prevent its negative impact on both consumer and labor markets.

All the local unions include: UFCW 3000 (WA & northern ID), UFCW 400 (MD,  DC, VA, WV, OH, KY, TN), UFCW  7 (CO & WY),  UFCW 770 (Southern CA), UFCW 5 (Northern CA), and UFCW 324 (Orange County CA/Southern Los Angeles County) and  UFCW 367, South Puget Sound of Washington State.

Join Us!

As part of these actions in states across the nation. UFCW 3000 will be holding over twenty-five actions across Washington state, including the following dates, times, locations:

4/4/2023 11:00AM
Fred Meyer Port Orchard,
1900 SE Sedgwick Rd, Port Orchard, WA

4/4/2023 11:00AM
Fred Meyer Ballard,
915 NW 45Th St, Seattle, WA

4/5/2023 10:30AM
QFC 825,
2500 SW Barton St, Seattle WA

4/5/2023 11:00AM
Safeway 3317,
3355 Bethel RD Port Orchard, WA

4/5/2023 11:00AM
Safeway 414,
4301 212th St SW, Mountlake Terrace, WA

4/5/2023 11:00AM
Safeway 464,
17246 Redmond Way, Redmond, WA

4/5/2023 12:00PM
QFC 826,
15600 NE 8th St Suite K-1 Bellevue, WA

4/5/2023 1:00 PM
Haggen 3450,
2601 E Divition St, Mount Vernon, WA

4/5/2023 1:45 PM
QFC 829,
460 E North Bend Way, North Bend, WA

4/5/2023 2:00 PM
Albertsons 471,
301 Marysville Mall, Marysville, WA

4/5/2023 2:15 PM
Haggen 3436,
757 Haggen Dr, Burlington, WA 

4/5/2023 3:00 PM 18325
Fred Meyer 13,
18325 Aurora Ave. N

4/5/2023 4:00 PM
Albertsons 3412,
1128 N Miller St, Wenatchee, WA

4/5/2023 4:30 PM
Safeway 3213,
15332 Aurora Ave N Shoreline, WA

4/6/2023 12:00 PM
Albertsons 453,
4621 Sunset Blvd. NE, Renton, WA

4/6/2023 12:00 PM
Safeway 494,
152 Roosevelt Way E, Enumclaw, WA

4/6/2023 12:00 PM
Albertsons 483,
4010 A St. SE, Auburn, WA

4/6/2023 3:00 PM
Fred Meyer 172,
10201 SE 240th St., Kent, WA

4/6/2023 3:00 PM
Fred Meyer 209,
9925 State Street, Marysville, WA 

4/6/2023 4:00 PM
Safeway 252,
690 Gage Blvd, Richland, WA 

4/6/2023 4:00 PM
Albertsons 265,
6520 North Nevada St., Spokane, WA

4/6/2023 6:00 PM
Fred Meyer 101,
Wellsian Way, Richland, WA

4/7/2023 11:00 AM
Safeway 1524
1401 NE McWilliams Rd, Bremerton, WA

4/7/2023 11:00 AM
QFC Ballard,
5700 24th Ave NW, Seattle, WA

4/7/2023 11:00 AM
Safeway 1524,
1401 NE McWilliams Rd Bremerton WA 98311

4/6/2023 12:00 PM
QFC Holman Road,
9999 Holman Rd NW, Seattle, WA

4/7/2023 12:15 PM
Fred Meyer 171
5050 WA-303, Bremerton WA

UFCW 3000 Member Story: St. Michael Medical Center Bargaining Team

Susan Mayer, Pamela Reese, Vanessa RosaDino, and Christy Sammons

The bargaining team at Saint Michael Medical Center has been meeting with the Employer for over a month to negotiate a new contract working conditions for themselves and their coworkers. The bargain is now well into the economic parts of the agreement, and the committee is learning fast that their employer, Catholic Health Initiatives, needs to not just hear from them, but from everyone working at St. Michael Medical Center.

So, Susan, Pamela, Vanessa, and Christy are talking to their coworkers and collecting stories to share at the bargaining table about what would make their workplace better, and what effect of management’s proposals would have; because an injury to one is an injury to all.

Prairie Center Red Apple - Tentative Agreement Reached Vote Meeting Scheduled

Prairie Center Red Apple
Tentative Agreement Reached
Vote Meeting Scheduled

A recommended tentative agreement was reached with the Employer on March 29 that includes:

• Significant wage increases,

• Improvements to vacation,

• No cost increases to healthcare,

• Other improvements, and

• No take aways!

A vote meeting has been scheduled for all Prairie Center Members in good standing to review, ask questions, and vote on this tentative agreement.

Monday, April 10
1 PM—2PM

Prairie Center Red Apple Market - Break room
408 S Main St, Coupeville, WA 98239

Crossroads Trading Co. - Tentative Agreement Reached - Vote Scheduled

Crossroads Trading Co.
TENTATIVE AGREEMENT REACHED
VOTE SCHEDULED

After months of negotiations, our Bargaining Team is excited to announce that we’ve reached a tentative agreement on our first Union contract at Crossroads Trading Company!

The proposed two-year agreement includes:

• Wage increases at ratification with another guaranteed increase next year,

• Free ORCA transit cards that include unlimited public transit, even when not working!

• Fair and transparent discipline process with grievance rights,

• Work schedules must be posted at least 14 days before the start of the schedule,

• Separate vacation and sick leave banks,

• Strong workplace safety language,

• New labor and management committee to work through workplace issues on a regular basis,

• And much more!

All collective bargaining agreements and subsequent amendments (if applicable) must be voted on and ratified by bargaining unit employees. We encourage everyone to come on a break, lunch, or on their day off to participate in our first vote!

Ratification Vote
Wednesday April 5
1:30 PM – 4:30 PM

The Seattle Public Library - Capitol Hill Branch, 425 Harvard Ave E, Seattle, WA 98102

Please reach out to Union Rep Dominick Ojeda at (206) 436-6586 with any questions regarding the vote.

UFCW 3000 Member Story: Liisa Luick

Liisa Luick shop steward and Bargaining Team member from Alderwood Macy’s!

Liisa Luick is a dedicated shop steward from Macy's at the Alderwood Mall where she has worked since 2008. She loves advocating for her coworkers and fellow union members, knows her contract, and makes sure that store management knows it too.

When Macy’s reopened after the COVID-19 lockdown ended, Liisa also stepped up to make sure that safety issues with the ongoing pandemic and short staffing coupled with the ever-increasing problem of unruly customers and organized retail theft were being addressed. She went on to be featured as a spokesperson for her coworkers in the local press and the New York Times to highlight these important safety issues.

Recently she helped organize leaflets at her store in support of members of UFCW Local 5 working at the San Francisco Macy's, who had been negotiating their contract for over 8 months! Liisa also flew to the Bay Area to join UFCW 5 members at the bargaining table in a show of solidarity at what would be the final negotiation session where Local 5 reached a tentative agreement.

Liisa brought her experience back to her coworkers and joined the bargaining committee for the Macy’s contract negotiations that have gotten underway. As a member of the committee, she knows that the Union’s power starts and ends with what members are willing to do to fight for a fair contract. Liisa and all the Macy’s stewards and leaders keep their coworkers organized and out at every action. Way to go Liisa!

Genes Home Owned Grocery and Meat Contract Ratified

EvergreenHealth Kirkland and Clinics - Bargaining Begins

EvergreenHealth Kirkland and Clinics
Bargaining Begins

After months of trying to schedule dates to negotiate for our new contract, we have confirmed that our first bargaining session with Management will be on Friday, March 31. Additional dates scheduled for bargaining are April 12 and April 28.

Our Bargaining Team is busy reviewing the contract and writing proposals. We heard loud and clear that workers want competitive wages and benefits, improved staffing and a voice in the workplace!

Stay tuned!
Look out for upcoming meeting information for updates on our contract negotiations.

If you are not receiving bargaining updates, scan or go to: ufcw3000.org/update-your-information

EvergreenHealth Kirkland and Clinics Bargaining Team: Jennifer Bradshaw, mammography; Chris Dizon, echocardiology; Kevin Daly, laboratory; David Dimalanta, radiology; Desiree Huttinger, cardiology; Anna Goodsell Hennager, respiratory; Justine Hedrick, CT scanning; James Kerr, surgery/OR; Kimberly Mitchell, labor and delivery

Questions? Please contact Union Rep Jack Crow @ 206-436-6614.

Olympic Home Health Bargaining Begins!

On Thursday, March 23 members of the Union Bargaining Team met with Management to begin negotiations for our new Union Contract.

As part of this meeting, each team member talked about their role and the roles of their coworkers in the organization and made sure that Management understood how vitally important Home Health employees are to the success of Olympic Medical and to the community.

“We submitted a comprehensive economic and non-economic proposal. We are hopeful that Management will come back a fair and equitable response that brings us closer to hospital standards.”

Our next bargaining date is April 17 where will expect Management to respond to our proposals.

Northwest Center - We’re Excited for bargaining to begin!

Northwest Center
We’re Excited for bargaining to begin

United in our determination to better advocate for ourselves, our families and kiddos, we are excited to join UFCW 3000 union. With an eye toward having a larger voice on issues and ways to deliver the best care to our families and kiddos.

Last week we had our first meeting as a Bargaining Team to commence writing proposals for our very first contract. We worked on language that will help us get higher wages, better benefits, foster a safe and healthy working environment, improve safe staffing standards, and conditions that will reduce burnout and ensure safe, manageable work.

“It’s thrilling to start making this dream a reality! It’s empowering to take all this knowledge we have and finally put it down in a contract that works for us! We’re changing how birth to three services are represented - and being a part of that change is exhilarating!” - Jenica Barrett, Speech Language Pathologist, Bargaining Team

"It’s inspiring to work with such a passionate group of people and I can’t wait to see what we accomplish together!" - Kimmy Burns, Physical Therapist, Bargaining Team

"I’m excited to stand together in uplifting our collective voice and making a positive change!" - Cassie Villarreal, Speech Language Pathologist, Bargaining Team

Draper Valley Farms - Accelerated wage increases to start March 27

Draper Valley Farms
Accelerated wage increases to start March 27

The Company and Union have agreed to accelerating wage increases starting March 27. All union members were scheduled to receive a $0.50/hour increase on April 1, but now all union members shall receive a $1.00/hour increase on March 27, which is a combination of the original contractual wage increases from 2023 and 2024!

Additionally, we were able to win a $0.75 increase on April 1, 2024 for all union members!

The increase shall be effective March 27 and will appear on your Friday, April 7 paycheck.

Aumentos salariales acelerados a partir del 27 de Marzo

La Compañía y el la Union han acordado acelerar los incrementos salariales a partir del 27 de marzo. Todos los empleados iban a recibir $0.50/hora el 1 de abril. Ahora recibirán un aumento de $1.00/hora el 27 de marzo! El aumento es una porción de los aumentos contractuales del 2023 y 2024.

Ademas, pudimos ganar $0.75 centavos adicionales para el 1 de abril de 2024!

El aumento entrara en vigencia el 27 de marzo y aparecera en su cheque del viernes, 7 de abril.

Perspective Therapeutics - Bargaining Begins

PERSPECTIVE THERAPEUTICS
BARGAINING BEGINS

Our Union Bargaining Committee met on Thursday, March 16, to prepare for our upcoming contract negotiation with Perspective Therapeutics. During the meeting, our Committee discussed top priorities that were brought up in the bargaining survey including wages, healthcare benefits, discipline and terminations and began working on formal proposals.

Our Committee learned and reviewed the:

• Union contract bargaining process

• Bargaining language like union security that helps us build a strong union

• Just cause language that protects workers from unjust discipline and discharge

• Union representation that will make sure members have access to their Union Steward and Union Rep,

• And the grievance process that establishes a formal procedure to challenge contract violations, discipline and terminations.

We have scheduled bargaining dates with the company for Tuesday, April 18 and Wednesday, April 19.

“We won our Union election, and now we’re ready to start the process of negotiating our first contract! We are looking forward to working together with our Union and Perspective Therapeutics.” -Fernando Gonzalez-Perez, Tamra Neish, Cristal Bauer

UFCW 3000 Member Story: Holly Purcell

Holly Pursell with her family in Port Angeles

Planned Parenthood medical assistant Holly Purcell in her own words about working at her clinic in Port Angeles:

“I have always been a big supporter of Planned Parenthood.  They helped me with some of my healthcare needs when I was younger and living out on the East coast. Their mission and work are so valuable and offer a much-needed service to many people across the country. When I saw that Planned Parenthood had a job posting for a medical assistant in 2017, I knew I had to apply. I’ve been working for Planned Parenthood ever since and enjoy my job tremendously. It’s such a rewarding feeling knowing that you are helping your community. The Port Angeles team is small but mighty! It consists of myself, a medical receptionist, a clinician, and a health center manager. We have all been working together for a long time and we treat each other like family. They have been there for me during some of my toughest times.”

Holly and her husband have loved and fostered many children since marrying in 2012 and have adopted 3 of them, creating their family. Their family enjoys their many pets which include a cat, two lizards, three dogs, and five fish. Wow!

Mariners Retail Workers - Union Contract Ratified

Mariners Retail Workers
Union Contract Ratified

Congratulations, Mariners retail workers! You have ratified your first contract and can expect new wages to go into effect on Friday, April 14.

WHAT’S NEXT?
Fill out your UFCW 3000 membership application if you haven’t done so already.
Scan or go to: https://join.ufcw.org/join/3000

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.”

For questions or issues, please reach out to Union Rep Mohamed Bonah at 206-436-6514.

MultiCare Covington Medical Center - Bargaining Continues

Your Bargaining Team: 

• Faith Soriano-Miller, RN – PCU 

• Lolita Edge, CS Tech in Sterile Processing 

• Luz Martinez, Monitor Tech 

• Poonam Gill, RN – PACU 

• Austin Smith, EVS 

• Ken Farrell, Charge RN MedSurg

We are close on our non-economic language but management refuses to prioritize the bargaining table and only bargain for a few hours a day. We have been working hard and deserve and strong, completed contract! It is not fair that we set aside full days to bargain, then management comes and tells us they have other meetings that they have prioritized over bargaining to get us a good agreement. We need management to commit to full days of bargaining so that we can get closer to securing a strong contract. 

We have proposed and made movement on language that will help to better our working conditions, and we have now made proposals for wages that will help us recruit and retain qualified staff. We work so hard to take care of our patients and our community—and we need the employer to show up and take care of us! 

“We have submitted our second economic proposal to management, and we are hoping that management will respect us and pay us so that we can recruit good workers and retain the staff we currently have.”

— Ken Farrell, Charge RN MedSurg

“Bargaining is frustratingly slow! The management’s lack of attendance at the table makes it seem like they don’t care about our issues.”

— Poonam Gill, RN – PACU 

“Hopefully at the next bargaining session management will start to work at a nurse’s pace!”

— Faith Soriano-Miller, RN – PCU 

While we are fighting for strong staffing language at the bargaining table, we also recognize staffing is a huge issue everywhere. 

Whatever language we win in our new contract will not solve the chronic staffing issues and mismanagement that continues to plague Covington Medical Center, no amount of money could fix that. We need to continue to elevate the pressure by submitting official complaints to state agencies and fight to pass legislation on staffing. 

Go to these links and fill out these staffing forms when you are short staffed:

DOSH Complaint

Report safety issues and/or hazardous working conditions directly to the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I).

DOH Complaint

Report unsafe staffing directly to the Washington State Department of Health (DOH). We encourage members who file a DOH complaint to also follow-up with a CSI report, ensuring the hospital as a record of the issue. 

Collaborative Staffing Intervention (CSI)

Report unsafe staffing and/or missed breaks and lunches.