UFCW 3000 Member Story: Craig White

Craig White

Craig came to Providence Regional Medical Center Everett (PRMCE) a year and a half ago. Craig might be relatively new to Prov Everett, but he is not new to the staffing labor/management committees required at hospitals. Craig was also on a staffing committee at his last hospital and knows how important it is for nurses to fight for the proper staffing levels to ensure patient safety and nurse longevity on the job. When he quickly joined his staffing committee at PRMCE, he showed how passionate he is about patient care and proactively securing the working conditions that make safety possible.

As we write this, the nurses at PRMCE are less than 24 hours away from an unfair labor practice strike, where the main issue is Providence’s failure to bargain in good faith over safe staffing conditions. Since 2021 staffing levels have deteriorated with 600 nurses leaving the hospital, and Providence failing to attract new staff to replace them. This is a crisis that has put patients and nurses at risk as quality patient care eroded. Providence has so far refused to listen to the nurse-led bargaining committee to fix this problem.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, November 14th, 2023 at 6 a.m. 1,300 nurses will be going on strike and forming picket lines at both the Colby and Pacific locations of PRMCE. If you are one of the nurses who will be on strike, stay up to date with the latest info on our Strike page. If you are a UFCW 3000 member who works at another employer you can pledge your support here, RSVP to our Candlelight Vigil, or just show up at either PRMCE location to join the picket (coffee and doughnuts are always a plus on a picket line)!

PCC workers overwhelmingly voted NO on PCC’s latest offer

Yesterday, November 9, PCC workers overwhelmingly voted NO on PCC’s latest offer, with over 92% rejecting the contract. Our bargaining committee will be seeking more bargaining dates with PCC and continue fighting for the best contract possible. In the meantime, if we are unable to reach a deal that benefits all workers at PCC, we need to get ready to take action. Upcoming Contract Action Team (CAT) meetings are being scheduled and information will be sent out as soon as possible. It’s important to attend one of those meetings, as we will be prepping for informational pickets at various locations. 

Solidarity is key as we try to secure a contract that we hope will put us ahead of other union grocers in the region. You can stay updated by visiting our news & updates section on our website, reaching out to your union rep, or attending an open bargaining session when they resume.

It is important to get informed and stay informed during this process, It is your right to talk about these negotiations on the shop floor. You can always send a message to our PCC union bargaining team here >>

Macy's Week of ULP Strike Preparations

Next week is very important as we intensify our preparations for the increasingly likely unfair labor practice strike around Black Friday. By the end of next week, it is imperative that we finalize all ULP strike logistics and ensure that every member is prepared to meet the criteria for the $500 weekly strike benefit. This entails signing up for 20 hours on the picket line and submitting a completed W-9 form, which Union Representatives will start collecting next week.

WHAT IS A W-9? 

A W-9 is an IRS tax document used to report your strike benefit as income to the IRS. Although taxes won’t be withheld from your strike benefit, the W-9 is a required IRS tax document used to document that you’ve received payment from UFCW Local 3000. To be eligible for the strike benefit, you must provide a completed W-9 form. 

While we have added November 15 as an additional bargaining date, we are not slowing down or altering our plans for a ULP strike. Macy’s can only avoid the ULP strike by addressing unfair labor practices and offering a fair contract.

It’s up to you Macy’s - the clock is ticking.

PRMCE RN 5 days until ULP strike!

We will begin our ULP strike on Tuesday November 14 at 6am at Pacific/Pavilion Campus and Colby Campus!

We made our position clear by an over 97% strike authorization vote - that Providence had to either come to the table and in good faith consider our common-sense solutions to the major issues facing our coworkers and our patients, or we were ready to engage in a ULP Strike. Providence chose to continue bargaining in bad faith. Going on strike is not a choice we make lightly, but it is evident that we must act to obtain a contract.

Now let’s stand together for a fair process and good contract for our patients and community. To have a successful strike we need nurses to attend the following events:

November 10 Strike Captain meeting (open to all nurses) at 8:00pm to discuss strike logistics for November 14: Click here Friday, November 10 @ 8pm to join the Zoom Meeting ID: 813 7325 4464 Passcode: 757437

November 11 Neighborhood Leaflet Canvass from 10am to 12pm, meet at Drew Nielsen Park on 13 St. and Colby Ave. Bring your walking shoes!

November 14 ULP Strike Day 1: ULP Strike begins at 6am- wear blue and yellow scrubs!

November 15 ULP Strike Day 2:  “Patients over Sponsorships”

November 16 ULP Strike Day 3: Candlelight Vigil for Patient Safety at 5:30pm at Drew Nielsen Park 13th St. and Colby Ave

November 17 ULP Strike Day 4: Adverse Events Action

November 18 ULP Strike Day 5: Thankful for RNs

November 19 ULP Strike Ends at 6am

For the most up-to-date information, go to ufcw3000.org/strike

Downtown Dog Lounge - Negotiations go on!

Downtown Dog Lounge
Negotiations go on!

Downtown Dog Lounge Management and legal council met with our union Bargaining Team and continued back and forth on both parties proposals. Management didn’t budge on many of their original positions and maintained their stance on a majority of their initial concepts. Our Team made movement on dog benefits, dress code, and vacation.

We hope Management comes back to the table next week able and willing to make progress.

Macy's NO DEAL. ULP STRIKE PREPARATIONS CONTINUE

NO DEAL. ULP STRIKE PREPARATIONS CONTINUE

Our Bargaining Team met with Management again on November 6 and 7, with the parties failing to reach an agreement. 

While our team worked hard to address some of Macy’s core concerns, we did not receive a proposal from the Employer. However, we did have a productive discussion about potential paths to an agreement and agreed to add November 15 as a bargaining date.

Throughout the bargaining process we have come to the table in good faith while we feel Macy’s has done their best to frustrate the process, including their intimidation of a bargaining team members for their union activity along with attempting to prematurely declare an impasse, which would permit the employer to implement the contract offer we rejected on October 6. We believe that actions taken in bargaining are inconsistent with impasse.

Then just last week Macy’s made what we believe is an illegal attempt to alter our contractual right and long standing the practice of Union Representatives to communicate with members on the sales floor, leading to UFCW Local 3000 filing another unfair labor practice charge against the employer.

1. As we prepare for next week’s bargaining date, we need to continue to prepare for a possible ULP strike by: 

2. Signing up for at least 20 hours on your stores Strike Schedule (see your stores Picket Captains).

Completing a W9 form and returning the complete form to a UFCW 3000 Union Representative to make sure you will get paid your strike Benefit of $500.

In the event we do end up on a ULP strike, our Bargaining Team has planned a “Macy’s Striking Workers Parade” action on Black Friday at the Southcenter location that will be supported by community partners and other UFCW 3000 members. 

WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER! 

UFCW Locals from around the United States have pledged their support, coordinating efforts to send their staff and members to the Pacific Northwest to walk our ULP strike line, and over 8,000 community members have also signed a petition pledging not to cross our picket line in the event of a ULP strike.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

---

RSVP here

RSVP here

Upcoming Contract Action Team MEETINGS:

Alderwood: November 14 @ 1PM—2PM
Elemental Pizza (3000 184th St SW #948, Lynnwood, WA 98037)

Bellingham: November 15 @ 1PM-2PM
Bellis Fair Mall Food Court (One Bellis Fair Pkwy, Bellingham, WA 98226)

Southcenter: November 16 @ 1PM-2PM
Southcenter Mall Food Court (2800 Southcenter Mall, Seattle, WA 98188)

Providence St. Peter COTA/PTA - Tentative Agreement Reached!

On Monday, November 6, our bargaining team met with Management for our fourth bargaining session and managed to reach a Tentative Agreement on our Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). 

This MOU will:

• Bring us into the larger bargaining unit with our Union siblings in other technical jobs at PSPH so that we can negotiate from a position of strength in future contract fights.

• Guarantee a minimum of at least 2.5% in raises to all Physical Therapy Assistants and Certified Occupational Therapist Assistants one full pay period after we hold a ratification vote; we will also have a wage scale that we advance on by years of experience moving forward.

• Allow us to challenge workplace discipline such as suspensions or terminations through a formal grievance procedure, helping ensure management handles such situations in a more fair and reasonable manner.

We will be announcing a date, time, and location for a ratification vote for the MOU in the near future. We are strongly recommending a “YES” vote! Please speak with bargaining team members for details or call Union Representative Brandan Zielinski at (206) 436 6603.

Bargaining Team Members: Cynthia Miner, Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant; Heidi Ranger-Geh, Physical Therapy Assistant

PRESS RELEASE: Providence Everett Nurses with UFCW 3000 to Strike November 14

Providence Everett Nurses at their press conference announcing the strike

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 6, 2023

Find a livestream video of the press conference here >>

Everett, WA – After bargaining with management at Providence Regional Medical Center Everett since April, UFCW 3000 nurses publicly announced an unfair labor practice strike at the hospital starting at 6:00 a.m. on November 14 and continuing until 6:00 a.m. November 19.

At a press conference this morning, nurses, union leadership, and community leaders spoke out about the need for a fair union contract for nurses in order to address chronic staffing shortages at the hospital.

“We are distressed that it has come to this step,” said Juan Stout, emergency department nurse at Providence Everett, union bargaining team member, and executive board member of UFCW 3000. “Nurses take our job of caring for this community extremely seriously. We see you and your families through some of the most difficult moments of your lives. But while we don’t take the idea of a strike lightly, at some point our responsibility to patients means more than just the medicine and care we can give on a single shift… We have to take a stand for our patients.”

Talks with Providence ended this past Friday night (11/3) without reaching a resolution. The union has given a 10-day strike notice to the hospital and reiterated a desire to come to a contract agreement, but only if Providence can cease committing unfair labor practices, come to the table, and in good faith consider practical long-term solutions to the serious safety issues nurses are raising.

“Providence has not considered our proposals in good faith throughout this process, they’ve rejected proposals we previously agreed on, and they’ve obstructed and undermined our bargaining process, stopping us from finding a resolution,” said Kristen Crowder, labor and delivery nurse at Providence Everett and a union bargaining team member. “I hope that our strike is a wake-up call to Providence executives, and we look forward to returning to the bargaining table when they are ready and willing to come to the table and bargain in good faith to help us resolve our staffing issues.”

“If nurses have to be on the outside rather than at the bedside, then you know something’s wrong, and we have to fix this for the long-term,” said Faye Guenther, UFCW 3000 president. “All it takes is a fair contract, and we can only achieve that if Providence acts in good faith... They have the resources to invest in this community, and they certainly have a responsibility to do so.”

Nurses were joined by local community leaders who made clear that the community supports its nurses and joins the call for Providence to bargain fairly.

“Everett’s firefighters stand with the nurses of UFCW 3000 in their fight for safe staffing at Providence Medical Center,” said Don Huffman, Everett firefighter and president of IAFF Local 46. He outlined the impact of Providence’s staffing crisis on first responders, who may wait hours for the patients they transport to the hospital to be admitted and receive care. “When Everett firefighters are tied up at the hospital, fire engines and paramedic units are pulled into the city from the surrounding areas to respond to calls, leaving the communities that they serve with reduced fire protection. The staffing emergency at Providence hospital is an emergency to all of us.”

“The Sisters of Providence who started the first permanent hospital in this state did so out of their faith-based values of compassion and charity, and the nurses of Providence continue this noble tradition in their work to care for the sick and the injured,” said Pastor Carol Jensen with Faith Action Network. “The Faith Action Network is proud to stand with the Providence nurses of UFCW Local 3000 today as they commit to strike, so that Providence will negotiate in good faith to improve the conditions of those who care for the most vulnerable in our communities. The commitment of these nurses is to make this a healthier, safer community for all of us.”

UFCW Member Stories: Juan Stout, Providence Everett Nurse & Activist

Juan Stout

Juan Stout has been a nurse for 15 years and has worked all of them at Providence Regional Medical Center Everett (PRMCE) at the Colby location. As of this writing, November 6, 2023, PRMCE registered nurses are on the 3rd day of a 10-day countdown to an unfair labor practice (ULP) strike. At 6 a.m. on November 14th, nurses will form picket lines at both the Colby and Pacific Avenue campuses of PRMCE to begin their 5-day strike.

Juan has served on four union negotiating committees, including this one. The central issue in these PRMCE contract negotiations is the staffing crisis that began during the pandemic and has worsened since then. Nurses in some departments at the hospital are working under a nearly impossible patient ratio of 6 or 8 patients to just 1 nurse. Juan and the bargaining committee have shown management at Providence that this is unsustainable and has to change.

“Patients and their families have come to us about the quality of care eroding at Prov Everett. This is a problem that must be fixed! But Providence Everett refuses to invest in a contract that will help recruit and retain nurses and other core staff .”

Juan and his coworkers know that this fight affects everyone who lives in and around Everett. They are asking for everyone’s support during the upcoming ULP strike, which unfortunately seems inevitable because Providence has refused to bargain during the 10-day waiting period. Juan and the other PRMCE nurses are prepared and ready to fight for patient safety, and they need our help. You can pledge your support online at our community support page. Juan also asks people to “reach out to hospital management and share their frustration with the poor staffing and sub-standard care they received.”

Juan comes from a family that has always been leaders in their community. He grew up in Lexington Kentucky where Juan’s father was the first African American to head a high school sports athletic association. Juan recently traveled back to Kentucky to accept a posthumous award on behalf of his father when he was inducted into the Lexington African American Hall of Fame.

Juan moved from Lexington when he was 24 to South Carolina and was a teacher for 15 years. Eventually, Juan went back to school to get his nursing degree. He has been a shop steward for 12 years and serves on the UFCW 3000 Executive Board. He loves educating his coworkers about their rights under the union contract and getting them to take action to improve their working conditions and the care that patients receive. He also has his own photography business on the side, “a wonderful hobby that has become a side hustle.”

He continues to educate and organize his coworkers for the strike and whatever it takes to get a fair contract and a better Providence Regional Medical Center for everyone.

EvergreenHealth Monroe - Contract Ratified!

EvergreenHealth Monroe
Contract Ratified!

Thanks to our Bargaining Team Members Rosemary Holm-Mitchell and Patty Romero who worked tirelessly to make sure we got a fair and equitable contract.

Highlights of the agreement include:

• 5% wage increase plus 2%-19% Market Increases Effective May 2023.

• $1200 bonus (prorated by FTE) which you should receive the week of Nov 14

• Additional Market Increases for Chemical Dependency Counselor/SUDP, Substance Use Disorder Pro Trainee and Mammography Techs

• 8% total wage increases 2024/2025 (2% increase in each of January and July of 2024 and 2025)

• Shift Differentials increased to $2.25 for second shift and $3.50 for third shift

• Standby Pay increased to $3.75 per hour

• PTO Cash out: Once/year employees may cash out up to 60 hours of PTO

• Education Funds increased to up to $275/year

• Health Benefits for new employees are now accessible the first month after being hired

Questions? Reach out to a Bargaining Team member or call Union Rep Jack Crow @ 206-436-6614.

Candlelight vigil for patient safety at Providence Everett

Join nurses, community, and patients at this candlelight vigil. Support nurses in their upcoming ULP strike for patient safety. Nurses are fighting for their community and patients. Show Providence we stand united!

November 16 at 5:30PM Vigil at the Drew Nielsen Neighborhood Park (Colby Ave & 13th St, Everett, WA 98201). Vigil begins at 6PM.

---

ADD YOUR NAME: Pledge to Support Nurses on Strike! >>

PRESS ADVISORY: Nurses at Providence Everett Announce Unfair Labor Practice Strike, Set Strike Dates – Press Conference Monday 11/6

Contact: Anna Minard, aminard@ufcw3000.org, (206) 436-6587

PRESS CONFERENCE:

WHO: Providence nurses, union leaders, community allies

WHAT: Announcement of impending nurses strike at Providence Regional Medical Center Everett

WHEN: Monday, November 6, 11:00 AM

WHERE: UFCW 3000 Strike Headquarters – Everett Labor Temple, 2810 Lombard Ave, Everett, WA 98201

Everett, WA – Over 1,300 nurses at Providence Regional Medical Center Everett are set to walk out on an unfair labor practice strike at the hospital, where chronic understaffing continues to threaten the safety and wellbeing of patients and their nurses. 

Nurses will hold a press conference at 11 a.m. on Monday (11/6) to announce strike dates and discuss the issues behind the strike. Speakers will include nurses, UFCW 3000 union leadership, and community allies supporting the nurses. 

The UFCW 3000 union bargaining team and Providence management finished a final bargaining session today (Friday 11/3) at 5 p.m. without reaching a deal to address nurses’ core issue of patient safety, which is continually undermined by inadequate staffing levels at the hospital and the inability to recruit or retain qualified nurses. 

Nurses at the hospital voted on October 19 to authorize a strike; the strike vote carried with 97% approval. 

BACKGROUND: 

After many months of bargaining over a new union contract, Providence management has refused to address the staffing issues plaguing the busy hospital. Hundreds of nurses have left in a mass exodus in recent years; those remaining are demanding accountability from the hospital’s management to create a safer environment for nurses and patients. 

Nurses primary demand is that hospital management engage in good-faith bargaining and come to mutual agreement on a contract that includes provisions to ensure safer staffing levels as well as transparency and accountability measures meant to renew community trust in the local hospital. 

While striking is a last resort, dedicated nurses have been left with no other choice to address the unfair labor practices during bargaining and ongoing safety issues. Providence Everett nurses have been raising understaffing and safety concerns for years, and were instrumental in advocating for new statewide hospital staffing standards that were passed by the legislature in 2023. 

Providence management has conceded that nurses’ wages are not competitive, meaning that staff continue to leave for better staffing levels and higher wages at other area hospitals, continuing the vicious cycle of low staffing. 

The hospital is currently being sued for wrongful death after a patient became unresponsive in the ER lobby and died after allegedly waiting over 4 hours for medical attention.

PRMCE RN Notice Issued: 10 DAYS until nurse ULP Strike!

ALERT: 10 Day Notice for our 5 day ULP Strike Given Today!

We are nurses, advocates for patient safety, and the backbone of Providence Everett (PRMCE). We made our position clear by an over 97% vote- that Providence had to either come to the table and in good faith consider our common-sense solutions to the major issues facing our coworkers and patients, or we were ready to engage in a ULP Strike.

Providence in bad faith dismissed previously agreed upon agreements solely based on our shift away from expedited negotiations. This not only hindered the bargaining process but also raised doubts about their commitment to engage in good-faith negotiations.

We interpret these actions as punitive measures on the part of Providence Everett, including the refusal to honor previously established tentative agreements from expedited bargaining. These punitive measures, in our view, constitute an unfair labor practice.

After a long day of bargaining the next step is clear: the time to stand up is now!  
It's time to make our voices heard and demand that Providence bargain in good faith.
Today we gave our 10-day notice for a ULP strike. Our strike will start November 14 at 6 a.m.

In response to our efforts to rebuild trust and enhance patient safety within our community, Providence said: They are not interested.

In response to ensure safe staffing, Providence responded: They are not interested.

In response to fairly compensating us and to ensure we are leaders in the industry, Providence responded: They are not interested.

Our Bargaining Team has put forward comprehensive proposals, which included safe staffing accountability, night shift nurse longevity, community responsibility, competitive wage increases, recognition for years of experience, 12-month step progression, and retention bonuses. We made these suggestions to ensure that we can provide the best care possible for our patients.  

Unfortunately, PRMCE rejected our common sense solutions and instead has committed unfair labor practices by not bargaining in good faith.

We urge all nurses at PRMCE to stand up for safe staffing and a contract that attracts and retains staff. Starting from November 14 at 6am, do not report to work, and join our ULP strike line. Sign up for a strike shift on ufcw3000.org/strike to ensure that our collective action is organized and effective.

Important events over the next 10 days:

November 4-13: Union Staff will be at Colby Campus or Pavilion Bistro Campus daily from 5am– 8am & 11am- 2pm to assist with strike paperwork and strike shift sign up

November 6: Press Conference at 11am @ Strike Headquarters: 2810 Lombard St. Everett 98201

November 7: Strike Picket Making Party from 4 – 6pm @ Strike Headquarters: 2810 Lombard St. Everett 98201

Leaflet grocery stores by PRMCE  from 3-5pm Grocery Store Leaflet (RSVP with Rep Anthony Cantu)

8pm Strike Captain Meeting via Zoom w/ ULP Training https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81373254464pwd=aVV0d3Q1YlhGaHByeVRycGV3QkF2QT09

Nov 8: Telephone Town Hall Strike Q&A with UFCW 3000 President and Nurses at 7:30pm (You will receive a call from UFCW 3000 at 7:30pm, just pick up the phone!)

November 11: Neighborhood leaflet @ 11am (RSVP with Anthony Cantu)

November 14: 1st day of the ULP Strike @ 6AM

To receive strike benefits including emergency family resources, nurses will need to complete a W9 form with Union Staff. We will be providing physical forms in the Hospital with the sections highlighted that need to be completed and signed. Originals must be returned to Union staff. Come to the Colby Campus or Pavilion Bistro Campus daily from 5am– 8am and 11am –2pm.

Our commitment to patient safety and our colleagues is unwavering, and it's time for PRMCE to take action that aligns with our priorities of providing above standard and safe care to our community. We will strike for what is right, and we will prevail!

Let's strike, united and unyielding, on November 14th, and together, we will ensure that our community and our patients’ voices are heard!

MACY’S - Talks resume next week

MACY’S
TALKS RESUME NEXT WEEK

Our upcoming bargaining sessions, scheduled for November 6 and 7, are crucial as we face the possibility of an unfair labor practice (ULP) strike later this month.

As we return to the bargaining table, we do so in the face of a series of tactics employed by Macy’s to frustrate the process.

Initially, they prematurely attempted to declare an impasse, which would have halted negotiations and imposed the offer we had overwhelmingly rejected. More recently, they attempted to cancel our bargaining session on November 7, citing the unavailability of a mediator.

We pushed back on both and won, forcing the employer to continue talks on both days next week!

Our Union Bargaining Team is gearing up for two pivotal days with Macy’s as we explore various alternatives to achieve an agreement. However, we are also moving forward with full preparations for a ULP strike at this time.

If you haven’t done so already, please contact your picket captain to sign up for shifts on the picket line to qualify for the $500/week strike benefit.

We will provide further updates next week.

UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICE UPDATE

As we all know, UFCW Local 3000 filed an unfair labor practice against Macy’s on September 25 for their illegal retaliation against our Bargaining Team member Liisa Luick. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), responsible for addressing labor law violations, has regrettably not yet responded to our charges against Macy’s. We will keep you informed as this situation unfolds.

UPCOMING EVENTS

PICKET SIGN MAKING PARTY
November 13 @ 1-2PM, UFCW 3000 Des Moines Office, 23040 Pacific Hwy S Suite 101, Des Moines, WA 98198
Sign up at: https://www.mobilize.us/ufcw3000/event/591699/

CONTRACT ACTION TEAM MEETING
Alderwood - November 14 @ 1PM—2PM: Elemental Pizza , 3000 184th St SW #948, Lynnwood, WA 98037

Bellingham - November 15 @ 1PM—2PM: Bellis Fair Mall Food Court, One Bellis Fair Pkwy, Bellingham, WA 98226

Southcenter - November 16 @ 1PM—2PM: Southcenter Mall Food Court, 2800 Southcenter Mall, Seattle, WA 98188

Our Union Bargaining Team: Azia Domingo, Curtisy Bryant, Emily Hunter, Liisa Luick, Nicole Hardin.

Trios Health (RNs) - Tentative agreement reached for contract extension and wage increases

Trios Health (RNs)
Tentative Agreement reached for contract extension and wage increases

In an attempt to address the immediate retention and recruitment issues at Trios Health the Bargaining Team and Administration met to discuss the possibility of extending the current contract with an increase to compensation and some other small changes. After two long days of conversations, we were able to reach a tentative agreement that will close the gap in compensation with our geographic competitor which we believe will help make our hospital the most desired place to work in the region.

Our Bargaining Team worked hard to make sure that everyone got substantial economic increases and that premium pays were also increased in many areas including Charge Nurse, On-Call, Night shift differential, Preceptor and PRN differential.

Join your coworkers and Bargaining Team and vote “YES” to the agreement

Monday, November 13
7am—11am
Care Center Conference room, 3rd Floor

A complete document of the contract and the new wage scale will be available at the vote with our Bargaining Team to answer any questions and address any concerns you may have. You must be a member in good standing to vote. For questions, please reach out to your Union Rep Juanita Quezada @ 509-340-7407.

Our Trios Health Bargaining Team (L—R): Union Rep Juanita Quezada; Holly Hurst, Med Surg RN; Jamie Bezotte, ER RN; Tamara Ottenbreit, Birthing Center RN; Keishi Nitta, ICU RN; Not pictured: Stephanie Weibe,OR RN

Multicare Auburn Medical Center Professional - Bargaining Begins!

Bargaining Team: Pharmacist Brent Kirshenbaum, Social Worker Brittany Owen, and Mental Health Technician Ramona Strassburg (stand-in)

“I am excited about being a part of the bargaining process and to advocate for my fellow healthcare professionals.”
—Brittany Owen, Social Worker  

Your Union Bargaining Team has met with MultiCare a few times and exchanged proposals. Through their commitment to the process and advocacy for their coworkers, we have made some progress.

Contract language that has been tentatively agreed to include:

• Status Review: a process for part-time employees to have a review of their FTE if continuously working over their assigned FTE.

• Evaluations: requiring the employer to maintain a system which provides for employee evaluations on a probationary and annual basis.

• Recall: a process the employer must follow to reinstate any employee who has been laid off.

• Nondiscrimination: the absence or avoidance of discrimination, officially affirming a federal government policy of nondiscrimination in employment.

Important proposals we are still working on are:

• Staffing: working to address critical issues related to staffing levels, workload, and patient care.

• Floating: establishing fair guidelines and restrictions for floating to other facilities.

• Preceptor: clarifying the role and responsibilities of preceptors within our workplace along with a market competitive premium.

• Labor Management Committee: establishing a committee to give workers a voice after contract negotiations are over.

Our Bargaining Team is working on other issues and will continue to focus on the above issues as we reserve most economic proposals for later in the process. Other bargaining dates that have been confirmed include November 2 and 9; we will be requesting additional future bargaining dates from Management.

Throughout this negotiation process, we are committed to keeping you informed and engaged. We will schedule regular bargaining update meetings and disseminate important communications through multiple channels, including text and email.

Your engagement and involvement in this process are vital. Staying informed and standing together as a union demonstrates your collective strength. It’s important to remember that your unified efforts and voices have the power to shape the future of MultiCare Auburn Medical Center.

If you have any questions, concerns, or would like to discuss the negotiations further, please do not hesitate to reach out to your dedicated Union Representative Ian Jacobson at 206-436-6550.

Kaiser Continues to Ignore Staffing Crisis & Partnership - KP execs refuse to honor our contributions

Kaiser Continues to Ignore Staffing Crisis & Partnership
KP execs refuse to honor our contributions

For the past year, we’ve called on Kaiser Permanente to partner with us to address the staffing crisis. We’ve told KP management that increasing pay is a key part of fixing the staffing crisis. KP refuses to reopen our contract to address ATB raises to reflect the dramatic change in inflation, the labor market, employee morale, and staffing shortages that have occurred since 2021. KP says they will not make the changes needed to address the current staffing crisis and does not acknowledge how conditions have changed since two years ago. KP’s response does not reflect partnership or a commitment to employees. Kaiser Permanente executives continue to bury their heads in the sand about what our members are experiencing.

At a time when the CDC is calling on healthcare systems like Kaiser Permanente to take immediate steps to address worker burnout, KP refuses to honor our contributions.

In a recent Alliance survey:

• 95% said the staffing crisis is affecting patient care and access.

• 90% said the staffing crisis has increased stress and impacts our mental health.

• Increasing wages and improving working conditions were the top two solutions to address the staffing crisis.

Our survey results showed what many of you already know - the staffing crisis at KP is dire and demands an urgent comprehensive response. And yet Kaiser Permanente refuses to take tangible actions to address the staffing crisis with wage increases and improved working conditions.

We must continue to push KP at the national level and at the front lines to do the right thing and WAGE UP! If we want to be competitive and provide the care and service our patients deserve, KP needs to act now! Join us and call on KP to Wage Up, Staff Up, and Partner Up, today.

---

Lump Sum Update

Our Alliance-KP National Agreement calls for a 2% lump sum effective this October, based on earnings in the prior 26 pay periods. As is unfortunately typical of KP’s flawed HR connect system, it is taking KP a long time to calculate the correct payments. KP has told us you should expect to see your lump sum on either November 10 or November 17 depending on the pay period cycle in your region.

The lump sum will be based on actual earnings during the 26 pay periods of the prior contract year, including base pay, overtime pay, differentials, sick and vacation pay, etc. The calculation does not include bonus and benefit payments. It is based on actual earnings, not FTE status, so employees

PRMCE RN Emergency Bargaining Update Meeting on November 3 at 8pm

On November 3, we will be in negotiations with PRMCE. By the end of that day, we hope to either reach a mutually acceptable agreement, but in the absence of one we will be prepared to issue a 10-day strike notice. We are holding an emergency bargaining update meeting on November 3 at 8pm after negotiations with the Employer via Zoom for strike captains. The meeting is open to all nurses who wish to join us!

Join Zoom Meeting November 3 @8PM here >>

Meeting ID:814 0844 3293Passcode:000410
One tap mobile: +12532158782,,81408443293# 

Update on Strike Benefit Forms:

We previously shared that nurses need to complete a W4 form , I9 form, and share identification documents to receive Union Strike Benefits. We have now been able to simplify the process to one single W9 form! This also means the benefit will not be taxed.

To receive Union Strike Benefits, nurses will need to complete a W9 form with Union Staff. We will be providing physical forms in the Hospital with the sections highlighted that need to be completed and signed. Originals must be returned into Union staff. We will be sending out days/times staff will be at both Hospital campuses. If you already completed the W4/I9, sorry for duplication! We will need you to complete the W9 form. We apologize for the inconvenience.

November 2: Strike Paperwork @ Colby 5:30 am – 2pm and at Pavilion: 9:30 am – 2pm
 
November 3: Strike Paperwork @ Colby 5:30 am – 2pm and at Pavilion: 11am – 2pm

UFCW 3000 Member Story: Shop Steward Matthew Kendrick

Shop Steward Matthew Kendrick

Matthew Kendrick has been the shop steward at the Bremerton Fred Meyer for 4 years. As he has gotten more involved in helping and advocating for his coworkers, he decided to get trained to represent union members during investigatory meetings that could lead to discipline. Recently, he put that training to use when a coworker was being investigated around a shoplifting incident at the store.

Union members have the right to ask for representation before they answer questions that the member reasonably believes could result in discipline. This is often called Weingarten Rights (named after the 1975 Supreme Court case confirmed them), and they are key to ensuring that your right to “just cause” (due process) before employers issue discipline to union members.

The most important thing for union members to know is that they have to request representation before, or during, an investigatory meeting, management doesn’t have to. That is precisely what happened when a coworker contacted Matthew to represent them in an investigatory meeting!

Before the meeting even starts, Weingarten Stewards will make sure that the member understands that they have to answer questions, but that if management is asking leading or unfair questions, the steward can step in to object and advise the member on the best way to respond. Stewards and members also have the right to pause the meeting and find a private place to talk. Most of all, the steward takes notes on the member’s behalf and works with union staff to ensure that management is being fair both in its investigation and in any discipline issued.

Matthew did just that for his coworker and then advocated for reducing the discipline from termination to a written warning. Shoplifting policies are often very tough; terminations are often upheld even when the union files a grievance. But because shoplifting has become so widespread, blatant, and sometimes aggressive, UFCW 3000 reached an agreement with grocery store employers that termination is NOT always the right answer.

When discussing the incident with management, Matthew pointed out that his coworker had been with Fred Meyer for decades and had always been a model employee, sometimes spending more waking hours at Fred Meyer than at home. While there was a policy violation, the worker was acting to protect their coworkers and the place where they all spent so much of their lives, and a warning would correct the problem. Management agreed to reduce the discipline to a written warning instead of automatic termination!

Matthew used an important shop steward skill in this situation: negotiation and persuasion. Grievances and arbitrations are important to hold employers to account when there is no other choice when defending union members’ rights, but informally solving problems in cooperation can often get better results more quickly for workers when they are in a jam.

Matthew’s story is a great example of the difference that union representation can make in an investigatory meeting. And it happened because the worker requested representation!

If you would like to find out more about your rights as a union member, are interested in becoming a shop steward, or want to further your steward education, contact your rep or sign up for training here on our website.

Planned Parenthood - New 2 Year Contract ratified with Resounding 99% YES Vote

Planned Parenthood
New 2 Year Contract ratified with Resounding 99% YES Vote

Our contract was ratified on October 26, 2023, and it includes improved wages, benefits and working conditions.

“The past 6 months of bargaining has been a humbling experience. Bargaining Team members were both inspiring and dedicated. Their commitment to establishing labor rights for our bargaining unit, most of whom we have never formally met, is to be commended. We represented a diverse bargaining unit during this process, and I am proud of every individual that shared their personal story with me or my team members. It is your testimony that inspired the changes we fought for. I could not be prouder to be a part of a Bargaining Team that genuinely argued for equality and equity for our entire unit. I am honored to be a part of this process and to have colleagues that are TRULY aligned with labor rights.” —Melissa Grindstaff, Bargaining Team

“As a Planned Parenthood employee and UFCW member for the last 12 years, this was my first contract negotiation, and I learned so much! It was fascinating to see how negotiations worked from the inside and how to manage the dynamics of the process both virtually and in person. I enjoyed not only being able to provide my colleagues with information about how negotiations were going, but also being able to be a sounding board about their concerns as things progressed. I am eternally grateful for the passion, knowledge, and support of everyone who served on the Bargaining Team!” —Michel Metcalf, Bargaining Team

“Thank you to all my coworkers who bravely and vulnerably shared their stories in effort to win new and Improved benefits, safeguards and fairer pay. This new contract builds upon all the hard fought victories of years past since we unionized in 1985. When we talk, we realize we are not alone. We are stronger together asking for what we need to do our work and serve our patients, to thrive not just survive.” —Alison Deboise, Bargaining Team

Please reach out to a Bargaining Team member or contact Union Rep Charlie King @ 206-436-6518 with any questions or concerns.