Know your Rights! Providence Meal Waiver

UFCW 3000 is working with Providence to address the Meal Waiver situation. We consider the language in the meal waiver to be a direct negotiation with employees since Providence is asking you to waive rights outlined in our contracts. We want to ensure that you receive appropriate compensation for missed or late meal periods and that your contract is not negatively impacted.

For shifts of 11 hours or more: If your shift length is 11 hours or more, you are entitled to two 30-minute meal periods. If you are currently only receiving one 30-minute meal period and have not waived your second meal period, you may be entitled to compensation. Additionally, the employer may extend your shift based on the language in the CBA and past practices in order to accommodate your second meal period.

It is your right to waive the second meal period, but you may miss out on overtime pay for missing your second meal period if you choose to waive it. While we recommend not waiving your second meal period, the decision to do so is ultimately yours.

We will be holding a Zoom meeting on Monday, February 5, from 6 - 7 pm for all Providence members to ask questions about the meal waiver. Join the meeting at that time by clicking here:

In the meantime, if you have any questions, please reach out to your union rep:

• Anthony Cantu (Providence Everett RNs): 206-436-6566

• Jack Crow (Providence Everett Pros and Techs): 206-436-6614

• Madison Derksema (Providence St. Peter, Providence Radiant Care, and Providence Centralia): 206-436-6603

• Lenaya Wilhelm (Providence Holy Family and Sacred Heart): 509-340-7369

• Juanita Quezada (Providence Sacred Heart Techs and Providence St. Mary): 509-340-7407

• Amy Radcliff (Providence Mt. Carmel and St. Joseph): 509-340-7370

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Health Care Rest Breaks & Meal Periods: Know Your Rights and Your Contract

Shift Length	Rest Breaks	Meal Period
4-5 hour shift	10 min* x1	0
8-hour shift	10 min* x2	30 min x1
10-hour shift	10 min* x2	30 min x1
12-hour shift	10 min* x3	30 min x2
16-hour shift	10 min* x4	30 min x2

*10 minutes is the WA State minimum. If your contract bargaining agreement (CBA) states 15 minutes, you should receive 15-minute rest breaks

• You must receive a paid rest break for every four (4) hours worked.

• You cannot waive your right to a rest break.

Meal Period: Your right to a meal period

A meal period cannot be substituted for breaks: Any employee who works more than four (4) hours gets their breaks as outlined above, and any scheduled meal period.

You are entitled to a 30-minute uninterrupted meal period when working more than five hours. The first meal period must be between the second and fifth hour worked. If you work 11 hours or more during the day, you must receive a second meal period no later than five (5) hours after the end of your first meal period.

Interrupted Mealtime: If you are required to stay on duty during a meal break you are still entitled to 30 total minutes of mealtime, excluding interruptions, plus 30 minutes of pay. Time spent performing the work task is not considered part of the meal period. The entire meal period must be paid no matter the number of interruptions. For example, if you received a 30-minute meal break but had to answer your work phone throughout then you should be paid 30 minutes for your meal period and receive a total of 30 minutes (non-consecutive) mealtime. 

Late Mealtime: If you are not given time to have a 30-minute mealtime, you must be paid for your time worked plus 30 minutes. Paying employees 30 minutes for the meal period does not absolve the employer’s responsibility to give you a late 30-minute unpaid mealtime when practicable.

The above is a general guideline to meal periods and rest breaks. For more in-depth information please contact your union representative OR download the Health Care Guide to Meal and Rest Breaks >>

Relevant Laws:

• WAC 296-126-092

• RCW 49.12.480

PCC Tentative Agreement Reached! Bargaining Committee is recommending a YES vote!

After a Powerful Strike Vote, UFCW 3000 PCC Bargaining Team Reaches a Tentative Agreement on a New Contract and Recommends a YES vote!

Contract Vote: Tuesday, February 6.

After months of bargaining and a powerful strike authorization vote, we reached an overall tentative agreement with PCC that will once again make our workplace an industry leader in workplace standards, wages, and benefits. 

We strengthened our voice as workers over the future of the co-op for the first time ever securing permanent seats for PCC workers on the Board of Trustees, improving our Worker Caucus Language, and setting up a Labor Management Committee that is tasked with exploring profit sharing, improving the workplace and more. PCC workers know better than anyone what works in our stores. Workers' voices will make PCC successful. 

We won wage increases that will put us ahead of every other grocery store in the region, recognizing our hard work and expertise. We won wage scales that will help foster retention by allowing workers to reach top of the scale within three years of employment. We protected our high road healthcare and pension.

Key Tentative Agreements include:

• Wages: Largest wage increases ever at PCC, making PCC workers some of the highest paid Grocery Store workers in the Puget Sound

• Healthcare: Maintaining our high road healthcare plan and controlling cost for workers

• Pension: Securing our pension for all workers

• WeTrain Funding: Funding for future training programs and keeping our Meat Apprenticeship Program strong

• Improvements to Work Schedules: Allowing workers to pick up more hours when they are available

• Improvements to Leave of Absence, Bereavement

• Improvements to the Workers Caucus Committee

• Establishment of a committee to discuss gainshare and profit share for PCC workers to benefit from PCC profits and gain greater insight into PCC financials

• Increases to the night premium, time and one half for all work after 8th day (Grocery), increasing rest between shifts from 10 hours to 12 hours

• Orca Pass: provided for no more than $20, stronger promotion language

• Improved Safety language

• And more

Contract Vote: Tuesday, February 6.

You may attend any vote location during the polling times to vote on the tentative agreement. The full tentative agreement will be available to review at the voting locations. All members in good standing are eligible and encouraged to vote on the tentative agreement.

Morning Votes 8:00AM — 12:00PM

West Seattle PCC: 2749 California Ave SW. Seattle, WA 98116

Burien PCC: 15840 1st Ave. South, Burien, WA 98148

Green Lake Village PCC: 450 NE 71st St. Seattle, WA 98115

Bothell PCC: 22621 Bothell Everett Highway, Bothell, WA 98021

Fremont PCC: 600 North 34th St. Seattle, WA 98103

Bellevue PCC: 11615 NE 4th St. Bellevue, WA 98004

Ballard PCC: 1451 NW 46th St. Seattle, WA 98107

View Ridge PCC: 6514 40th Ave NE. Seattle, WA 98115

Afternoon Votes 2:00PM — 6:00PM

Columbia City PCC: 3610 South Edmunds St. Seattle, WA 98118

Central District PCC: 2230 E Union St. Seattle, WA 98122

Redmond PCC: 11435 Avondale Rd NE. Redmond, WA 98052

Edmonds PCC: 9803 Edmonds Wy. Edmonds, WA 98020

Issaquah PCC: 1810 12th Ave NW. Issaquah, WA 98027

Kirkland PCC: 430 Kirkland Wy. Kirkland, WA 98033

Greenlake PCC: 7504 Aurora Avenue N. Seattle, WA 98103   

Our Union Bargaining Committee: 
Atsuko Koseki – PCC Edmonds – Deli
Scott Shiflett – PCC Redmond – Meat
Greg Brooks – PCC Burien – Meat
Allison Smith – PCC Issaquah – Meat
Cina Ebrahimi – PCC View Ridge – Grocery
Yasab Pfister – PCC Burien – Front End
Keith Allery – GLV – Night Crew Deli
Emily Weisenburger – Issaquah – HBC
Arlo Bender-Simon – Bothell – Grocery  
Marlin Hathaway –  GLV – Grocery
Jordan Young – View Ridge – Grocery

MHS Auburn Medical Center (Professional) - Return to the Bargaining Table!

MHS Auburn Medical Center (Professional)
Return to the Bargaining Table!

BARGAINING TEAM: Pharmacist Brent Kirshenbaum, Social Worker Marci Pindi (standing in), and Mental Health Technician Ramona Strassburg

Our Bargaining Team has met with MultiCare Management since the new year started, and talks have mostly been productive.

• MultiCare Management has been agreeable to copy much of the language from the Tacoma General’s Professional contract.

• However, a fight is brewing on economics with the Employer already proposing to take away pay in lieu of benefits and consecutive weekend pay - both of which are guaranteed in other UFCW contracts.

• MultiCare is also threatening to convert all Employees to hourly. While that works for some, it doesn’t for other positions, so our Bargaining Team is proposing to maintain a salary option in some classifications.

Our Bargaining Team is working hard and will continue to focus on the above issues. Other bargaining dates have been confirmed for January 31, February 7 and 14; we will be requesting additional future bargaining dates from the Employer. We are committed to keeping everyone informed and engaged and will schedule regular bargaining update meetings.

Join your coworkers for the next meeting!
Drop by, stay informed, and give your input.

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

Wednesday, March 21 @ 11am—1pm
Cascade Training Room

QUESTIONS? Contact Union Rep Ian Jacobson @ (360) 409-0587.

Willapa Harbor Hospital - Bargaining Update

We continue to bargain with management over a new contract. We have addressed many issues, including competitive wages, premiums and benefits, consecutive work days, and scheduling of time off as well as nurse staffing (now that we are working under new staffing laws), and equity and diversity. Management has been somewhat receptive and seems to want to reach an agreement that keeps the hospital competitive.

We are meeting again on Thursday, February 1.

For additional information, contact a Bargaining Team Member or Union Representative Madison Derksema at (360) 409-0584. To update your information, visit our website.

Deep Roots Stay Threaded Together

“The most powerful part of negotiations was sharing our experiences as retail workers- and the reality that many of us are living paycheck to paycheck and depend on our commission rates to help pay the rent and supplement our income. Our stories are what thread us together- and what will help us to fight at the table for the improvements we need to stay in the industry we love. Why do you love working in the piercing industry? How would having a higher wage and greater opportunities for commission change your life? Please share with us, and continue to wear your stickers at work!” — Our Union Bargaining Team, Cy Manning and Lexi Otway

On Monday we received our first economic proposal from Deep Roots which included a wage scale and the current practices around commission, Co-Lead pay, tips, and gratuity.

They also proposed new Holidays where employees would receive time and one half for working and paid days off on Christmas and Thanksgiving. Other big discussion topics of the day included industry standards, workplace safety, commuter stipends, and employee discounts.

We have waited a long time to have these important discussions around pay, time off, and benefits. Our team spent most of the day evaluating their proposals and thinking through strategies to reach an agreement that addresses our priorities. We return to the bargaining table on February 13 and 23.

Please reach out to our Union Rep Dominick Ojeda at 206-436-6586, if you have questions or need support.

Macy’s Workers Ratify Historic Contract

Our Agreement Contains Hard Fought Wins After Historic 9-Day ULP Strike and Consumer Boycott Campaign that followed a historic 3 day ULP strike over Black Friday Weekend.  

Macy’s worker sent a strong message: We are united and fighting for better jobs for all retail workers 

The Newly ratified agreement with Macy’s ends our second ULP strike and consumer boycott campaign. Together, we won the largest ratification bonus in the nation for Macy’s workers. This agreement sets a new gold standard for retail workers across the country, both in the fight and in the outcome. 

Azia Domingo who has worked at Macy’s Southcenter Mall store for 21 years said:  “We’re on our feet for 8, 10, sometimes 12 hours a day making the store and our products shine and helping our customers. Pay is low, and understaffing has left us at higher risk when confronted with health and safety threats. Our union member workers told Macy’s, enough is enough. We were prepared to strike and support a consumer boycott as long as it took to get Macy’s to address our serious concerns. This tentative agreement shows Macy’s management is ready to recognize that we are essential to making Macy’s a profitable business.” 

The agreement approved today by a vote of Macy’s UFCW 3000 members, will provide workers covered by the contract with: 

• The largest ratification bonus in the country, 20% higher than before the strike. 

• Increased safety protections, including the right for workers to bring up safety issues without fear of retaliation, one of the key unfair labor practices that caused workers to strike.  

• A new and improved wage scale for new hires. Increases in minimum wage escalators to .35 for workers after one year and .50 for workers after two years. 

• Protection of a prized worker benefit, Martin Luther King Jr Day flex paid time off for current employees, that Macy’s had threatened to take away. 

Union Reps and Stewards will have copies of the “red-lined” contract in stores and new contract booklets as soon as possible. 

This strike has reset the balance of power between workers and Macy’s. Let’s keep the pressure on by enforcing our contract, getting involved in our safety committees, joining steward trainings, and getting our coworkers and community ready for the next fight! 

Stop the Merger Telephone Town Hall Call Thursday!

Attention all UFCW 3000 Grocery Store Members. You are invited to join our live Telephone Town Hall on Thursday, February 1 at 4pm to hear updates on our efforts to oppose the Kroger and Albertsons’ proposed merger, and a live Question and Answer session with members on this important topic. We will be joined by our union’s top officers, experts, and also our partners from Teamsters 38.

When your phone rings Thursday at 4pm, just answer and you will join the call. If for some reason you do not get a call or you get disconnected, you can also join us by dialing 1-888-652-0383 and entering meeting ID 7803 during the time of the call.

WhidbeyHealth Service and Support - Bargaining Begins!

On Monday, January 22, our Union Bargaining Team met with Management for our first joint session. We presented some non-economic proposals and also continued discussions about other proposals amongst ourselves in our own Union caucus.

In the coming weeks between now and our next joint session, we intend to develop more proposals (both non-economic and economic) in order to prepare to meet with Management again on February 22.

"Management was willing to hear our initial proposals and we had a productive day of negotiations. They also were open to hearing what we had to say about application and security of lead roles. We look forward to our next bargaining session."
— Marilyn Faber, Patient Financial Services.

Bargaining Team Member:Marilyn Faber, Patient Financial Services; Liz Latiff, Health Unit Coordinator

UFCW 3000 Podcast Episode 11: Our Union and Politics

How and why does a union engage with politics? What's the "people power" we talk about in "people-powered politics"? Michaela talks with UFCW 3000 political organizer Derrick about the power of union members taking an active role in local and state elections and in politics beyond elections. Washington State legislature is now in session, and while this was recorded before the recent elections, it's also about all the work that UFCW 3000 members will now be doing to hold those elected lawmakers accountable! They discuss the potential corporate grocery mega-merger that our local is fighting against, and at the end of the episode you'll hear from longtime grocery worker and UFCW 3000 member Naomi speaking out at a press conference about that merger. Learn more about our political advocacy work, our 2024 legislative agenda, how to register to vote, and more at our website: https://ufcw3000.org/people-powered-politics Our Winter General Membership Meetings, also discussed here, are also coming up! Find your local quarterly meeting at: https://ufcw3000.org/gmmcall

UFCW 3000 union shop steward Michaela is always ready to answer fellow members’ questions about their union. She’s also a devoted murder podcast listener. Put those interests together, and she decided to start a union podcast to get all her coworkers’ questions and her own questions answered, and to meet as many people as possible who could share what it means to be a part of UFCW 3000. (No murder on this podcast, only solidarity!)

*The information shared on this podcast is offered by rank and file union member leaders of UFCW 3000. There may be inaccuracies or misstatements shared, as members will be speaking from the lenses of their perspectives and life experiences. While members are doing their best to share good information, we can make no claims to 100% accuracy and this podcast should not be construed as legal advice.

PCC Strike Vote Results: Strike Authorization APPROVED, Contract Offer REJECTED

Today, PCC workers overwhelmingly voted to reject PCC’s most recent contract offer and voted to authorize a strike!

PCC has historically led the grocery store industry, but now they are making proposals that are far behind other stores—Town and Country, Saar’s, Safeway, and every other union grocery store in this region pays more than PCC.

We are sending a clear message: We will no longer allow our wages to lag behind and we are ready to strike.

PCC is the largest food co-op in the United States. When they were doing well, PCC was all too happy to spend money on fancy executive offices, or on big payouts to recruit Kroger and Starbucks management, or to install, then uninstall, then install again banks of USCAN machines, or to expand beyond their ability to operate. They spent their money in ways that did not benefit workers or improve the customer experience, over the objections of workers and our union. And now, after years of poor executive decision-making, PCC wants to balance their books on the backs of the workers.

We will not tolerate a grocery store that claims to care about the community and its members while undercutting community standards.

PCC has lost its way. And the only way for PCC to find its way again is to have workers involved in the decisions. Workers know better than anyone what works in our stores. Workers know the customers. Workers’ voices will make PCC successful.

Our message is clear: If we must strike, we will.

We are back at the bargaining table Tuesday, January 30. We must stand against the corporatization of PCC, we must stand together to keep up with industry standard wages, and we must stand up for ourselves.

Our Union Bargaining Committee: 
Atsuko Koseki – PCC Edmonds – Deli
Scott Shiflett – PCC Redmond – Meat
Greg Brooks – PCC Burien – Meat
Allison Smith – PCC Kirkland – Meat
Ebrahimi – PCC View Ridge – Grocery
Yasab Pfister – PCC Burien – Front End
Keith Allery – GLV – Night Crew Deli
Emily Weisenburger – HBC – Issaquah
Arlo Bender-Simon – Bothell – Grocery  
Marlin Hathaway – GLV – Grocery
Jordan Young – View Ridge – Grocery

Swain's General Store Negotiations Continue!

Our Union Negotiations Team (left to right): Mike Nichols, Floor Clerk (Shoes); Robert Sommers, Receiving Clerk; Richard Drake, Receiving Clerk/Warehouse Contact; Shawn Price, Cashier/Person In Charge (not pictured)

On Tuesday January 23 and Wednesday January 24 our Union Bargaining Team met with Management to continue contract negotiations. By the end of two long days, we were able to come to tentative agreements on almost all our proposals. We exchanged multiple wage scale proposals, however, and at the end of Wednesday evening Management asked us to consider their last proposal of the day for consideration as part of a fully recommended offer. We made the decision to talk to our coworkers about it first to see how we all feel.

Contract Action Team Meeting!

We will be holding a Contract Action Team meeting at the Teamsters 589 office on Sunday, February 4 at 6:30PM to get your input! Please arrive promptly so that we can discuss this as a group. The address is 1293 S C St, Port Angeles, WA 98363.

Downtown Dog Lounge Another week another tough negotiation session

Our Downtown Dog Lounge Bargaining Team met with Elise, Kelly and their lawyer again this Wednesday and had another long session. Progress was made on multiple important issues, such as workplace safety and standards for employee rest areas. However, DDL is still holding out on their unreasonable proposals on union’s staff ability to support workers onsite and be present in the worksites.

More negotiation sessions to come in February! As always the best information on negotiations is from your coworker at the table. Talk to a Team member today if you have any questions.

Northwest Center Early Supports TENTATIVE AGREEMENT REACHED Contract VOTE SCHEDULED

After almost 9 months of bargaining, we have reached a tentative agreement on our first union contract and will hold an in-person meeting during work hours on Wednesday, February 14 to review the details and approve by a democratic vote. 

We organized our Early Supports Union to address pay inequity, the rising costs of living in our region, and the goal of retaining staff and not having the high turnover that we were experiencing. This is historic- we are the first Early Supports Agency to unionize in Washington and one of the first private agencies to organize in the country!

Our Union Bargaining Team is unanimously recommending a YES vote. 

Highlights of the tentative agreement include:

• Compassion Leave improvements for all employees at NWC

• Establishment of a weighted caseload system

• Transparent wage scale with wage increases each year of the contract on our employment anniversary date and anniversary of contract ratification

• Maximum Capacity and Over Capacity Bonuses

• Increased PTO accruals

• Access to meetings via zoom and limits on in-person requirements 

• Health and Safety rights/protections 

• Increased Breaks/Time off Work

• Continuing Education

• Wage differentials for skills: multilingual, CHERISH, medically complex feeding

• Wage differentials for: education levels/degrees, previous job experience, tenure with Northwest Center for current employees 

• New Employee Orientation process

• Labor Management Committee

• Definition of Service Teams and process for allocating new families outside your Team

• Protection from unjust discipline

• Fair process for layoff and reduction in overall hours

• Reimbursement of up to $500 for accident or damage to vehicle 

• Remote and in-person positions

• Overtime for all employees 

• and more!

In-Person CONTRACT VOTE SCHEDULED: Wednesday, February 14 from 11:00am – 3:00pm @ Northwest Center South Park Office: 7272 W Marginal Way S, Seattle, WA 98108

Voting will only be conducted in-person. If you cannot attend because of remote work or are sick, please email kvaldez@ufcw3000.org. A zoom option will be available to answer questions and review the vote documents.
Questions? Please contact the Bargaining Team or Union Representative Ian Jacobson, 206-436-6550.
Facebook: Early Supports Union, Instagram: @earlysupportsunion

PCC Friday Contract Vote and Strike Authorization Vote

Friday Strike Vote: Our UFCW 3000 PCC Bargaining Team Unanimously Recommends a NO Vote on the Contract Offer and a YES Vote to Authorize a STRIKE! 

Yesterday, after having six weeks to prepare a fair proposal, PCC came to our bargaining session only willing to propose a move of 10 cents for the Grocery contract and 20 cents for the Meat contract at the top of our scales. PCC then left the session without even responding to our counter proposals. PCC has clearly decided that our wages should be lower than our region’s grocery store standards. They think we deserve less than the grocery store worker across the street.

Our Member Bargaining Team thinks our work is worth more than that. We are ready to stand up for a fair contract.

PCC has historically led the grocery store industry and now they have fallen far behind. PCC is behind Town and Country, Saar's, Safeway, and every other union grocery store in this region.

We are sending a clear message: We will no longer allow our wages to lag behind and we are ready to strike.

PCC is the largest food co-op in the United States. When they were doing well, PCC was to happy to spend money on fancy executive offices, or big payouts to recruit Kroger and Starbucks management, or to expand beyond PCC's ability to operate, or to install, then uninstall, then install again U-SCAN machines. PCC has spent money in ways that did not benefit workers or improve the customer experience, over the objections of workers and our union. Now, after years of poor executive decision-making, PCC wants to balance their books on the backs of workers.

We will not tolerate a grocery store that claims to care about the community and its members while undercutting community standards.

PCC Management has lost its way. And the only way for them to find their way again is to have workers involved in their decisions. Workers know better than anyone what works in our stores. Workers know our customers. Workers' voices will make PCC successful.

If we must strike, it will be a strike to protect PCC from itself.

Contract Votes and Strike Authorization Meetings: Friday, January 26

Tomorrow, Friday, January 26, we will be holding Strike Authorization votes at all 15 PCC store locations. All members in good standing are eligible to vote. Copies of the PCC contract offer highlight sheet will be available for review at each vote location. Our Union Bargaining Team is recommending a NO vote to reject PCC's latest contract proposal and YES vote to authorize a strike.

Morning Votes 8:00AM — 12:00PM

West Seattle PCC: 2749 California Ave SW. Seattle, WA 98116  

Burien PCC: 15840 1st Ave. South, Burien, WA 98148  

Green Lake Village PCC: 450 NE 71st St. Seattle, WA 98115  

Bothell PCC: 22621 Bothell Everett Highway, Bothell, WA 98021  

Fremont PCC: 600 North 34th St. Seattle, WA 98103  

Bellevue PCC: 11615 NE 4th St. Bellevue, WA 98004  

Ballard PCC: 1451 NW 46th St. Seattle, WA 98107  

View Ridge PCC: 6514 40th Ave NE. Seattle, WA 98115  

Afternoon Votes 2:00PM — 6:00PM  

Columbia City PCC: 3610 South Edmunds St. Seattle, WA 98118  

Central District PCC: 2230 E Union St. Seattle, WA 98122  

Redmond PCC: 11435 Avondale Rd NE. Redmond, WA 98052  

Edmonds PCC: 9803 Edmonds Wy. Edmonds, WA 98020  

Issaquah PCC: 1810 12th Ave NW. Issaquah, WA 98027  

Kirkland PCC: 430 Kirkland Wy. Kirkland, WA 98033  

Greenlake PCC: 7504 Aurora Avenue N. Seattle, WA 98103  

Resources

Strike Frequently Asked Questions document >>
Make sure you have filled-out and submitted a W9 form for union strike benefits during a strike >>

Our Union Bargaining Comittee: 
Atsuko Koseki – PCC Edmonds – Deli
Scott Shiflett – PCC Redmond – Meat
Greg Brooks – PCC Burien – Meat
Allison Smith – PCC Kirkland – Meat
Ebrahimi – PCC View Ridge – Grocery
Yasab Pfister – PCC Burien – Front End
Keith Allery – GLV – Night Crew Deli
Emily Weisenburger – HBC – Issaquah
Arlo Bender-Simon – Bothell – Grocery  
Marlin Hathaway –  GLV – Grocery
Jordan Young – View Ridge – Grocery

Macy's Contract Votes Scheduled! Bargaining team recommends a YES vote

After not one but two powerful strikes in the middle of winter, our union bargaining team has reached a fully recommended tentative agreement with Macy’s that goes a long way toward respecting our work and protecting our wages and benefits. While we didn’t win everything we wanted, we were able to achieve the best Macy’s contract in the nation, with agreement on items that were at the top of our priorities list, including: 

• The largest ratification bonus in the country, 20% higher than where Macy’s offer was pre-strike 

• Protection of the MLK Day paid holiday for all current employees that Macy’s had threatened to take away with no replacement 

• Increased safety protections, including the right for workers to bring up safety issues or call for help without fear of discipline or retaliation 

• Not just protecting but increasing our wage escalators that guarantee wages stay above minimum wage even as it rises to keep up with inflation 

This was a long fight for all of us, and your bargaining team is excited to review the full offer with all members at our vote meetings. The most important thing you can do now is show up to a vote meeting near you so you can get all your questions answered and cast your vote on the contract!

Contract Votes: Monday, January 29, 8AM—11AM & 3PM—6PM

ALDERWOOD: Residence Inn by Marriott Seattle North/Lynnwood Everett, 18200 Alderwood Mall Pkwy, Lynnwood, WA 98037 (Olympic Room) 
SOUTHCENTER: Doubletree Suites by Hilton Hotel, 16500 Southcenter Pkwy, Seattle, WA 98188 (Summit Ballroom) 
BELLINGHAM: Four Points by Sheraton, Mt. Baker Room 714 Lakeway Drive, Bellingham, WA 98229 
UFCW 3000 members in good standing are encouraged to attend a meeting, ask questions, and vote on the contract. Contact a Bargaining Team member or your Union Representative for any questions! 
OUR BARGAINING TEAM UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS A YES VOTE!

Mason Health RN Bargaining Update

“We feel that we have fulfilled our full workload for yesterday and today.” -Megan Corbin

Today we delivered an economic package proposal to management including significant increases to wages and premiums including Resource RN Differential, and BSN/MSN Premium. We are trying to find ways to make the wage scale more competitive with other nearby hospitals.

We have also proposed changes to the definition for full time and part time to be inclusive of 12 hour shifts (so three twelves per week equals full-time.) Management continues to fight us on this.

Other changes include redefining the clarification of longevity increases and Report Pay process, and a significant overhaul of Earned Time. We meet again with Management on January 29.

​For additional information reach out to a Bargaining Team Member. Our Union Bargaining Team: Tori Willis, Megan Corbin, Nancy Ownby.

National Press Conference on Opposition to Kroger and Albertsons’ Proposed Mega-Merger

For Immediate Release – Wednesday January 24th, 2024

PRESS ADVISORY for Friday, January 26th, 2024 (9AM PST, 12 noon EST)

Virtual Press Conference. Register HERE in advance

Grocery Store Workers and their UFCW Local Unions Hold National Press Conference on Ongoing Efforts to Oppose Kroger and Albertsons’ Proposed Mega-Merger

What: A national press conference to update media and expose many of the troubling details underlying the proposed merger as well as debunking the claims being made by the companies about themselves, the reasons for the proposed merger in the 1st place, the troubling picture of C&S as the proposed divestiture company, and more. Short informational session will be followed by a Q and A session for the media.

Who: 

• Faye Guenther, President, UFCW 3000 (WA)

• Tom Olson, Grocery store worker and UFCW 7 member (CO)

• John Marshall, CFA, Capital Strategies Director, UFCW 324 (CA) and UFCW 3000 (WA)

Upon request, post event interviews can be arranged for media with local grocery store workers in Washington State. And interviews with grocery store members at UFCW locals in CA, WA, CO and the Washington DC/surrounding states areas can also be arranged.

When: Friday January 26, 2024: 9 AM PST, 12 Noon EST

Where: Pre-register here in advance of the press conference HERE >>

Contact: Tom Geiger, UFCW 3000, 206-604-3421

Macy's Update: Strike Ends, Fully Recommended Tentative Agreement Reached!

Union Siblings,

Your Union Bargaining Team is happy to announce that our STRIKE AGAINST MACY’S IS OVER!

We have reached a Tentative Agreement with Macy’s management for a BEST IN THE NATION union contract, addressing members’ top issues and protecting our rights. The Bargaining Team unanimously recommends a yes vote to ratify this historic contract.

We won a deal like this because UFCW 3000 members took bold action by going on strike! First we struck over the busy Black Friday weekend, forcing Macy’s to slash their holiday shopping hours at the peak of the season and calling attention to the way our work is essential to the company’s success. When that wasn’t enough, union workers at the Alderwood location took further action and went out on strike for the past 9 days in freezing winter weather, vowing to strike for as long as it takes and publicly calling for a Macy’s boycott.

We are ending the strike at Alderwood effective immediately and informing Macy’s of our unconditional offer to return to work beginning Thursday, January 25.

Details will come shortly regarding the ratification votes for the fully recommended agreement. We are working to get the vote documents ready for your review as quickly as possible and members will have the opportunity to review the agreement and get any questions answered before voting.

For Alderwood strikers and those respecting the line: 

• Work with your manager to get back on the schedule. Reach out to your union stewards, Rep, or UFCW 3000 Member Resource Center (1-866-210-3000) if you experience any issues.

• UFCW 3000 staff will still be onsite at Alderwood Macy’s this Friday, January 26, distributing strike benefits to eligible members who have been on strike.

We also want to thank the 20,000+ customers and hundreds if not thousands of union allies and community supporters who stood in solidarity with us, vowing not to cross our picket lines, showing up to march alongside us, and providing a clear message to Macy’s management that our customers and our community value our work. The dignity and respect we get from a fair union contract is hard-won, and we look forward to getting back to what we do best: serving our loyal customers and making Macy’s a great place to shop.

PRMCE RN Negotiations & Upcoming Action

During our meeting with PRMCE on January 22, we presented a comprehensive proposal based on the thorough feedback from nurses. This proposal encompasses retroactive pay dating back to December 15, 2023, across-the-board wage increases scheduled for 2025, heightened step increment percentages for steps 26 to 35, stronger staffing language, and clarifications addressing ambiguous language. We were encouraged that PRMCE came to the table willing to listen and even accepted some of our language proposals.

Highlights of our proposals:

• Clarified that charge nurse assignments are always voluntary

• Extra shift incentive for all vacant shifts - a full-time or part-time nurse will receive double-time pay when picking up an extra shift beyond their FTE, and per diem nurses will receive 1.5 times pay for picking up more than two shifts in a pay period and double time if they work above a 0.5 FTE

• Clarified Christmas day pay for night shift nurses

• Clarified holiday substitute pay

• Twelve break relief nurse positions will be posted within 21 days of ratification, and there will be a mandatory discussion about break relief nurses in closed units

• Market analysis will include Level 2 trauma centers in Western WA, and a mandatory market adjustment if PRMCE RN wages fall below the market average

• Boarder premium pay for ED nurses, along with limitations on border assignment makeup

• Clarified EIB can be used on the first day of any illness or injury

• Increased wage increments for Steps 26 through 35, given their overall across-the-board increases were below less senior RNs

• Bonus for RNs who have been employed with PRMCE since December 31, 2001

• Retro pay from December 15, 2023

• $5/hour staffing premium for each nurse working two hours or more below the staffing plan

• Increased the across-the-board increase in 2025 to 6%

• January 1, 2026 contract reopener

• Innovative staffing model like co-caring pilot must reach a consensus in the Hospital Staffing Committee prior to implementation

Meal Waiver Information:

Our recommendation is that RNs DECLINE both questions on the meal waiver. If you receive a late first meal period or carry a phone with you during your meal period, you should receive 30 additional minutes of pay. These 30 minutes of additional pay may place you into overtime depending on the length of your shift. Additionally, we requested information several weeks ago about PRMCE’s meal period scheduling to determine if shifts will be extended or remain the same. We expect to have more information about shift lengths next week.

Upcoming actions:

• January 26 Ambulance Wait Times Bill In-person Capitol Meeting at 8am (see below)

• January 28 Update Meeting 5pm-6pm - Click here to join >>

  • Update/Next Steps

  • Legislative Bills

  • Information on Meal Periods/Meal Waiver

  • Need Volunteers for Community/Media update

• January 30 10am-2pm Olympia Lobby Day at the State Capitol (meet at Pritchard Building)

• Early February Media Engagement

• February 5- 9 Yellow and Blue Scrubs Week

• February 9 Mediation with PRMCE

• February 12 Mediation with PRMCE

Take Legislative Action for Ambulance Waiting Times and Unemployment Benefits for Striking Workers

In response to community concerns, particularly from firefighters and nurses, Rep. Mary Fosse (D-Everett) introduced HB 2466to address ambulance waiting times. The legislation would require a hospital accept a patient transferred by ambulance within 30 minutes of arrival or be responsible for reimbursing the ambulance service for costs over 30 minutes. Exceptions include extended patient surge and ER capacity due to damages (water damage or system outages) but NOT for staffing. We think this is a great bill to weigh in on.

The bill will be heard this Friday morning, January 26, in the House Health Care & Wellness Committee at the Capitol (Olympia) at 8AM. If you are interested in giving testimony in person, please email Tom Lambro, tlbambro@ufcw3000.org. It will be available online live on TVW's website and a recording will be available afterward.

You can do two things now:

1. Sign in PRO on the legislation so legislators know where constituents stand on HB 2466 >>

2. If you'd be interested in writing written testimony so it's in the legislative record you can do that here >>

UFCW 3000 is also prioritizing a bill to ensure workers who go on strike are able to file for Unemployment benefits. HB 1893 in the House and SB 5777 in the Senate are both quickly moving.The Senate bill passed the Labor Committee on January 16 and the House bill is scheduled to pass the House Labor Committee January 24 after which it will go to the full House. Weighing in directly with your own legislators will go a long way in ensuring we pass this in 2024. There are two quick ways you can do this:

1. Call the Legislative Hotline at 1-800-562-6000 and let the person who answers the phone know you are in strong support of SB 5777 and HB 1893.

2. You can also write to your own legislators directly! If you are not sure which district you live in you can find that here: https://app.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/. After you fill in this form it will provide you with phone number and email to your legislators. If you are writing to your senator mention SB 5777 and to your two state representatives mention HB 1893.