St. Michael Medical Center RN - Bargaining Update

On April 16, we met with the SMMC management team and received a full counterproposal. While we appreciate that they responded to all of our proposals, the movement they made was minimal—and their responses fall far short of addressing the real priorities nurses have raised.

Our proposals focused on what we know is needed to recruit and retain nurses: safe staffing, competitive wages, and meaningful benefits. Despite the time we've spent explaining the urgent issues we face, the hospital's proposal was disappointing and, in some cases, proposed takeaways.

What SMMC Proposed:

• EIB usage only after two full shifts (our current contract states after 16 hours)

• Health insurance cost split for dependents to be determined solely by the employer

• Break relief coverage assigned to existing staff—not additional hires

• Wage increases: Year 1: 4.5%, Year 2: 2%, Year 3: 2.5%

At the table, management said they value nurses as highly skilled and highly valuable—but their proposals don't reflect that. We made it clear: SMMC is dealing with chronic staffing issues, missed meal breaks, and nurses regularly working above the staffing plan. That's why we proposed stronger staffing committee language and premiums when nurses are forced to work above the plan.

Management questioned the need for additional staffing language and extra pay under these circumstances. But we know why they're necessary: to hold SMMC accountable and ensure safe staffing for patients and nurses.

Our next bargaining session is scheduled for May 8, and we're working thoughtfully on our next counterproposal. We need every nurse's voice and strength at the table—and throughout the hospital hallways!

Let's Keep the Pressure On

If you haven't already, sign the strike pledge card. This doesn't mean we're going on strike, but it does send a powerful message that you are willing to authorize the bargaining team to take that step if needed to win a fair contract and protect patient care.

Encourage your coworkers to sign as well. The more nurses who stand together, the louder our message becomes.

SIGN HERE >>

Contract Action Team Meeting

May 8
7:00 PM
Virtual Meeting via Zoom >>

We'll be holding a Contract Action Team meeting to provide updates and answer any questions.

Stay strong, stay informed, and stay united—we're in this together!

"SMMC management is out of touch with the reality we face at the bedside every day."
— Kim Fraser

Our Union bargaining team: Lindsey Gearllach (Obs), Meredith Francisco (Med Surg), Kim Fraser (Pre-Op), Janice Brown (FBC). Not Pictured: Tammy Olson (ICU).

Puget Sound Allied Grocery Stores - THEY MUST BE JOKING, RIGHT?

From the first day of negotiations, our member-led bargaining team has worked to reach a fair contract that honors and respects our hard work. Today Kroger and Albertsons proposed the biggest cuts to our health plan since 2013, when we were two hours away from calling a strike. This new proposal would potentially take away coverage from thousands of members and shift more healthcare costs to us. The companies attempting to increase our cost burden are the same ones who have seen profits increase by about 100% over the past five years, four to six times greater than the profits they saw before the COVID pandemic. We will never accept proposals that strip away health coverage from thousands of members.

“We have no interest in accepting proposals that kick people off our health care plan,”

—Ballard QFC Amy Dayley Angell

But the employers’ disrespect did not end with their healthcare proposal. They advanced a wage proposal of $1, $0.50, $0.50. That’s half or less than half depending on your job classification of what we settled for three years ago! We are worth more than fifty cents, which is why our union proposed a compensation package that would reward loyalty, keep up with the cost of living, and bring us in line with the pay of competitors like Costco.

“They are proposing to give us less in wage increases than Colorado, California, Spokane, Wyoming, Idaho, and Oregon—they must be joking, right?”

— Princetta Woodhouse, Redondo Fred Meyer

If you factor in inflation and the increased healthcare premiums the employers are demanding, their wage proposal would likely amount to a pay cut for all of us. Pay cuts for us while the companies each pay their CEOs more than $15 million a year? No way!

We know these greedy corporate CEOs can afford to keep our high-quality health plan intact and pay us what we are worth because the companies collectively spent nearly $16 billion in stock buybacks and dividends ($6.6 billion for Albertsons, and $9.2 billion for Kroger) between 2018 and 2022. That’s money they should have used to increase staff, wages, benefits, remodel stores, purchase new equipment, and lower prices for customers.

Next bargaining dates:
April 21, 22, 28, 29 and 30.

Demand more from the employers!

Step up:
Join a brief workplace leaflet next week and sign a strike pledge card if you haven’t already. Contact your union steward or union rep for more information.

Speak up:
File a staffing report at nogrocerylines.org >>

Dive deeper:
Read more information about our negotiations on our website! >>

Our Union Bargaining Team: Back row (L-R): Todd Heuer, Ballard Fred Meyer; Kim Hayes, Everett Safeway; Teamsters Local 38 E-Board Member Caprii Nakihei; Jeff Smith, Fred Meyer; Bryan Gilderoy, Kent Fred Meyer; Sam Dancy, Westwood Village QFC; Debra Rix, Callow Ave Safeway; Cliff Powers, Anacortes Safeway; Dan Howes, Crown Hill Metro Market; Roger Yanez, Bella Bottega QFC. Middle row (L-R): Kyle Doherty, Stanwood Haggen; Kevin Flynn, Marysville Albertsons; Kyong Barry, S Auburn Albertsons; Princetta Woodhouse, Redondo Fred Meyer; Joseph Baltz, Anacortes Fred Meyer; Daisy Hannelore, Benson Plaza Fred Meyer; Yasmin Ashur, Port Orchard Albertsons. Front row (L-R): Amy Dayley Angell, Ballard QFC; J’Nee Delancey, Ballard Town and Country. Not pictured: UFCW 3000 President Faye Guenther; UFCW 3000 Secretary-Treasurer Joe Mizrahi; Teamsters Local 38 Union Rep Luke Vauley; Teamsters Local 38 Secretary-Treasurer Samantha Kantak; Teamsters Local 38 President Pete Lamb

After CEO Ignores Concerns, UFCW 3000 Delivers Petition Demanding Restoration of Gender-Affirming Care at Seattle Children’s NOW

After resuming gender-affirming surgery for trans patients under 19 years old in February, Seattle Children’s Hospital has yet again halted those surgeries, abandoning its commitment to providing comprehensive, life-saving treatment to all patients.

In response, our union delivered a petition supported by more than 2,200 union members and community leaders demanding an immediate reversal of this decision.

We’re also calling on Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown to investigate the hospital for potential violations of state laws against gender discrimination.

the petition to children’s hospital

PRMCE Technical - CONTRACT ACTION TEAM MEETING

PRMCE Technical
CONTRACT ACTION TEAM MEETING

In anticipation of upcoming contract negotiations, join us at our next Contract Action Team meeting to discuss strategies to build collective power, get updates from the PRMCE Professionals Bargaining Team, and stand together in pursuit of increasing recruitment and retention, better working conditions, and improved benefits for Providence healthcare workers across Washington State!

CONTRACT ACTION TEAM MEETING
Wednesday, April 16
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

In-Person:
Teamsters 38 Union Hall
2601 Everett Ave, Everett, WA 98201

Virtual (ZOOM):
Check email for link
 
Sign the strike pledge card >>
We need to show Providence we're ready to do what it takes to get what we deserve. Sign the strike pledge card or ask a fellow member to sign it if they haven't already.

Step up! >>
We need department leaders to keep members engaged in the fight.

Organize, organize, organize >>
Know a worker who wants to join the union? Send them here.
 

Ashley House - Contract Ratified!

On April 2 and 3 the contract was overwhelmingly ratified by Union Members at all of the houses. We had great conversations with so many people who have a common interest in ensuring that Ashley House continues to be sustainable and that all employees are valued.

Highlights of the agreement include:

• Sustainable Wage Increases

• Premium and Differential Increases

• Higher PTO Accrual Rate

• Enhanced Pull Bonus

• Better Training Bonus

• Job and Bid Posting and Awarding Clarifications

For additional information contact a Bargaining Team member or Union Representative Charlie King (206) 436-6518.

Bargaining Team: Cyndi Jones, Donna Iverson, and Janet Neice

Saint Michael Medical Center RNs - Bargaining Update

On Thursday, April 3, our Bargaining Team met with Management to resume negotiations. In the morning we presented all our economic proposals except for retirement, which we want to discuss with our co-workers in an upcoming meeting (to be announced). We addressed staffing ratios, incentive shift language, break relief nurses, various new proposed premiums to recognize specialized skills of certain RNs, wages, increased PTO, and retention bonuses (among other things).

We were aghast at Management's attitude when we presented our economic package proposals, with members of their team making snide comments while our negotiator presented the information, and in some cases even laughing at proposals around staffing and break nurses.

After our presentation, Management took our proposals and went to caucus for an extended period. We then waited for responses on these economic items, as well as their next set of counterproposals on non-economics, which we last had passed to them on March 27. Upon returning some counterproposals towards the end of the day, we saw little substance in their responses but put together another pass of our own on non-economics to present first thing next week.

Our next bargaining date is April 10, with more sessions confirmed for April 16, May 8, and May 15. Stay tuned for all-member Contract Action Team meetings.

"We were excited to pass our initial economic and staffing proposals to management, including safe staffing ratios and market-competitive wages. But instead of taking them seriously, management literally laughed in our faces. It was beyond disrespectful and shows that we need to be ready to take action for a fair contract." 

— Meredith Francisco, RN (Med Surg)

Our Union Bargaining Team: Kim Fraser (Pre-Op); Janice Brown (FBC); Tammy Olson (ICU); Amanda Lancheros (ER); Lindsey Gearllach (Obs); Meredith Francisco (Med Surg)