St. Michael Medical Center RN - Bargaining Update

This Wednesday, May 21 our bargaining team met with leadership of Saint Michael Medical Center for what was our eighth bargaining session.

In the morning we presented ideas on how we might come to agreement on major outstanding economic issues, including:

• Staffing

• Charge Nurse duties

• Mandatory Call

• Open Call

• Break relief shifts

While we caucused after this, we began the process of crafting our next set of other economic items not addressed above such as wages and premium pay.

In the afternoon, management responded on the outstanding non-economic issues we do not have Tentative Agreements on already. This shrinking group of sections of the contract we need to respond to them on includes the Residency Program, precepting, and our proposed workplace violence prevention program.

"We have many Tentative Agreements, but we are still hoping for some more movement from management on major economic issues."

— Lindsay Gearrllach (OBS)

We're asking everyone to start wearing gold and blue UFCW 3000 swag on bargaining days! We'll be distributing bandanas and other items to show unity and solidarity.

Next Bargaining Dates

• June 12

• June 18

• June 26

Strike Pledge Card

If you haven't already, sign our Strike Pledge Card! >>

Contract Update Meeting

May 27
7:00 PM

If you are not receiving our bargaining updates or emails, please Update Your Information! >>

Bargaining Team: Kim Fraser, Pre-Op; Janice Brown, FBC; Meredith Francisco, Med Surg; Lindsey Gearllach, Obs; Tammy Olson, ICU

Bartell Drugs & Rite Aid - Severance Pay & Store Closure Information

On May 5, our union, along with other UFCW locals across the country, received notice that Rite Aid is filing for bankruptcy again and plans to close all store locations in the coming months. They aim to sell all their stores by August 2025. As we learn more information, we will send communications out through email and through our website.

While we do not yet know the timeline, it is important for all our members at Rite Aid and Bartell Drug stores to know their rights under our current contract.

If you have any questions about the closures or if you’re considering retirement, please call your union representative, Aaron Bailey, at (206) 436-6631.

• Members have severance pay rights if their store is closed (see enclosed)

• Your pension is still available and will not be affected by Rite Aid’s closure. For any pension questions, please call our pension office, Sound Retirement Trust, directly at (206) 282-4500.

• For Bartell Drug members’ healthcare related questions, please call Sound Health and Wellness at (206) 282-4500.

• King County Labor Council also has an online union hiring hall to see other union job openings in our area at www.unionhiringhall.org

• If you have any questions about the closures or if you’re considering retirement, please call your union representative, Aaron Bailey, at (206) 436-6631.

Our contracts at Bartell Drugs and Rite Aid have strong language in Article 6.9 (2) around you receiving severance if you are laid off due to a store closure:

Years of Service Severance Amount Two (2) through four (4) years 1 week severance Five (5) through six (6) years 2 weeks severance Seven (7) through eight (8) years 3 weeks severance Nine (9) through ten (10) years 4 weeks severance Ten (10) years or more 5 weeks severance

Article 6.9 (3) — Severance pay will equate to the average hours paid in the fourteen (14) weeks, Sunday through Saturday, preceding separation, not to exceed forty (40) hours straight time pay.

Article 6.9 (4) — Workers who receive severance pay shall be paid accrued, unused personal holidays and accrued, unused vacation.

As union members at Rite Aid and Bartell, we have the right to be transferred to a union store in order of seniority. Work with your union rep and Rite Aid HR on relocating to a store nearby.

If you have any questions or concerns, reach out to your Union Reps, Aaron Bailey (206) 436-6631, or our Member Resource Center (866) 210-3000.

We have gotten reports that Bartell Drugs has told members to put in their two weeks’ notice if workers are leaving the company or moving to a non-union store—you will not receive severance pay if you put in your two weeks’ notice instead of being laid off! In order to receive the severance as outlined in our contract, you will need to be laid off by Bartell Drugs/Rite Aid.

Read your Contracts:

Bartell Drugs Contract

https://ufcw3000.org/find-your-contract/2015/2/4/bartell-drugs-contract

Rite Aid Contract

https://ufcw3000.org/find-your-contract/2015/2/25/rite-aid-contract

Resources:

The Unemployment Law Project: a free service that supports workers receiving their unemployment benefits at (206) 441-9178 or online:

unemploymentlawproject.org

UFCW Represented Work Locations: Stay protected through a union contract at our other represented locations—on our website find “Who We Represent”:

ufcw3000.org/shop-union

If you are laid off, you should qualify for unemployment benefits through the Washington State Employment Security Department if all have worked at least 680 hours within the last year. You can file a claim for benefits at 800-318-6022 or online:

esd.wa.gov/unemployment

Providence Centralia Hospital Technical - Bargaining Update

Providence Centralia Hospital Technical
Bargaining Update

Working to Raise Wages at All Steps

On Thursday, May 8, our union bargaining team met with Providence Centralia management for our third session of contract negotiations. Today marked a notable step forward, as we received the employer’s first counter to our wage and compensation proposal.

We were cautiously optimistic in reviewing management’s response, as their initial proposal similarly addressed a few of the key priorities we’ve raised at the table—most notably, eliminating “ghost steps” on the wage scale, as well as providing an outline for an experience audit process to ensure Technical workers at PCH are paid at the rate which aligns with their years of experience.

But there’s still room for improvement: the employer’s counter showed little movement on premiums—aside from a proposed increase to evening and night shift differentials; rates for standby (on-call), lead and preceptor pay, and weekend shift differentials were proposed at the current rates in our CBA.

In response to the employer’s counter, our team got to work drafting a response of our own—carefully reviewing each job classification’s current pay, comparing these to the rates being earned by healthcare workers at other regional hospitals, and building a strong second proposal on compensation and wage rates. We presented this proposal to management in the afternoon, and in our response highlighted that while we recognize the employer’s movement toward increasing compensation, our position still stands that the high number of vacancies across many of our units proves that stronger action is needed to truly attract and retain technical workers from across the region—management must offer highly competitive compensation to make Providence Centralia the destination caregivers want to commute to—not away from.

Beyond our wage scale, we maintained a proposal to increase various premium rates and included changes to the structure of some existing premiums to incentivize career growth, and reward skill development for workers who hold additional certifications or bachelor’s or master’s degrees.

We’re looking ahead to our next-scheduled bargaining date on May 28 to continue negotiations and working toward a strong contract!

Bargaining Team: Jennifer Frunz, Mammography Technologist; Jennifer Mullins, CT Technologist; Shauna Allen, Pharmacy Tech; Shea Carney, Respiratory Care Practitioner

"Our focus is to win a contract that respects our hard work, addresses staffing, and makes Centralia a place Techs choose to stay!"

— Shea Carney, Respiratory Care Practitioner

Contract Action Team Meeting

May 15
7:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Take Action

• 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.

• Leaders in Action:
  May 31
  10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
  Olympia Labor Council Building
  How to Strike and Win >>

• Step up! We need department leaders to keep members engaged in the fight. Providence United – UFCW 3000 >>

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