Multicare Health System - Our Patience Is Running Thin

Your Union Negotiating Committee met with MultiCare again on Thursday, April 18, starting the day with all outstanding proposals awaiting response from the Employer.

Despite our team being onsite and ready to negotiate by 9:30 AM, we were kept waiting until the afternoon to receive a proposal from management. During this delay, our committee utilized the downtime to strategize our next steps, yet we found it both inefficient and disrespectful to be left without a proposal to review for much of the day.

MultiCare’s counter proposal fell short of expectations, totaling fourteen pages with only minor changes from their previous offer. Furthermore, their proposal didn’t include a response to our wage proposal as MultiCare said they won’t have a response until next month at the earliest. 

Our committee expressed our frustration with MultiCare directly, warning management that our patience is not infinite. We are here to bargain in good faith, working together to find creative solutions to serious workplace issues, not to just pass papers back and forth. 

UFCW Local 3000 members at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane are on an unfair labor practice strike this week, the second against the health system in less than 6-months. Providence has repeatedly made the mistake of testing the patience of workers by failing to come to the table to bargain in good faith and it would be unwise for MultiCare to make a similar mistake. 

Our Negotiating Committee is scheduled to meet with MultiCare again on May 1, with additional bargaining dates scheduled through the end of June.

“We’re ready to work together, but it takes two sides willing to engage. MultiCare needs to step up and show they’re serious about reaching an agreement.” 

— Cheyenne Hannaman, Medical Laboratory Scientist @ Tacoma General Hospital

Join us, along with your friends, family, and MultiCare coworkers for a Union Family Day! RSVP NOW!

IBEW Local 76 Hall
3049 S 36th St
Tacoma, WA 98409
Saturday, May 4
11 AM — 2 PM

Contract Action Team Meetings:
Monday, May 6
9AM — RSVP Online
12PM — Tacoma General in Bunker Conference Room

5PM — RSVP Online