Providence Sacred Heart Techs Weekend Plans on the Strike Line!

Join us on Saturday for FEED THE LINE

We will have the Blue Apron Brigade (The Babs) delivering food and support we received from the Community in the area at various times in the day. Who are the Babs you may ask? Well come to the Strike line on Saturday and you won’t miss them.They’re the fun people wearing Blue aprons with FOOD!

• Breakfast will be delivered to the strike lines around 7:00am and is from Panera Bread.

• Lunch will be near the Check-In tent around 12pm and it is TECH-SASS STYLE BBQ from Fresh Soul. We will have folks relieve people from each strike line in groups so that you can grab lunch at the tent.

• Dinner will be delivered to each strike line around 3:00pm and will be from Las Delicias de Isla.

• Dinner will be delivered to each strike line around 5:30pm and is from Ricuras Caribeñas.

• Some Community members may be dropping by with goodies throughout the day as well!

"Why is Providence afraid to face us?”

—Join us on Sunday for Family day of Sweet Treats and Face painting! A face painter will be at the Check-In Tent from 11am to 4pm. Bring the children!

Providence Sacred Heart Techs ULP Strike Day 2 update

Amazing turnout of workers and community the first two days of the strike! We will be sending out short updates throughout the strike- today is an important update regarding your strike benefits and an invitation to join the Rally tomorrow night 4/24 at 7pm in Cowley Park.

Please help pass the word to friends and family- and wear your best western themed clothing for a Sunset showdown Rally in support of the Technical workers. We’ll be joined by community and legislative speakers… we hope to see you there!

WHAT IS MY STRIKE BENEFIT?    

Our Union Executive Board has approved strike fund benefits for represented workers of: 

• $500/week for picketing a minimum of 20 hours a week, 

• $800/week for picketing a minimum of 32 hours or more a week, 

• $200/week “Respect the Line Benefit” for those who cannot join their colleagues on the strike line but respect the strike line and do not cross. *Respect the Line Benefit only available on full week.  

  Since this is an 8.5 day strike, there are an extra two days that represented workers are eligible for strike benefits: 

• Week 1: Monday April 22 – Sunday April 28: Receive benefit above based on hours on the strike line 

• Week 2: Monday April 29 – Tuesday April 30: Strike Benefit will be pro-rated: 

• $200 for picketing 8-12 hr

• $320 for picketing more than 12 hr

Our health care workers are standing up for fair treatment and safe patient care at Sacred Heart.

Come by at 7 PM to meet striking workers and prepare for a sunset solidarity rally, with voices from the hospital and our community. Let’s show Sacred Heart workers that this community has their back!

Our health care workers are standing up for fair treatment and safe patient care at Sacred Heart. https://www.mobilize.us/ufcw3000/event/620522/
 

Providence Sacred Heart Techs ULP Strike starts on April 22

ULP Strike starts on April 22

On Monday April 22 at 2pm our unfair labor practice (ULP) strike at Providence Sacred Heart begins. The most important thing is that as we leave our shifts, there is a continuum of patient care. We cannot abandon our patients and should follow Providence’s instructions for safe transfer of work. Technical workers whose shift starts prior to 2pm on April 22 should report to their shift and at 2pm should give report and safely transfer their assignment to a replacement worker. If there is no replacement worker to transfer your assignment to, then you should continue working your shift until you can safely transfer your assignment (this may be at the end of your shift). Once you have safely transferred your assignment then you can join us on the strike line!

If you do not work on April 22, please join us on the strike line starting at 2pm so we can welcome our coworkers who have walked off their shifts. You may sign in on Day 1 on the strike line OR at the sign in Tent on 8th and McClellan St.

The strike will conclude on April 30 at 8:30pm. As this is a ULP strike, Providence must offer all technical workers an unconditional return to work. This means that technical workers should expect to work their next regular or call shift following April 30 at 8:30pm. If your regular or call shift on April 30 starts before 8:30pm, Providence will communicate instructions. We expect that supervisors will send out return-to-work instructions on or before April 29.

While we encourage all technical workers to join us on the strike line throughout our 8-day ULP strike, we recognize that personal circumstances may influence individual decisions regarding participation. If you choose to strike, please adhere to Providence's instructions.

For any questions or concerns, please reach out to your Union Representative Juanita Quezada, 509-340-7407.

For more information about our ULP strike please visit ufcw3000.org/strike >>

Providence Sacred Heart Tech ULP Strike Notice Delivered: We Stand United

ULP Strike Notice Delivered at Sacred Heart: We Stand United 

After months of bargaining with Providence Sacred Heart in Spokane, Sacred Heart Medical Center technical workers voted overwhelmingly to REJECT Providence’s most recent contract offer and YES to authorize an unfair labor practice strike, with unprecedented voter turnout. 

“A supermajority of UFCW 3000 members showed up to vote. As an extension of our voices, we used our votes to reject the present contract offered by Providence and to authorize a strike, signaling it is time for Providence to hear us and find solutions to combat short staffing and retain experienced staff. We are a part of this community, and we will continue to fight to keep our community safe and healthy.” – Providence Sacred Heart Technical Unit Bargaining Team: Derek Roybal, Janelle Mathias, Craig Kistler, Lee Lidman, Joe Sikkila, Shane Sullivan, Miriam Critelli, Teresa Bowden, Angela Holmes, Holly Granly.

Today we delivered to a 10-day strike notice to Providence. Our union bargaining team has called for an Unfair Labor Practice Strike starting at 2:00pm on April 22 and lasting until April 30, with picketing outside the hospital every day between the hours of 5:30am - 8:30pm.

WE STRIKE BECAUSE:

We deserve better. Providence’s behavior at the bargaining table has shown us consistent disrespect. That disrespect of our rights and our bargaining process has extended to management committing unfair labor practices. Providence management implemented a change in working conditions, imposing schedule changes outside the bounds of our contract even as our union objected. They engaged in blatant direct dealing with union members outside of negotiations, skirting the bargaining process by attempting to coerce members into approving terms we had not agreed to. At the final hour they punitively revoked our access to the hospital for our contract vote the day before the vote. From the beginning, we had to fight just to keep our existing medical and dental guarantees on the table, which we only saved through relentless action and solidarity. Management’s insistence that we compare our compensation with a nearby hospital vanished when those workers negotiated significant improvements. Now Providence seems perfectly comfortable making many of us the lowest-paid workers in our field in our region, all while committing unfair labor practices throughout our negotiations. They even made the decision to take away snacks and drinks from employees utilizing the OR break room.

Our patients deserve better. Chronic short-staffing and perpetual on-call is running us ragged. Sacred Heart Medical Center is the only hospital of its kind in the region, yet instead of recognizing the unique specialty, skills, and services we provide, hospital leadership seems convinced they don’t have to invest in staff. We are a lifeline for the sickest patients in the Inland Northwest, and without a better contract we will continue to lose the technical staff required to offer the highest level of care. Our patients deserve the best care team possible, and we can’t achieve that if technical staff can work down the street for better pay, fairer treatment, a higher level of respect, and less demanding work. 

Our community is counting on us. If we allow Providence management to degrade the standards in our contract, to ignore our hard work and sacrifices, to set the bar as low as possible for how skilled technical workers are treated, we know it will have devastating impacts on our ability to retain our experienced staff and recruit new highly qualified technical staff. As our region’s only level II trauma center for adult and pediatric patients, Providence should be the regional leader in recruiting and retaining skilled staff. 

We stand united. Our unit has shown up to these votes in lockstep, with unprecedented turnout and unanimous or near-unanimous votes rejecting Providence’s offers and authorizing this unfair labor practice strike. We have come this far together. Walking a strike line is a last resort, and we don’t take it lightly, but we are ready to stand up for our patients, our community, and each other. Unfair labor practices are unacceptable, and the disrespect we’re facing at the bargaining table negatively impacts patient care. We have the support of 50,000 fellow UFCW 3000 members and our union’s community allies across Spokane.

We are inspired by our fellow Providence workers, including the 1,300+ nurses at Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett who went on strike in 2023 and demanded better for their patients and staff. Following their lead, we call on all Providence workers to keep organizing together in solidarity, in this contract fight and in your upcoming contract negotiations. Each time that we stand up to Providence’s corporate greed, we lay a foundation to envision what a more powerful voice could look like for workers and patients in our health care system and specifically within Providence Health & Services.

PROVIDENCE SACRED HEART STRIKE – TAKE ACTION: 

It’s time to send Providence a clear message that they need to do better, we expect better, and our patients deserve better. Join us in actions over the coming days and on the strike line starting on April 22 to ask Providence to be the leader our community and patients need. 

BEFORE WE STRIKE: 

• Fill out your W9 to receive ULP strike benefits >> 
  All represented workers who picket over 20 hours a week will receive $500, or $800 if you picket for over 32 hours. If you are unable to join the picket but respect the strike line and stay home, you can receive $200 Respect the Line pay.

• Sign up for your strike shifts! >>

• Share the Community Pledge to support the ULP strike with your friends, family and community >>

CALENDAR: Join actions next week to help prepare for a successful strike! 

Monday 4/15 @ 7pm: Media and Social Media Training via Zoom 
Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82384326981?pwd=SnpRTW5Ub1AzeS9OeGlPK2twaExQZz09  

Tuesday 4/16 @ 6pm: Picket Sign-Making Party
@ UFCW 3000 Office: 2805 N Market St, Spokane, WA 99207. Come make a sign and also pick up community support signs to share with local businesses.  

Wednesday 4/17 @ 11am: Press Conference
@ UFCW 3000 Office: 2805 N Market St, Spokane, WA 99207. Invite family and friends to join us! 

Wednesday 4/17 @ 7pm: Telephone Town Hall call with Providence workers statewide 
Providence Sacred Heart workers will receive a call at the phone number on file with the union inviting you to join this call at 7 pm. If you miss the call or do not receive a call, you can join the meeting anytime by calling (888) 652-0386 and entering Meeting ID 7911  

Friday 4/19 @ 6pm: Strike Captain Meeting
@ UFCW 3000 Office: 2805 N Market St, Spokane, WA 99207. Are you interested in helping to be a leader on the line? Come join us for training on roles, how to lead, and what to expect.

Monday 4/22 @ 2pm: UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICE STRIKE BEGINS
Picketing at the hospital will occur daily from 5:30am – 8:30pm through 4/30. 

*Additional communications will be sent out answering frequently asked questions, as we prepare logistically for the Strike. Stay up to date at www.ufcw3000.org/strike. 

Providence Sacred Heart PROV MISSED THE MARK AGAIN Contract and Strike Reauthorization vote

After months of bargaining with Providence to secure a new contract that reflects the respect we deserve and the care our patients need, we were met with another disappointing proposal from the Hospital. A Proposal that Providence said was them putting their best offer forward. A proposal that would make many of us the lowest paid workers in our field in the region. A Proposal that doesn't adequately address safe staffing by improving our retention and recruitment of healthcare workers.

We are the lifeline for Spokane and the greater Inland Northwest community. Providence Sacred Heart is the only trauma 2 and pediatric hospital in Washington State and has the only stroke thrombectomy center, nuerointerventional center, adult congenital heart program, and transplant center in the Inland Northwest.

Providence should be the leader in recruitment and retention in Spokane and should recognize the unique specialty, skills, and services we provide to the community.

From the very first moment of bargaining, Providence has been laser focused on deteriorating standards in our contract by attempting to bully our unit to give up our Union Healthcare benefits and committing multiple potential Unfair Labor Practices along the way. We stood together and were successfully able to protect our Dental benefits through the life of the agreement and we are standing  together and fighting  back against Providence breaking labor law.  

Next, the Hospital came to the table with a song and dance about how they wanted to address specific areas in our contract that were behind market, to maintain Sacred Heart Medical Center as the leader in the Spokane area, while at the same time attempting to pin our wages to the lowest comparable in the area. After the same neighboring hospital settled their contact with significant gains, Providence came back to the table arguing that we shouldn’t look at that comparison. It’s clear to us that Providence is prepared to make whatever argument, flip flopping all the way, just to pay us less. We find that unacceptable.

Many of us have worked through the pandemic, worked short staffed for months or years, taken endless hours of call, sacrificing our time, energy, bodies, and our families to care for our patients and community all while making Providence profitable. Our wages and standards have fallen behind others, and we still did our job. Providence’s last proposal does not recognize us for our hard work, skills, and commitment to our community and to Providence.

We still have work to do. Its time to send Providence a clear message that they need to do better, we expect better, and our patients deserve better. Join us at the Contract vote this Thursday to reject Providence’s latest offer and re-authorize a strike.

CONTRACT VOTE AND STRIKE RE-AUTHORIZATION VOTE

Thursday, April 11 from 7am to 8pm
@ Hampton Inn & Suites- Spokane Downtown South, 675 S Mcclellan Street. Spokane, WA 99204 in the Rockwood Retreat Room 3

Please help pass the word- the Vote will be held at a NEW location- the Hampton Inn Downtown Spokane, right across from the Hospital.

Our union Bargaining Team is recommending a NO vote on the contract proposal and a YES vote to re-authorize a strike. Any time there are significant changes to the proposal we must re-vote. All members in good standing are encouraged to vote. To receive the union strike pay benefit, you must complete a W9 form before we go on strike >>

“Our team showed up today and worked very hard to come up with competitive comprehensive proposals that involved very creative movement and was met with a lack of creative ideas from the employer. I continue to feel that my career choice is very unappreciated by this employer. I cannot in good conscience recommend a yes vote on the employers’ latest proposal.” – Angela Holmes Surgical Tech

“Providence needs to do the right thing chose to show that they care about the health of the community and surrounding areas and take action to recruit and retain the talented and experience caregivers that have made us the leaders in acute care. Profits and shareholders should never be given priority over patients and employees.” – Derek Roybal

“My perception is that Management had no intention of moving towards a fair contract that would help with retention and recruitment of highly qualified staff to care for our community. Join us in voting NO on the contract and Yes on strike Authorization on Thursday. Providence needs to Do better and Providence need to BE better.” – Joe Sikkila

Providence Sacred Heart Being united gets results, but the fight isn’t over.

If our Bargaining Team is unable to reach a fully recommended offer at our next session on April 8  —then our union Bargaining Team is recommending a NO vote on the contract proposal and a YES vote to re-authorize a strike. 

When we fight we win! Management heard us because of our unanimous strike authorization vote. With the strength and support of our co-workers behind us, we were able to lock in significant movement at the table:  

We beat back management’s attempts to gut our dental plan. 

• Proposals were exchanged that would ensure NO changes to our contractual dental plan over the course of the contract and included language that would ensure we keep our Dental plan in place long term, as long as it remains the standard for the Service & Maintenance unit at the hospital.  

We also locked in new Tentative Agreements on:  

• Recognition of past experience for New Hires 

• Increase Shift Differentials 

• Increased Standby pay 

•  Preceptor Premium 

• Adding MLK Day as a holiday 

• Clarity of sick leave usage 

• Removal of Ghost Step for step 23 and Step 11 

• Improved Grievance process 

• Staffing LOU  

• Tuition reimbursement increase 

While these are promising improvements they are not enough until we win significant improvements on wage proposals. 

Caregivers deserve respect from Management, Sacred Heart is the only level 2 trauma hospital in the area and is a vital resource for our community for miles around. Other hospitals send us their most complicated and desperate patients to get the care they need. 

Throughout the negotiation process Management has tried to circumvent good faith bargaining by unanimously implementing procedures around mealtimes and breaks, imposing a wage path without negotiating, frustrating the process by failing to provide essential information to our union bargaining team, and other unfair labor practices.  

Contract vote scheduled: Thursday, April 11 from 7am to 8pm in the Leahy Room (next to the cafeteria). 

If we are unable to reach a fully recommended offer at our next session scheduled for April 8 our union Bargaining Team is recommending a NO vote on the contract proposal and a YES vote to re-authorize a strike. Any time there are significant changes to the proposal we must re-vote. All members in good standing are encouraged to vote. To receive the union strike pay benefit, you must complete a W9 form before we go on strike >>

“We need to show Management that the progress we made isn’t enough with a strong NO Vote. We hope we can reach a tentative agreement, but we are united and ready for a ULP strike if we must. Over the next week we will be signing up for strike shifts and picket captain trainings. We are not afraid to do what we must to win,” - Craig Kistler 

“We need to recruit and retain talented caregivers so that we can provide the quality healthcare this community expects from a Trauma level 2 Hospital. Spokane has become one of the most expensive places to live in Eastern Washington, we need wages that stay competitive with other area healthcare centers and acknowledge the unique and important role that Sacred Heart plays in caring for communities for miles around.” - Teresa Bowden

Next steps:

1. Addend the contract vote/strike re-authorization vote on Thursday, April 11 from 7am to 8pm in the Leahy Room (next to the cafeteria.

1.  Strike shift sign-ups will be available next week 

1. To receive strike pay you must complete and return a W-9 >> 

Providence Sacred Heart Technical Bargaining Update

We met with the Employer again on Tuesday, February 6, 2024 and although the Employer moved off of the Medical benefits guarantee elimination, they continue to propose the elimination of guaranteed language for dental that is currently protected by the contract. The Employer stated that they want us to have the same benefits as non-represented employees, and not the same benefits as other represented employees such as your RNs and Service & Maintenance co-workers. The bargaining team feels there was minimal movement made and we have a long way to go. We will continue to push back at bargaining table on February 22, 2024 against Employer proposals like eliminating language in Article 13.6, that guarantees the employer pays 100% of Dental Premium for Full-Time employees and at least 50% for dependents. We will also continue to push for significant movement on wage increases to help recruit and retain staff, which we believe would improve staffing and patient care.

We have had reports of Management bringing around a bargaining update that shows what the Employer’s last proposal was. We have been told that it is not posted and only being shown by Management.

WHY? We believe that what they are showing employees is only a partial proposal that does not show the proposal to eliminate language in Article 13.6.

It is an unfair labor practice for Management to coerce members or to interfere in Union activities. Please advise your bargaining team or Union Representative if you believe your manager has engaged in any type of this behavior.

If you have not already done so please join your coworkers in signing the strike pledge

We encourage members to join their bargaining team and co-workers at the UFCW 3000 office for a bargaining update meeting to get updates and hear about next steps on February 27. We will also be holding a Strike Authorization Vote on March 1, 2024:

Bargaining Update Meeting

February 27

• 6pm - 8pm

Strike Authorization Vote

March 1, 2024

• 8am - 11am
• 1pm - 4pm
• 5pm - 8pm

UFCW 3000 office

2805 N. Market Street, Spokane, WA

As a member of your bargaining team, we are working very hard to bring our co-workers a contract we feel is fair and protects our benefits.

—Angela Holmes, Surgical Tech

We should not only be compared to local hospitals but also to Hospitals of similar size and services. We need to have competitive wages that reflect the work we do.

—Lee Lidman, IR CV Tech

Better wages lead to better staffing, which leads to better patient care. We have been working additional shifts for over 2 years. If the employer put that additional incentive pay into the wage scale, we would be able to recruit and retain experienced staff.

—Joe Sikkila, Respiratory Therapy

UFCW 21 Member Story: Brad Exercises His Rights

Brad Starkey, cleaning worker and UFCW 21 member

Happy #MemberMonday! Today’s spotlight is on Brad Starkey, EVS worker at Sacred Heart hospital and proud UFCW 21 member.

Brad is an experienced cleaning worker who understands how to handle management while he’s at work. He says that sometimes, his manager will visit where he works 2 to 5 times a day to monitor what he’s doing under the guise of “seeing if anybody needs help.” In Brad’s words, he knows that, if he needs, he “can easily pick up the phone and ask for help — a fact that management knows all too well.”

Recently, the EVS manager and another of Brad’s supervisors brought him into their office to ask him questions. He quickly determined that they were trying to find something — anything — that they could discipline Brad about. At that point in the conversation, Brad informed management that he wanted to have Union Representation present during this questioning. His manager stated that Brad could not do that, at which point Brad quoted his Weingarten Rights, which establish the right for workers to have union representations at investigatory interviews.

At this point, Brad simply refused to continue further conversation with management and subsequently called his rep. Brad says that this has been a long-standing problem with management at Sacred Heart, refusing to acknowledge caregivers’ Weingarten rights.

We commend Brad for advocating for himself and leaning on his legal rights to representation as a union worker! As an essential cleaning worker, he and his co-workers deserve dignity and respect in the workplace, and asserting your rights as a worker is one way to keep management in check. Thank you for all your work, Brad! #UnionStrong #EssentialWorkers #WeingartenRights

Remember: your UFCW 21 member card includes information about your Weingarten rights and we encourage you to keep your card on you, especially while at work! Are you a member, but haven’t received your card yet? Please get in touch with us and we can help.

Providence Sacred Heart Tech - Contract Vote Scheduled!

We held three contract Q&A meetings via Zoom on March 8, 2021 to answer any questions or address any concerns about the proposed contract prior to voting.

We will be voting online via “Simply Vote” on Monday, March 15, 2021 from 12AM to 11:59PM. You will be receiving an email from “Simply Vote” with your unique login information. If you do not receive an email from UFCW 21 or “Simply Vote,” by March 12, please update your information (via ufcw21.org/update-your-information) or contact your union representative Maureen Hatton at mhatton@ufcw21.org or 509-340-7370

Your Bargaining Team is recommending a “YES” vote!

OUR BARGAINING TEAM: Lisa Aker, Surgical Tech; Angela Holmes, Surgical Tech; Teresa Bowden, Respiratory Therapist; Laurie Trudeau, Respiratory Therapist; Sam Zabala, Respiratory Therapist; Miriam Critelli, Pharmacy Tech; Kevin Lange, Mental Health Counselor; Shane Sullivan, Peds Sonagrapher; Aaron Bryant, IR Tech; Derek Roybal, CV Tech; Jason Van Curler, EP Tech

Providence Sacred Heart Tech - Bargaining Continues

We have spent the last two bargaining sessions discussing contract language that members voiced concerns over and were able to get our non-economic proposals on the table. It is still early in the bargaining process and Zoom meetings can be challenging but we are confident that with the four future dates we have scheduled we will have all non-economic and economical proposals from both sides out.

Please stay informed by making sure that your contact information is updated with the Union or contact one of your Bargaining Team members. Contact your Union Representative Maureen Hatton @ 509-340-7370 with any questions or concerns

OUR BARGAINING TEAM LEFT TO RIGHT TOP TO BOTTOM: Sam Zabala, Respiratory Therapist; Jackie Williams, UFCW21 Negotiator; Miriam Critelli, Pharmacy Tech; Shane Sullivan Peds, Sonographer; Teresa Bowden, Respiratory Therapist; Jim McGuinness, Attorney; Lisa Aker, Surgical Tech; Derek Roybal, CV Tech; Aaron Bryant, IR Tech; Angela Holmes, Surgical Tech; Kevin Lange, Mental Health Counselor; Jason VanCurler, EP Tech; NOT PICTURED: Laurie Trudeau, Respiratory Therapist; Maureen Hatton, UFCW 21 Representative

Providence Sacred Heart & Holy Family - Contract Vote Scheduled

Tentative Agreement Reached with UFCW 21 at Providence Sacred Heart, other Tables Continue Talks

For Immediate Release: January 8, 2020 -   9:30 AM
Contact: Tom Geiger, UFCW 21 Cell: 206-604-3421

Tentative Agreement Reached with UFCW 21 at Providence Sacred Heart, other Tables Continue Talks

After months of contract negotiations, the service and maintenance workers at Sacred Heart reached a fully recommended Tentative Agreement in the early morning hours on January 8th. This win was a result of the strong unity between UFCW 21, SEIU Healthcare 1199 NW and WSNA.

Negotiations between UFCW 21 Pro and Tech members at Everett Medical Center have been ongoing over the night and into this morning. Additionally, UFCW 21 will go into another round of negotiations with Service and Maintenance workers at Holy Family in Spokane later today, and then our RNs from Centralia and St Peter Hospitals are gathering for returning to negotiations later today as well. Our RNs at St Mary’s in Walla Walla are planned to be in negotiations tomorrow.

PSHMC Tech - Putting Our Foot Down For Quality Care

Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center Tech - Bargaining Continues

Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center Tech - Bargaining Begins

Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center Techs Bargaining Kickoff

PSHMC Service and Maintenance Contract Vote

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PSHMC Service & Maintainance

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Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center

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PSHMC Service and Maintainence - Contract Negotiations Begin