Providence Sacred Heart Service and Maintenance FAQ about ULP strike

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As you may know, there is scheduled to be a strike at Sacred Heart next week. This Unfair Labor Practice strike is over the Providence Sacred Heart Technical Unit Collective Bargaining Agreement and Providence committing several unfair labor practices that include making changes in the workplace without first negotiating and skirting the bargaining process by attempting to direct deal and coerce staff. This strike does NOT include the Service and Maintenance agreement. There has been some confusion due to emails Providence Sacred Heart management has sent that did not specify which departments are going on strike. All Technical staff will be out on a ULP strike beginning at 2pm on Monday, April 22, and continuing until 8:30pm on Tuesday, April 30.

There are questions around what Services and Maintenance staff should expect when the strike happens. Here are some common questions we have been asked.

Do I cross the Picket line?

Service and Maintenance employees are required to work their regularly scheduled shifts during the time that the technical staff are on strike per Article 13 of your contract. Service and Maintenance staff should not join the strike line while on lunches or breaks. If you would like to support the strike lines on your own personal non-work time, your fellow UFCW 3000 members in the Technical unit would really appreciate the show of solidarity!

How can we show solidarity while at work?

You should wear UFCW 3000 buttons and solidarity stickers, and blue or yellow scrubs. Get creative and please wear them each day! One of the most important things you can do is to share stories about what is happening in the hospital. Please keep your Union Rep informed on what is happening and if there are any stories that could make strikers feel empowered. Our job during the strike is to show solidarity- both visually and with our actions. If management instructs you to remove your buttons and/or stickers, you should comply with their request but report the incident to your Union Rep.

Can I be asked to do work outside of my normal duties?

One of the most powerful things you can do to affirm your scope of work is question and object to improper assignments that are changes to your normal working conditions. You also have a responsibility to provide good patient care and make sure no person is harmed. If management asks us to do something that you are uncomfortable with, is unsafe, or outside of our normal responsibilities- you have the right to object and state why.

Objections can include any personal reason that you feel strongly about- including your licensure, patient safety, insufficient training, or that it’s not in your job description. You have the right to push back and encourage managers and replacement workers to do the additional tasks asked of you. However, you only refuse a task if it is an abnormally dangerous assignment.

You have the right to object- but if you refuse it may be considered insubordination. Your job is to object on why an assignment is improper, and if management insists on you doing the work, you should comply, document the scenario, and call our Union Rep if you have questions. If you feel unequipped or unsafe for any reason, report it to your Union Rep as well.

Scheduling, Overtime, Low Census, and all other provisions of our contracts remain in effect and should be adhered to. Please refer to your Union contract: ufcw3000.org/contracts

Do I have to come in on my days off and work extra shifts/hours?

No, after the schedule is posted, changes to the schedule can only be made with mutual consent. Out of support for your fellow UFCW 3000 members we ask that you consider not picking up any extra shifts.

7.8 Schedule Posting. Work schedules of shifts and days off (including call schedules) for a six (6) week period will be posted three (3) weeks in advance. After posting, the schedule may only be changed by mutual consent.

Can I be forced to take PTO or furloughed without pay?

Management may ask for volunteers to take unpaid time off or to use educational time– deciding to do so is up to you. They must continue to follow the Low Census process that is in your contract.

What else can we do to help?

Invite your family and friends to join the Techs on the strike line! Also, If you are not working at the time, you are invited to join Technical staff and community allies at an evening solidarity rally on Wednesday, April 24, at 7pm over in Cowley Park (next to the hospital at 7th & Division St.)

If you have any questions or concerns on the Service and Maintenance contract, please contact Union Representative Lenaya Wilhelm, 360-409-0556.

Find all the latest Union updates in one place: UFCW3000.org/strike >>

Lourdes Medical Center - Tentative Agreement Reached at Lourdes Medical Center for Contract Extension and Wage Increases for All Represented Service & Maintenance Employees

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To address the immediate retention and recruitment issues at Lourdes Medical Center, the bargaining team and Administration met to discuss the possibility of extending the current contract with increases to compensation and other changes. After two days of conversations, we were able to reach a tentative agreement that will close the gap in compensation with our geographic competitor. We believe the increases will help our hospital with retention and recruitment, which will lead to better patient outcomes.

“The bargaining team worked hard to make sure that there were substantial increases to the wage scale, increases to PTO accrual, and an additional step to the top of the scale. It was an intense bargaining session, but we finally met somewhere in the middle. Without a Union, we have no voice. Having a Union gives us a strong voice and makes it easier to stand up and fight back.”

— Our Bargaining Team, Left to right: Candie Gonzales, Rorie Lopez, Sam Zoller, Juanita Quezada Representative

Competitive wages are an absolute must to recruit and retain quality staff. We believe this proposal achieves that goal.

Drop-in Vote Meeting!

March 15, 2024,
3:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Carondolet Room

Please join your bargaining team in voting YES on March 15, 2024, anytime between 3:00 PM and 8:00 PM in the Carondolet room next to the cafeteria. A complete document of the contract and the new wage scale will be available at the vote along with your bargaining team to answer any questions and address any concerns you may have. You must be a UFCW 3000 member in good standing to vote. Please reach out to your Union Representative Juanita Quezada with any questions at (509) 340-7407.

Ferry County Public Hospital Service and Maintenance LPN Vote Scheduled

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Ferry County Public Hospital Service & Maintenance / LPN

Tentative Agreement reached! Contract Vote Scheduled!

Our Union Bargaining Team members met with Management on August 10, 2023 and were prepared to meet again the next day but were able to reach a tentative agreement late into the day.

“Today was a great day for all of the hardworking employees of Ferry County Health. We established our foundation with a new contract that will give us a voice and return power to those of us that work tirelessly to keep this hospital district running. We will continue to improve our position and strengthen our resolve through sticking with one another and growing our membership. We all deserve this and more.” —Chris Torres, Lab.

“I am so proud for all the results of our hard work and commitment to each other for the benefit of our co-workers. We look forward to working and talking with each of you.” —Nykole Silrus, LPN.

“It was a privilege to work on a contract that benefits all Service & Maintenance and LPN employees. We now know where we stand for the next Three Years.” —Rebecca Thompson, Unit Coordinator.

Contract Vote: August 30, 2023 Please join our Bargaining Team in voting YES on August 30, 2023 at any of the scheduled times in the HUB. 6:30am—8:30am, 11:00am—1:00pm or 4:00pm—7:00pm.

Please reach out to our Bargaining Team or Union Representative Amy Radcliff at 509-340-7370 with any questions or concerns.

Providence St. Joseph - New Three Year Contract Ratified at Providence St. Joseph Hospital for Service & Maintenance and Technical Units

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Our bargaining team is excited to announce that on June 27, 2023, the new three-year contract was unanimously ratified at Providence St. Joseph Hospital for service & maintenance and technical units. This was a great time for everyone to learn about the new contract, ask questions, and vote. We connected with a lot of people and built our membership through this process. We are encouraged that the growth of our membership will strengthen the power that we have at the table.

The new contract has a competitive wage scale, increased premiums, an additional holiday, and cleaned up a lot of unnecessary language. The bargaining team spent some very long days with management, but they are excited, hopeful, and confident that this contract will help address retention and recruitment issues at St. Joseph.

If you would like to get involved, please reach out to your bargaining team. It takes all of us to fight for the benefits we work hard for!

Please reach out to your bargaining team or Union Representative Amy Radcliff at (509) 340-7370 with any questions or concerns.

Our Bargaining Team: Dawn Trotter, Financial Counselor; Bridgett McCoy, Coordinator; Terri Barbano-Cardin, Respiratory Therapist; Amy Radcliff, Union Representative

Ferry County Public Hospital Service & Maintenance LPN Bargaining Begins!

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Our Union Bargaining Team members met with Management on June 1 and June 2 to begin negotiating our first contract.

“Negotiations are progressing well. Our team is keeping the best interests of all employees in the district in mind and are working hard to establish a fair and beneficial contract.” —Chris Torres, Lab

“It is an honor to sit with my fellow co-workers and Management to go through this process for the betterment of the staff and hospital. We have been working diligently on various issues and have made progress on many of those issues with the thought of our fellow co-workers at heart.” — Nykole Silrus, LPN

“We are off to a good start but have a long way to go in this process. The doors of communication are wide open and the conversations have been very productive.” —Rebecca Thompson, Unit Coordinator

Our next bargaining sessions are scheduled for June 22 and June 23. Please reach out to our Bargaining Team or our Union Representative Amy Radcliff at 509-340-7370 with any questions or concerns.

Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center - Tentative Agreement Reached!

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We have reached a FULLY RECOMMENDED tentative agreement with Providence Sacred Heart in RECORD TIME and far before expiration!

Your bargaining team met with the employer for three expedited bargaining sessions where we focused on wages. After some long sessions we were able to reach a tentative agreement that will compensate all Service and Maintenance employees represented by UFCW Local 300 fairly for the work they do. The wage increases are the largest collectively that we have seen at Providence Sacred Heart and will make us market competive within our region.

Your bargaining team is recommending a YES vote on the tentative agreement.

Join one of our vote meetings:

August 10, 2022 

6:30am to 8:30am 

2:00pm to 4:00pm

6:30 pm to 8:00 pm 

Notre Dame room in the Mother Gamlen Building under Human Resourses.

Full agreement for review will be available at the vote meetings. 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 or concerns as they were the ones participating in the process at the bargaining table. Please be aware of the Rumor Monger.

Kaye Balk, Registrar “Every negotiation I learn something new. This years expedited bargaining was certainly a plus! It seemed a smoother process.”

Margaret Lauricella, Monitor Tech “This was my first negotiation. I am loving feeling heard. I also feel apart of a team that spoke and worked for over 1100 of my co-workers/caregivers.”

Aaron Leigh Food Service ”During the negotiation information is more valuable than eloquence.”

Patty Martin, Financial Counselor “These negotiations over the last 3 days was phenomenal! We made movement with management each and every day. We were able to accomplish the highest wage increases ever received at SHMC for service. We are excited to vote on 8/10/2022.”

Michael McDonald ER Tech

Brad Starkey, Environmental Services “After 3 days of hard work we were able to get an excellent agreement on this contract.”

Nicole Taylor, ER Tech “Through 3 long sessions it was good to come up with an agreement that’s good for all our members.”

William Volpone, Lab Assistant “This experience was incredibly interesting and an eye opener.”

Ryan Walton, Sterile Supply Tech “This deal was the result of Union Stewards throughout the hospital working for the benefit of nearly 1200 members at Sacred Heart.”