Skagit Regional Health - Tentative Agreement Reached

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Skagit Regional Health
Tentative Agreement Reached

“Our team was dedicated to working endless hours to fight for a fair contract. While SVH offered up an acceleration of bargaining to be fair and quick...it still didn't meet the needs of SVH employees. We worked until 5:30 am to ensure work life balance needs were improved....work practices would be more fair....and wage increases were reflected with competitors. Both sides of the team brought their best forward.”

-Alina DeLano, SRH Ultrasound and Bargaining Team

Our Bargaining Team is excited to have reached a tentative agreement. After a final marathon bargain where our bargaining team members bargained for a total of 21 hours straight, our priorities were reached, including competitive raises over the next three and half years, better staffing, scheduling and ensuring practices that promote patient safety and compassionate care.

We are proud of a contract that includes:

  • Higher across the board wage increases.

  • Market adjustments for all job classifications

  • More PTO

  • Stronger language for standby and callbacks

Join your coworkers and vote on your new contract!

Skagit Regional Clinic *Additional location added!
Monday, September 26 @ 11AM - 2PM
Skagit Regional Clinic- Riverbend, 2320 Freeway Dr, Mount Vernon

Skagit Valley Hospital
Monday, September 26 @ 6AM - 9AM | 11AM - 2PM | 4PM - 8PM
Sahale Conf Rm - 1415 E Kincaid St, Mt. Vernon, WA 98273

SRH - Camano Island Clinic
Tuesday, September 27 @ 10AM - 11AM
Clinic Break Rm - 127 NE Camano Dr, Camano Island, WA 98282

SRH - Stanwood Clinic
Tuesday, September 27 @ 11:30am – 12:30pm
Conf Rm - 9631 269th St. NW, Stanwood, WA 98292

SRH - Smokey Point Clinic
Tuesday, September 27 @ 7AM - 8:30AM | 11:30AM - 1PM
Conf Rm - 3823 172nd St. NE, Smokey Point, WA 98271

Cascade Valley Hospital
Tuesday, September 27 @ 7am - 8:30am |11:30am - 1:00pm
Rainier B Conf Rm (Floor 2) - 330 Stillaguamish Ave, Arlington, WA 98223

SRH - Ear, Nose & Throat Clinic
Tuesday, September 27 @ 9:30am - 11:30am
Break Rm - 1019 24th St, Anacortes, WA 98221

You must be in good standing to be eligible to vote. Click HERE

Skagit Regional Health Bargaining Continues

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On August 17th and 25th our Bargaining Team met with Management for our 12th & 13th negotiation sessions. We discussed staffing, wages and other economic issues we believe are important to all of us working for Skagit. Our team was disheartened to see Management’s economic proposal. After our bargaining session on the 17th, Management claimed “More than 80% of the bargaining unit would receive between a 4.5% and 16% increase in 2022 under our proposal.” Please read that carefully! This apparently includes market adjustments or longevity steps you have ALREADY received or are due in 2022. Increases that had to be done because SRH cannot attract and retain new workers in many departments.

The truth is they offered a fixed base wage increase of 3% in year 1 and a total increase of 7.5% to cover a proposed nearly three-and-a-half-year term. While we continue to push for additional market adjustments and believe those are important, the Employer’s base wage proposal averages less than 2.5% per year. Our Union Bargaining Team does not believe such a proposal is a serious attempt by Management to remedy staffing shortages or creates a compensation package competitive enough to attract new workers. We also believe it is unfair to existing employees who are experiencing increased housing, food, gas and living costs.

In addition to the economic proposals, our Bargaining Team continues to push for agreements regarding safe staffing practices, including rest between shifts, limitations on the amount of standby employees must work or time they may be held over the end of their shift, and compensation for per diems in order to make SRH more competitive in attracting additional help. We also made proposals we believe are important reflections of the organization’s claim to be more inclusive like requirements to have Spanish and Russian speaking interpreters available at the Hospital to assist us with patient care. We proposed adding Juneteenth as a holiday, an already federally recognized holiday, but it was rejected by Management. Skagit Regional Health tells us they value diversity-but they are yet to show it. Upcoming bargaining sessions will be September 2, 8, and 14.

Our team will continue to fight for wage increases for all classifications as well as ways to address staffing and safety issues. We will continue to bargain in good faith but we need to hear from you.

NOW IS THE TIME TO GET INVOLVED WITH OUR UNION!

Join us in Solidarity at our next Contract Action Team meeting on August 31 at 1pm via Zoom, Or at 6pm in person at UFCW 3000 Union Office, 1510 N 18th Street, Mt Vernon.

RSVP to the online meeting ▸

We demand Skagit Regional Health pay us higher wages and create a great work life balance environment!

Add your name to our petition! bit.ly/skagit-petition-sign

Skagit Regional Health - Bargaining Continues

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Your Bargaining Team: 

  • Aaron St. John – Central Supply Tech

  • Alina Delano – Ultrasound Tech

  • Ashley Price – Medical Assistant

  • Jill Douglass – Data Entry Clerk 

  • Maria Muñoz – Environmental Aid

  • Megan Osborn – Med Tech

  • Mike Koenig – Engineer

  • Rindi Atkins – Radiology Tech 

  • Thomas Kean – Exercise Physiologist

  • Katie Davis – Social Worker 

  • Cindy Tjaded – Surgical Tech

On July 13, our bargaining team met with management for our tenth negotiation session. Our bargaining team presented economics! Additionally, we proposed additional holiday and premiums to best align with the increase in economics.

Management was pleased to have gotten our proposals on economics and will address response in our next bargaining session.

Our next bargaining session will be Wednesday July 20.

The best way to show your solidarity is by acting and show we are powerful as a unit that is united.

Please join us at the upcoming Contract Action Team (CAT) meeting in person on Thursday, July 21 at 6PM at the Union Office, 1510 N 18th street, Mt. Vernon.

Alternatively, join us via Zoom.

Please take a few moments to register for the meeting at this link. Once you’re registered, check your email for the zoom information.


To RSVP or if you have any questions about the bargaining process, please contact our Union Rep Celia at (360) 419-4678 or cponcesanchez@ufcw3000.org.

Skagit Regional Health - Onward to Economics

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Your Bargaining Team:

  • Aaron St. John – Central Supply Tech

  • Alina Delano – Ultrasound Tech

  • Ashley Price – Medical Assistant

  • Jill Douglass – Data Entry Clerk

  • Maria Muñoz – Environmental Aid

  • Megan Osborn – Med Tech

  • Mike Koenig – Engineer

  • Rindi Atkins – Radiology Tech

  • Thomas Kean – Exercise Physiologist

  • Katie Davis – Social Worker

  • Cindy Tjaded – Surgical Tech

On June 22, our bargaining team met with management for our nineth negotiation session. Our bargaining team dove into preparing economics! We had a working session to ensure our economic and counter proposals on rebid, float, and variable language addressed the work / life balance concerns of the membership. It’s important that key language issues are resolved as we tackle recruitment and retention.

Management actively listened to our team. It’s clear that our sticker-up action made an impact, let’s keep the momentum going!

What happens at the negotiation table is important, but in the end our strength to win on key issues depends on active, informed, and united union members in the workplace.

Our next sessions will be Wednesday, July 13 & July 20.

Please join us at the upcoming Contract Action Team (CAT) meeting in person on Thursday, July 21 at 6PM at the Union Office, 1510 N 18th Street, Mt. Vernon.

To RSVP or if you have any questions about the bargaining process, please contact our Union Rep Celia at (360) 419-4678 or cponcesanchez@ufcw3000.org.

Skagit Regional Health - It’s Time to Act, SRH Members!

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“We are working hard to get a contract that meets the needs of the ever-changing work environment.  Work life balance and retaining quality staff is important.  In order to make that happen we need to show management we are united.” 

— Rindi Atkins, Radiology Tech 

Your Bargaining Team: 

  • Aaron St. John – Central Supply Tech

  • Alina Delano – Ultrasound Tech

  • Ashley Price – Medical Assistant

  • Jill Douglass – Data Entry Clerk 

  • Maria Muñoz – Environmental Aid

  • Megan Osborn – Med Tech

  • Mike Koenig – Engineer

  • Rindi Atkins – Radiology Tech 

  • Thomas Kean – Exercise Physiologist

  • Katie Davis – Social Worker 

  • Cindy Tjaded – Surgical Tech

On Wednesday June 8, our bargaining team met with management for the eighth joint negotiation session. 

We presented management with various counter proposals and we able to come reach tentative agreements on several topics, including an enhanced Labor Management Committee, a modification of our no strike clause to ensure we can support other unions during their collective actions, and a revision of our Staffing Concern Form that will make it more accessible. Management; also provided several counter proposals of their own. While some of these proposals show promise, it is clear we are still far apart on some of the topics that are most important to us, like our demand that we have more control over how staffing and scheduling is handled.  

With each tentative agreement we move more items off the table and clear the path towards negotiating some of the biggest priorities in our next contract: higher wages and better benefits. In order to ensure management will keep up the pace and continue to work with us as we get into these tough topics, it is important that we keep up the pressure and show management we are serious about fighting for a strong contract.  It’s for this reason we have decided to hold a sticker up action on Tuesday June 21, the day before our next session. Our stickers send a clear message, “Support our Staff, Support our Patients” by wearing them we are letting management, our coworkers, and our patients that we need management to support us with a strong contract so we have the resources and staffing we need to provide the best care possible. We know that if on the 21st each of us as all our coworkers are wearing these stickers, management will have no choice but to hear our pleas at the table for better working conditions and higher wages.  

The stickers have already been delivered to each department and places in common locations such as break rooms. Please take as many as you need for yourself and coworkers and wear them on June 21. If your department or workplace does not have any stickers, please call our Union Rep Celia at (360) 419-4678 and we can arrange to get them to you.  

With the support of you and all our coworkers in the field, we know we can win the strong contract we deserve at the table.  

You’re Invited! 

RSVP to Our CAT Meetings

We will also be holding our next contract action meetings on June 21 via Zoom at 1PM and 6PM, if you haven’t RSVP’d to join one yet, please do so below!

Tuesday, June 21

1:00PM

RSVP link

6:00PM

RSVP link

Bargaining Update: Skagit Regional Health

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Skagit Regional Health 

More Momentum & More Roadblocks 

“Bargaining is frustrating, but we are finally starting to get some forward momentum. We appreciate your solidarity and support as we get closer to a contract we can feel comfortable presenting to you!” -Megan Osborn, Med Tech 

On Wednesday June 1 our Bargaining Team met with Management for the seventh joint negotiation session. We presented Management with multiple counter proposals, including one regarding telecommuting which would ensure we have control over how we work from home and includes a stipend for the technology costs we take on when doing so. Management provided some counters as well. While we were able to reach several tentative agreements on a couple of proposals, we were sad to see that Management chose to reject some of our most important ones, including a creation of a committee that would give us voice in staffing matters. Management also rejected our proposal to make swapping to variable shifts fully optional, despite the serious concerns our coworkers have expressed about being forced into these positions.

In order to clear the way for negotiating important economic issues, like wages and benefits, we need Management to work with us and find solutions to these important outstanding non-economic issues. While our team has been hard at work developing our initial wage and premium proposals, we won’t let Management force us into giving up on these other important topics that also affect recruitment and retention.
 
In our next session we hope that management will work with us to find real solutions so we can fully dive into the rest of our economic negotiations. In order to ensure that, we need to keep up the pressure and take actions to show Management we are united for a strong contract.

Our next session will be this Wednesday June 8, stay tuned for more updates. 

If you have any questions about the bargaining process, 
please call our Union Rep Celia at (360) 419-4678.

Join us at the next Contract Action Team (CAT) meeting!

on Tuesday, June 21 at 1PM and 6PM. RSVP and join via Zoom.

Skagit Regional Health Hospice Workers - Bargaining Team Recommends a Yes Vote on a Scheduling Pilot Program!

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Our bargaining team reached a tentative agreement on a pilot program for hospice workers. This would let us test out a new scheduling system for a couple of weeks. With this information we can make a more informed choice about how we modify scheduling in our contract during bargaining.

The vote will be held online on Wednesday, June 15 from 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM. You will receive a vote link via email from “Simply Vote.” In order to vote, you must be a union member in good standing and must have a valid email on file with UFCW. Please update your email address if you do not receive emails from UFCW through the link below.

It’s very important that we have an up-to-date personal email for everyone so we can send you the link to vote. If anything has changed with your contact information since you last provided it please visit the link below and update your information as soon as possible:

https://www.ufcw21.org/update-your-information

If you do not receive an email to vote on June 15 and need to update your contact information, or have any questions, please contact your union representative Celia Ponce Sanchez cponcesanchez@ufcw21.org.

Vote Meeting Scheduled!

Prior to the vote we will provide you with a copy of the agreement and on Tuesday, June 14, your managers will release you from 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM for a virtual meeting where we will have a space to review any questions or concerns.

Tuesday, June 14 • 1:00 PM

Pregister for the meeting:

https://bit.ly/3zhqhSD

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

We look forward to seeing you on the 14th!

Skagit Regional Health - It’s Time to Take Action

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“We have been listening and hear the concerns of our fellow members. We will keep fighting until we have a contract that reflects the improvements we need and deserve.” 

— Jill Douglass, Data Entry Clerk

Your Bargaining Team: 

Aaron St. John – Central Supply Tech

Alina Delano – Ultrasound Tech

Ashley Price – Medical Assistant

Jill Douglass – Data Entry Clerk 

Maria Muñoz – Environmental Aid

Megan Osborn – Med Tech

Mike Koenig – Engineer

Rindi Atkins – Radiology Tech 

Thomas Kean – Exercise Physiologist

Katie Davis – Social Worker 

Cindy Tjaded – Surgical Tech

On Wednesday, May 11 our bargaining team meet with management for our sixth joint negotiation session. We presented management with our remaining new non-economic proposals. These included the creation of staffing committees, which would ensure we have a say in how staffing changes are handled. Management provided their final non-economic proposals, along with a counter proposal regarding reallocation. While management made some moves towards what we proposed, we were sad to see that key concepts, like our reallocation staff forum, were missing from their counter. After presenting, our team worked to develop more counters to managements proposals. Our hope is that in our next few sessions we can reach agreement these open issues and pave the way for our economic discussion. However, management’s recent counters have shown us that we are still far apart on some important issues. 

It’s time to take action and show management we are willing to fight for what we need! In doing so we can encourage them to provide real solutions to all of the challenges we face. Please join us at one of our upcoming Contract Action Team meetings, where we will discuss our upcoming plans to show management we are serious. These CAT meetings will be held virtually on Tuesday, May 17 at 1:00PM and 6:00PM.

If you have any questions about the bargaining process, please call our Union Rep Celia at (360) 419-4678. Celia will also be in the San Juan Conference Room from 11:00AM to 2:00PM on Monday, May 23 to answer contract and bargaining questions, as well as to discuss general workplace issues.

Stay tuned for more updates after our next session on June 1. 

You’re Invited! 

RSVP to Our CAT Meetings

As we approach this critical point in our negotiations it is extremely important that we show management we are prepared to do whatever it takes to win a strong contract. If you haven’t already, please RSVP to one of our Contract Action Team Meetings, which will be held virtually on May 17 at 1PM and 6PM. 

Tuesday, May 17


Skagit Regional Health - A RETURN TO IN PERSON BARGAINING

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“I am grateful for the voices at this table. There is a lot of advocacy moving these negotiations forward…eager for meet again next week!”

— Katie Davis, MSW 

Your Bargaining Team: 

Aaron St. John – Central Supply Tech

Alina Delano – Ultrasound Tech

Ashley Price – Medical Assistant

Jill Douglass – Data Entry Clerk 

Maria Muñoz – Environmental Aid

Megan Osborn – Med Tech

Mike Koenig – Engineer

Rindi Atkins – Radiology Tech 

Thomas Kean – Exercise Physiologist

Katie Davis – Social Worker 

Cindy Tjaded – Surgical Tech

On May 5, 2022 our bargaining team meet in person with management for our fifth joint negotiations session. We are pleased to report that our first in person meeting was another productive one. Our team presented another set of proposals focused extending the extra benefits and protections some job classifications have to all workers covered under the contract. Management provided us with some counters to our proposals and our team is hard at work to find ways we can come to an agreement on several issues. 

At this point almost all our non-economic proposals are on the table. In our next session on May 11 we plan to provide a comprehensive set of counters to management’s proposals, in hopes that we can reach enough agreements that we can dive into and focus on economics. 

If you have any questions about the bargaining process, please call our Union Rep Celia at (360) 419-4678.

Stay tuned for more updates after our May 11 session. 

You’re Invited! 

RSVP to Our CAT Meetings

As we approach this critical point in our negotiations it is extremely important that we show management we are prepared to do whatever it takes to win a strong contract. If you haven’t already, please RSVP to one of our Contract Action Team Meetings, which will be held virtually on May 17 at 1PM and 6PM. 

Skagit Regional Health - Laying the Foundation for a Strong Contract

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Bargaining Team: Aaron St. John- CS Tech, Alina Delano - Ultrasound Tech, Ashley Price- Medical Assistant-Certified, Jill Douglass- Data Entry Clerk, Maria Muñoz- Environmental, Megan Osborn- Med Tech, Mike Koenig- Engineer, Rindi Atkins- Radiology Tech, Thomas Kean- Exercise Physiologist, Katie Davis- Social Worker

“Today was a good day full of lots of discussion on both sides. Looking forward to presenting more proposals next session.” -Aaron St Paul, CS Tech

On April 13, our Bargaining Team met with Management for our third joint negotiations session. Our team presented proposals that would increase seniority protection, minimize variable shifts, and limit how much Management can change our posted schedules. Management also provided a couple of proposals, and we had some productive conversations around some of the information we requested. With this additional information, we worked on drafting many more proposals on non-economic issues. We plan to present these proposals at our next joint session on April 27. Once all of our non-economics are on the table, we can start negotiating over economic issues, like wages, Premiums, PTO, and other benefits.

While our conversations with Management have been productive so far, we know that was we get into the tougher topics (like wages) we are bound to meet a lot of resistance. This is why it’s important we start preparing to stand in solidarity and take action now. Doing so will enable us to win a stronger contract quicker.

Please join us for one of our upcoming virtual Contract Action Team (CAT) Meetings on Tuesday, April 19 @ 1PM and 6PM. At these meeting we will provide more details about what’s happening at the table, the steps we can take to support our teams in securing a strong contract, and ask for your input changes you want to see in our next contract. RSVP to get the meeting details emailed to you.

We hope to see you at our CAT meeting! Be sure to stay tuned for more updates after our April 27 session.

If you have any questions about the bargaining process, please call our Union Rep Celia Ponce-Sanchez at (360) 419-4678.

Contact Action Team (CAT) meetings:
Tuesday, April 19 • 1pm and 6pm

Contact a Bargaining Team member or Union Rep for CAT meeting details. The RSVP links to both meetings will be emailed to you.

Skagit Regional Health - We Need Real Solutions to the Issues We Face

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“There is many topics we are still far from agreeing on and we need your input. We invite you to our CAT team meeting on April 19. Please don’t miss the chance to give your input.”

— Alina Delano, Ultrasound Tech

Your Bargaining Team: 

Aaron St. John – Central Supply Tech

Alina Delano – Ultrasound Tech

Ashley Price – Medical Assistant

Jill Douglass – Data Entry Clerk 

Maria Muñoz – Environmental Aid

Megan Osborn – Med Tech

Mike Koenig – Engineer

Rindi Atkins – Radiology Tech 

Thomas Kean – Exercise Physiologist

Katie Davis – Social Worker

On Wednesday, March 23, our bargaining team meet with management for our third joint negotiations session. Management provided responses to us on many of the non-economic proposals we made in our previous session, and we provided some additional proposals regarding premiums, float pay, and overtime. While our team was pleased to see that we are close to agreement on solutions to a couple of issues, we were disappointed to find that we are still far apart on many others. 

One of these other issues is regarding job postings, where management denied parts of our proposals that would ensure we would have priority over external applicants and that we have a definite timeline for moving into new positions. 

You’re Invited! 

RSVP to Our CAT Meetings

Management’s response shows us that we need to be ready to stand united and fight for solutions to all of the big issues we face. Please join us at one of our upcoming Virtual Contract Action Team (CAT) meetings on April 19 at 1PM and 6PM. RSVP below.

Tuesday, April 19

1:00PM

https://bit.ly/SRH-04191

6:00PM

https://bit.ly/SRH-04196

At our CAT meetings we will go into detail about the proposals we plan to make, have an opportunity for everyone to express the changes they want to see in our next contract, and talk about what we can do in the field to make sure our team is successful at the table. 

Our next negotiations session will be on April 13, stay tuned for future updates. 

If you have any questions about the bargaining process, please call our Union Rep Celia at (360) 419-4678. 

Skagit Regional Health - Bargaining Team Confirmed

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Thank you to everyone that participated in bargaining team nominations. We were able to assemble and confirm a diverse bargaining team that represents a variety of departments at Skagit! Your 2022 bargaining team is:

  • Aaron St. John – Central Supply Tech

  • Alina Delano – Ultrasound Tech

  • Ashley Price – Medical Assistant

  • Jill Douglass – Data Entry Clerk 

  • Maria Muñoz – Environmental Aid

  • Megan Osborn – Med Tech

  • Mike Koenig – Engineer

  • Paulette Chavez – Social Worker 

  • Rindi Atkins – Rad Tech 

  • Thomas Kean – Exercise Physiologist

  • Gabriel Wilder – CNA

  • Cindy Tjaden – Surgical Tech

You’re Invited! 

Join us for a virtual Contract Action Meeting on Wednesday, February 23 at 6:00 PM to discuss our priorities for the bargaining table and learn how the process works.

Skagit Regional Health CAT Meeting

Wednesday, February 23

6:00PM

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Skagit Regional Health - Nominate Your 2022 Bargaining Team!

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We are aiming to begin contract negotiations for SRH by early February and we need a strong team of leaders to represent the workforce. As health care workers during this pandemic we have a lot of leverage, but we know there are a lot of issues to address.

Bargaining Team members are able to:

  • Represent the needs of all departments and job classes, not just their own

  • Inspire their co-workers to take action to win a strong contract

  • Communicate bargaining priorities and updates back to their co-workers

While we can’t have every department represented at the bargaining table, we will have representation from a wide range of departments. This year we will be conducting a democratic process to fill 7 seats on our Bargaining Team.

Nominations are open through January 7, but act soon to let us know your priorities!

Nominate yourself or a co-worker at: bit.ly/Skagit-BT22

Only members in good standing are able to participate on the Bargaining Team or vote on the contract. Need to join UFCW21? Fill out our membership application at: join.ufcw.org/join/21

Skagit Regional Health/ Cascade Valley Hospital New Retention Bonus in Place

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This week, we agreed to a retention bonus for members at Skagit Regional Health/Cascade Valley Hospital. Workers employed at least 30 days as of November 1, 2021, will receive a $2500 retention bonus in two installments this November and the following March. This amount will be prorated for employees under a 0.9 FTE.

Skagit Regional Health - Demand to Bargain Sent Regarding Vaccine Proclamation

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Demand to Bargain Sent Regarding Vaccine Proclamation

UFCW21 is partnering with WSNA and CVHNA, the unions representing Nurses at Skagit and Cascade, to bargain over the effects of the Governor’s proclamation that requires healthcare workers to receive a COVID-19 vaccine or exemption by October 18. We are nearing an agreement that all three unions can support. We will update with details when a final agreement is reached.
 
Additionally, we have reached an agreement to reinstate the Extra Shift Incentives for Skagit and Cascade that were in place last Spring. The incentive will now be available for all classifications of workers at Skagit facilities.
 
Join our Zoom meeting to ask questions and talk about concerns regarding the proclamation.

Friday, September 10 @ 10:30AM

Contact your Bargaining Team or Union Rep Celia Ponce-Sanchez for registration and call-in details. Details will be also emailed out.

Cascade Valley Hospital - Victory—SRH Cancels Changes to Retiree Medical!

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2021 0521 - Cascade Valley Update.jpg

After supporting the Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) filed by our brothers and sisters at WSNA, Skagit Regional Health has reversed its decision to discontinue the early retirement benefit for tenured employees. We had also demanded to bargain over the change to retiree benefits. This victory will make our upcoming negotiations with CVH on wages much smoother. 

We will be at the bargaining table June 9.

Your CVH Bargaining Team:

Laura Cowen, CNA

Linda Deeter, OR Tech

Robin Schultz, Pharmacy Tech

Pammy Hammond, CNA