Cascade Valley Hospital MSWs & Security Officers Bargaining Update

Our Union Bargaining team: Lisa Warriax – MSW, Carl Ramirez – Security Officer

“With every session we are one step closer. MSWs and Security Officers stand united in our proposals, and together we are making progress. There’s no such thing a s snow day for our Bargaining Team!”

On January 4 the newly accreted Security Officers and MSW’s Bargaining Team at Cascade Valley Hospital met for the second bargaining session with the Employer. During this session, we gave compelling testimony about working conditions, we firmly pushed back on the Employer’s proposals around uninterrupted meal breaks and daily overtime, and the Employer made significant movement on wages for Security Officers.

We met for our third bargaining session on January 18, despite the challenges due to inclement weather. While the Employer continued to reject our proposal to give everyone an initial wage increase upon being placed onto a wage scale, the Employer did agree to audit past job experience to ensure we are being paid commensurate to our past job experience. We also made considerable progress with our protective gear proposal for Security Officers. The Employer told us they will be looking for a vendor to supply protective vest for each security officer.

We must continue standing united for pay which is commensurate to our experience and will retain and recruit Security Officers and MSWs. We will meet the Employer again in mid-February.