Will MultiCare Meet the Market on Wages?

Will MultiCare Meet the Market on Wages?

On Wednesday, May 1, our Union Bargaining Comittee met with Management and finally received a response to the wage proposal we presented on April 11. Prior to making our proposal, we did extensive research to make sure our wages stay competitive with other regional healthcare employers throughout the duration of our new contract. 

MultiCare’s counter, however, leaves our wage rates trailing behind what many of these same regional hospitals are already paying… Offering only 2% across the board raises for most of us.

“Wages have been 2 low, for 2 long, 2 continue moving backwards… But we need 2 move forward!” —Brian Dansereau, Pharmacy Tech

If you feel like we do, and believe that 2% won’t cut it, join these next steps to take action: 

MultiCare Union Family Day is May 4 from 11am—2pm at IBEW Local 76 Hall

Join us for food, games, prizes, and to pick up some Union swag for our May 8 Union Solidarity Day! RSVP: www.mobilize.us/ufcw3000/event/617922/ >>

Union Solidarity Day

Show your solidarity on next Wednesday, May 8 by wearing Union stickers, buttons, shirts, 

and dress in UFCW Blue & Gold! Let’s show Management that we are united and ready to fight for a fair contract!
Stay up to date on our bargain, and the next steps we believe will move MultiCare to agree to a fair contract for all of us! Join our Facebook Group, & use the following link to look out for more ways to take action throughout our negotiations with MultiCare: https://linktr.ee/mc3000

MultiCare Health Systems If these dozen voices aren’t heard —then our two thousand will be!

“MultiCare is holding hostage your present stability for the sake of future uncertainties”—Brian Dansereau, Pharmacy Technician 

Our union bargaining team met with MultiCare on Wednesday, March 6 to continue negotiations on our nine contracts. 
While responding to our proposals on topics such as concerns with our insurance benefits, or a guarantee that parking will remain free- Management’s unwillingness to agree to these proposals was chalked up to an uncertainty over what MultiCare might decide in the future, or sentiments that the insurance benefits are “system wide”- so we’re left to suspect that means it’s too difficult for them to amend? 

We feel it is too difficult to navigate the constant changes in health insurance for ourselves, our families, and our children; we feel it is too difficult to wait longer and longer to see our physicians; and we feel it’s too difficult to get the prescriptions those physicians have prescribed us when we have to navigate MultiCare’s narrowing in-network eligibility! 

If MultiCare can’t hear the demands of our bargaining team —they WILL hear the voices of over 2,000 MultiCare employees represented in these nine contracts: we’re here to bargain for our benefits and our working conditions! 

Sign the Unity Petition and stay up to date on all-things MultiCare bargaining ▸

Take action checklist:

• Sign and share the petition, We Stand United for a Fair Contract at MultiCare

• Join the Facebook Group, MultiCare Workers United for a Fair Contract

MultiCare Health System Will MultiCare address our health insurance plan concerns?

“They basically showed us that our priorities are not their concern. We feel that we put a lot of thoughtful proposals on the table, and they were just unceremoniously rejected.” —Gregg Barney, Press Operator

Our Union Bargaining Team met with MultiCare on Friday, March 1 to continue negotiations with management on the nine contracts we’re represented in.

When it was the Employer’s time to respond to our evaluations and proposals over necessary changes to our health insurance benefits, it became clear that they had something else in mind entirely —rejecting all initial proposals made on the plan.

Our Bargaining Team has heard on countless occasions, from our union Bargaining Surveys and stories told by our coworkers, that our insurance benefits are not only one of our highest priorities in this round of negotiations —but one of the most consistently challenging aspects of being a MultiCare employee.

We work tirelessly every day to provide health care to our patients, why should we have to work even harder to seek health care for ourselves? Especially while being employed at one of the largest health care systems in Washington State.

While we feel disappointed that this is the response from the Employer, we know that one of the only ways forward is to stick together, and fight for what we deserve out of this process!

Sign the Unity Petition and stay up to date on all-things MultiCare bargaining ▸

Take action checklist:

• Sign up for a Contract Action Team meeting on March 5 & April 8

• Sign and share the petition, We Stand United for a Fair Contract at MultiCare

• Join the Facebook Group, MultiCare Workers United for a Fair Contract

MultiCare Health Systems We proposed improvements to our contract and benefits

“MultiCare doesn’t do enough to honor employees who demonstrate excellence, a core MultiCare value, by working extra hours above their FTE. Our Negotiating Committee is determined to address this through improvements to our union contract.” — Julianna Van Enk – Pharmacist Tacoma General Hospital

We met with the Employer again on February 12 and 15. Our union Negotiations Committee proposed additional improvements on staffing language, PTO/EIT, bereavement leave, and proposed to add three new holidays to our Union contract (MLK, Juneteenth, Veterans Day). We also proposed significant improvements to the MHS healthcare plan, which has only gotten more expensive with worse coverage.

Proposed improvements include:

• Lower premium rates

• Bring back Healthy@Work discount

• Improve pharmaceutical coverage to non-MHS Rx

• Expand the First Choice Health Network (FCHN)

• Guardian Nurses

• Improved vison coverage

We also made a proposal around free parking, like the SJMC Tech have in their contract, but MultiCare refused the proposal. When asked why it was an issue since parking is currently free, MultiCare responded that they have considered charging workers for parking in the past and want to retain the option in the future. This is alarming and makes it even more important to win the language. We have secured an extension of the contract until March 31, 2024. Our next bargaining date is on March 1, 2024.

1. Sign up for a Contract Action Team meeting on March 5

2. Sign and share the petition, We Stand United for a Fair Contract at MultiCare

3. Join the Facebook Group, MultiCare Workers United for a Fair Contract

Stay up to date on all-things MultiCare bargaining and take action >>

MultiCare Health System Bargaining Begins for the MultiCare Big 9!

“I’ve been with MultiCare for fourteen years and this is my first time joining the Negotiating Committee. MultiCare has changed so much since I started here, and I just feel less and less valued. They’ve continued to take stuff away from us and one day I went and found my Union rep, and I said alright, I’m ready to take an active role in my future here!” —Catherine Cox-Shaffer, Radiology Technologist at Tacoma General

On Thursday, February 8, our Union Negotiating Committee met with MultiCare for our first day of contract negotiations for “The Big 9” Contracts!

The term “The Big 9” refers informally to the nine UFCW-MultiCare contracts that cover union members at Tacoma General Hospital, Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital, Allenmore Hospital, Auburn Medical Center, Tacoma Family Medicine, and various MultiCare clinics. These contracts, negotiated collectively, include at least one member from each contract on our Negotiating Committee.

Our initial proposal to the Employer included proposed improvements on preceptor pay, floating, rest between shifts and language that strengthens our union’s presence at the workplace.

However, our Negotiating Committee doesn’t plan to propose significant changes to most of our contracts. Our union bargaining surveys made it very clear that members want the committee to prioritize wages and benefits, therefore, we don’t want to spend too much time on other proposals. Doing so would only delay improvements to wages and benefits.

Our Committee is currently reviewing market data and plans to make an informed economic proposal to MultiCare in early March.

As our Committee continues it’s work, your attendance at Contract Action Team (CAT) meetings is crucial so that you stay informed about the latest developments in our fight of a fair contract. We’ve seen a lot of our coworkers at the Contract Action Team Meetings- but we want to see you!

Stay up to date on all-things MultiCare Bargaining and how to get involved ▸

Our MultiCare Negotiating Committee: Brandy Beckler - CNA, Brian Dansereau – Pharmacy Tech, Catherine Cox-Shaffer – Radiology Tech, Charlie Brown - Housekeeper, Cheyenne Hannaman – Medical Lab Scientist, Danene Flower – Cardiology Tech, Diamond Tildon – Respiratory Therapist, Gregg Barney – Press Operator, Heidi Strub - Respiratory Therapist, Julianna Van Enk - Pharmacist, Karen Towne – Medical Assistant, Kelly Gusman – Surgery Tech, Nichole Booker - Receptionist, Patricia Brown - LPN, Rafael Diaz – Cardiovascular Tech, Ryan Boyd – MRI Tech, Sheila Whiteway – Housekeeper

MultiCare Health System Bargaining Dates Confirmed!

After over a month of pushing MultiCare for dates, our Union Negotiating Committee has confirmed this Thursday, February 8 as our first bargaining date with the employer. We have also confirmed the following dates for negotiations:

2/8 2/12 2/15 3/1 3/6 3/15 3/21 4/11

Due to the employer’s delay, we are unlikely to reach an agreement before our contract expires at the end of this month. However, we will work with MultiCare to sign a contract extension to ensure that all provisions of our contract remain in place after scheduled expiration.

UFCW 3000 members in the new Auburn Medical Center (AMC) Professional unit already started negotiations a few months ago for their very first contract. Their negotiations have foreshadowed what we can expect with MultiCare, with management telling the AMC Professional Negotiating Committee that they plan to propose similar takeaways when they get to the table with our committee.

Specifically, MultiCare has already signaled their intentions to propose the removal of pay in lieu of benefits, a reduction in Union Representatives’ access to our workplace, and the potential elimination of consecutive weekend pay.

Our Union Negotiating Committee is preparing for what could be a difficult fight with MultiCare, and the best way you can help is to join regular Contract Action Team (CAT) meetings. CAT meetings bring together workplace leaders for in-depth discussions about negotiations and strategic planning to secure a fair contract.

RSVP to the next Contract Action Team meeting on March 5! RSVP to a meeting here >>

MultiCare Health Systems Bargaining Update

Over the last few months, bargaining surveys were collected from hundreds of UFCW Local 3000 members across MultiCare Health System. This includes workers at Tacoma General Hospital, Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital, Allenmore Hospital, Auburn Medical Center, Tacoma Family Medicine, and various Clinics.

The results of the survey were clear – workers believe that our wages have become uncompetitive and our healthcare far too expensive.

Our Union Negotiating Committee met on December 5 for an entire day to review the full results of the bargaining survey, audit our current contracts, and have a robust discussion about the issues in our workplaces. During this discussion we began working on our initial non-economic proposal to be presented to MultiCare on our first day with the Employer.

We also have a research team that is currently conducting a comprehensive market review of wages so that our committee can make informed decisions about our initial economic proposal. This review will include, but is not limited to, a review of wages offered to workers at Virginia Mason Franciscan Health (e.g., St. Joseph Medical Center), Providence Health System, UW Medicine (e.g., Valley Medical Center), Swedish Medical Center, and Seattle Children’s Hospital.

We have reached out to MultiCare Managament to schedule our first bargaining dates in January and February, however, they have not yet responded. We’ve pushed back, recognizing that our contract expires March 1, and expect to hear back soon so that we can get started.

GET INVOLVED, STAY INFORMED!

Our Negotiating Committee recommends that members attend regular Contract Action Team meetings, which provide more detailed updates regarding contract negotiations and upcoming workplace actions. Our next meetings are on February 6th:

In person at 12PM: Allenmore Basement Conference Room and at 9AM and 5PM via Virtual ZOOM meeting. RSVP to a meeting here >>