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Lab Pros Continue Bargaining at Peacehealth: June 1st, 2023

In our most recent bargaining session, the employer met our team with little movement on multiple important issues. We have an update in our table below to highlight the positions of both the union and the employer.

To this date, the employer has violated Federal Law and committed multiple Unfair Labor Practices (ULPs). The employer first committed a ULP when unilaterally taking away our overtime pay and changing clock in/out practices in March 2023. Most recently, the employer refuses to bargain over mandatory subjects of bargaining that our members care about, such as: Paid Time Off, Fair Process to Fill Vacant Positions, a Fair Discipline Process, Employer and Union Rights. The employer’s violation of federal law must stop immediately, and the employer needs to bargain in good faith.

ATTEND A BARGAINING SESSION

The best way to get our needs across the table is to have you, our members, show up at one or more of our future bargaining sessions. If you can’t make the entire session, then stay for an hour or so. Your presence is critically important.

Thursday June 22nd 9-3pm

Wednesday June 28th 9-5pm

Here’s where we are at in bargaining:

OFNHP Position

Employer Position

Fair Wage Increase Comparable to the Bellingham PeaceHealth Lab

  • 15% raise May 1, 2023
  • 6% raise May 1, 2024
  • 5.5% raise May 1, 2025


  • 4% raise May 1, 2023
  • 3% raise May 1, 2024
  • 3% raise May 1, 2025
  • 50 cent increase to evening shift differential pay.

Fair Scheduling

  • A schedule which emphasizes two days off in a row for all employees, better distribution of weekend work, and different shift lengths. Make sure you take a look and let your bargaining team members know what you think!

  • The employer is working with us on schedules. Their most recent proposal is attached to this agreement. Let us know what you think!

Safe Staffing

  • A safe staffing ratio which includes minimum staffing per shift and 1.5x pay when we are staffed unsafely. Our patients deserve safe staffing.
  • Minimum training requirements for new employees so we have well-trained staff, and our lab retains new staff. 
  • Rejected any minimum staffing safe staffing language in the contract. Proposed a quarterly staffing committee. The employer brought evidence that staffing committees have almost no tangible improvements at PeaceHealth.
  • The employer agreed to our minimum training schedule.

Improve PTO

  • Same PTO accrual rate to management.

  • Employer committed an Unfair Labor Practice and refuses to negotiate PTO. The employer said supervisors work more than 40-hours and need market competitive PTO. They didn’t say anything about us.

Strengthen our Rights as a Union

  • Union steward and representative access to the laboratory to resolve issues at the lowest possible level.
  • Pay for union stewards when meeting with management to resolve issues.
  • Increase time for paid new employee orientation to 45-minutes for new employees and stewards.

  • The employer agrees not to deny Union Representative access to our work area.
  • The employer agrees to pay union steward for meetings if the employer requests the meeting.
  • Employer agrees to 30-minutes of paid new employee orientation.

Restore Union Member Voice in the Workplace

  • Remove the Employer Rights article and restore equal voice for union members and management in the workplace.


  • Employer committed an Unfair Labor Practice and refuses to negotiate Employer Rights.

Increase Employee Protections in the Event of a Restructure

  • Improve seniority rights in the event of a restructure to ensure a fair process for all employees.

  • Employer agrees to a seniority bid and only TS’ can bid for TS jobs in the event of a rebid.

Fair Discipline Procedure

  • A right to a union representative when you receive discipline.
  • A disciplinary procedure focused on coaching and improved timelines for discipline.
  • Fair timeline to receive disciplinary notices.

 

  • The employer refuses to bargain over this issue. This is an Unfair Labor Practice.
  • The employer refuses to bargain over this issue. This is an Unfair Labor Practice.
  • They made movement on timeline to receive disciplinary notices.

Position Transfers

  • Fair process to apply for vacant positions which emphasized opportunities for current staff.
  • Improved seniority rights when applying for a new position.

  • The employer refuses to bargain over this issue. This is an Unfair Labor Practice.

 

Overtime and Distribution of Additional Shifts

  • Restore fair overtime calculation and pay so your overtime is not taken away from you.
  • Fair and clear process for awarding shifts on short-notice callouts and after the schedule is posted.

 

  • The employer has not yet responded to this proposal.
  • The employer agrees to OFNHP’s proposal.

Work Schedules

  • 1.5x pay if you are required to work two or more weekends in a row.
  • MLK Jr. Day now, not later.
  • Increase administrative days for Technical Specialists.

  • Agreement.
  • The employer said that if they decided to give all employees at PeaceHealth MLK Jr. Day then we would get it to.
  • Employer agrees to 6 Admin days.

Pandemic Protections

  • Protections for future pandemics and emergencies. Required meeting with management and standing agenda items in the event of an emergency declared by the State or Federal Government.

  • A standing meeting for the employer and union in an emergency as determined by the employer or the state/federal government.

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