Editor's note: Above video is a report on nurses and health care workers pausing plans to strike last week
SPOKANE, Wash. – More health care workers in the Spokane area have reached tentative agreements with Providence hospitals following months of negotiations.
UFCW 21, a union representing health care workers at Sacred Heart and Holy Family Hospitals, announced service and maintenance workers at Sacred Heart reached a “fully recommended tentative agreement” on Wednesday morning.
“This win was a result of the strong unity between UFCW 21, SEIU Healthcare 1199 NW and WSNA,” UFCW 21 wrote in a statement.
The union said they entered into another round of negotiations with service and maintenance workers at Holy Family Hospital before announcing on Thursday morning that both parties have also reached a tentative agreement.
Ongoing negotiations will take place on Thursday with nurses at Providence Hospitals in St. Peters, Centralia and St. Mary’s, UFCW 21 leaders said.
“These advances for patient care and safety and improvement of workplace conditions achieved so far have been the result of the unity of SEIU Healthcare 1199 NW, WSNA and UFCW 21. These three unions represent over 13,000 health care workers and nurses at 13 facilities across the state in this current round of negotiations,” UFCW 21 wrote in a statement on Thursday.
The Washington State Nurses’ Association announced on Tuesday that nurses at Sacred Heart also reached a tentative agreement with the hospital, adding that it secures investments in patient care and workplace safety.
Both sides were able to reach an agreement after marathon sessions, including 20 hours on Jan. 6 and 33 total hours over two days.
Members will vote on the proposed tentative agreement on Jan. 16.
Union leaders say the tentative agreement includes key provisions sought by nurses, including enhanced language on staffing levels and workplace violence prevention; protection of paid time off and extended illness benefits; limits on employer’s ability to raise premiums and preservation of important health benefits; wage increases of 10% over the duration of the contract; and a ratification bonus of $2,100, pro-rated for part-time nurses.
Workers passed strike authorization votes in October due to "ongoing challenges and a lack of progress to protect patient care and safety," the WSNA said in a statement.
Providence health care workers across Washington state, including those at Sacred Heart and Holy Family, paused plans to give a 10-day strike notice last week after unions made significant progress in negotiating with hospitals statewide.