After months of talks, LabCorp workers conduct info pickets

Lynne Dodson, Secretary Treasurer of the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO, addresses LabCorp picketers at Tuesday morning’s informational picket.

The following is from UFCW 21:

SEATTLE — All union members and community supporters are invited to join UFCW 21 members who work at LabCorp at an informational picket today from 8 to 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 to 3 p.m. at Swedish Cherry Hill (along 18th Ave., between E. Cherry and E. Jefferson) to share their major concerns in current contract negotiations.

These 700-plus workers at Labcorp locations around the region have been in contract negotiations since June 2017. The major issues center around management’s proposals that have low wages and increased health care costs, and unresolved staffing problems.

The LabCorp bargaining team reports it has been in negotiations for months without any real solutions to employees’ concerns or responses to their proposals from management. Many have raised concerns about the staffing crisis that hinders their ability to provide quality and timely services to clients. And they say their wages are some of the lowest in the region for the industry and see many seasoned coworkers leaving for better pay and working conditions.

With an inferior wage offer, no solutions to their staffing crisis and management asking employees to pay hundreds of dollars more for health insurance, LabCorp employees have decided it’s time to TAKE ACTION to reach a fair contract.

Join them and show your support on Tuesday!

UFCW 21 is the state’s largest private sector union with over 46,000 workers in grocery stores, health care, retail and other industries. The union represents more than 18,000 health care workers across Washington.