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‘Our patients deserve better’

Healthcare Workers at St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma are fighting for a fair contract and investment in care

TACOMA, WA (OCTOBER 25, 2024) — Healthcare workers at St. Joseph Medical Center, members of SEIU Healthcare 1199NW, gathered on Wednesday outside the hospital for an informational picket, calling for a fair contract after more than a year at the bargaining table.

More than 600 licensed practical nurses and workers in service job classes, including certified nursing assistants, environmental service workers, cooks and dietary clerks, among others, are fighting for safe staffing and working conditions, fair wages, and respect from management as they continue to provide critical care for the Tacoma community.

“We are here because enough is enough. We’ve been at the bargaining table for a year, and St. Joseph management is still refusing to listen to us in a meaningful way. They say their mission is to heal and care, but it’s hard to believe that when they prioritize profits over patients,” said Charney Chambers, an equipment tech in respiratory therapy at St. Joseph. “We can’t keep doing our jobs well when we’re understaffed, underpaid, and working in unsafe conditions. Our patients deserve better, and so do we.”

Photo: SEIU Healthcare 1199NW

St. Joseph’s parent corporation, Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, under CommonSpirit, has yet to meet the key demands of healthcare workers. The union and management are slated to return to the bargaining table on October 28.

One of the critical issues driving the picket is inadequate wages, with base hourly pay for some job classes landing just above Washington state’s minimum wage of $16.28, per the union. An emergency room technician’s hourly base pay is currently $19.88 for a position that involves assessing and handling care for trauma patients, a crucial, high-stress role. Under the union’s latest proposal, pay for this job class would be brought up to $27.88/hour. In response, St. Joseph management proposed $21.52/hour, an increase of less than two dollars. The region has seen a steep rise in cost of living in recent years; for the workers, this small adjustment both isn’t competitive with the market and doesn’t keep up with that rising cost.

The union workers’ believe their proposals would lift up all workers, many of whom are BIPOC and immigrant workers in low-wage job classes, and would strengthen VMFH’s self-proclaimed Diversity, Inclusion, Equity, and Belonging blueprint.

Photo: SEIU Healthcare 1199NW

St. Joseph’s parent corporation, Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, under CommonSpirit emphasizes compassion, inclusion and collaboration as its values. Yet the multi-million-dollar corporation has focused on profits, spending on costly agency workers, executive compensation, and sports sponsorships. It relies on contracted and temporary workers, paid at significantly higher rates, creating unsustainable staffing model, making it difficult to recruit and retain permanent staff — all while its diverse workforce struggles with low wages and inadequate staffing due to high rates of turnover, per the union.

“It’s clear that VMFH executives at St. Joseph are more interested in padding their bottom line than investing in the healthcare workers who make this hospital run,” said Jane Hopkins, RN, president of SEIU Healthcare 1199NW. “Healthcare workers have sacrificed so much, especially during the pandemic. They deserve a contract that reflects their value and ensures they can provide the best care for their patients. When healthcare workers have the resources needed to provide high-quality care, patients experience healthier outcomes.”

The workers’ message for Virginia Mason Franciscan Health is clear: It’s time to put patients and frontline workers first, not profits.

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