RICHLAND, Wash. – The Kadlec Regional Medical Center issued multiple responses on Friday to claims made by SEIU Healthcare 1199NW, the union representing the service and technical workers that have been on strike since Tue., Aug. 20.
SEIU claimed that Providence security escorted striking night shift workers out of the building at 4:45 a.m. on Tuesday, forcing the strike to start over an hour before the planned 6 a.m. start time.
SEIU President Jane Hopkins, RN, stated that the actions represented a “lack of interest in reaching a contract, the hallmark of bad-faith bargaining.”
Kadlec’s response says the transition was to ensure that the medical center could “efficiently and effectively assist agency replacement workers who are supporting hospital operations during the strike to their assigned departments.”
As a result of the transition, SEIU filed several unfair labor practice charges against Kadlec. Kadlec responded by saying the claims “have no merit” and that the medical center “respects the rights of [their] caregivers under state and federal laws and has made clear its commitment to follow those laws at every step.”
Kadlec also says the SEIU-represented caregivers were given time to get their belongings and that they were paid until the 6 a.m. scheduled start time.
SEIU and Kadlec have also been working since Jan. 2023 in creating a new contract, with Kadlec saying that SEIU is pushing for an average wage increase of over 40 percent, much above the 16 percent it says it is offering with more increases across the contract.
“Our offer is fair and market competitive for all represented positions,” said Kadlec’s statement. “SEIU continues to propose an average wage increase of more than double that amount, plus additional increases over the remainder of the three-year contract. That is far above what other employers pay for the same jobs across Eastern Washington.”
