Unions enter into Memorandum of Agreement with MultiCare Health System

SEIU 1199NW Healthcare, the Washington State Nurses Association and UFCW 21, collectively, entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with MultiCare Health System regarding guarantees to wages and benefits for healthcare workers during the COVID-19 crisis.

Tomorrow, MultiCare will announce new Regional Labor Pools that will allow caregivers to float outside of their departments or to other MultiCare facilities during this national crisis. We negotiated pay guarantees for float workers, as well as pay and other benefits for quarantined workers.

We negotiated guaranteed pay if a worker is quarantined due to an exposure to COVID-19 at work. Under the agreement, members will be placed on administrative leave with no loss of pay or benefits. If workers self-quarantine due to exposure outside of work, we can use PTO or sick until we are back to work — this does not count as an occurrence.

Caregivers over age 60 or with an underlying health condition that puts them in a high risk category: You may self-quarantine (with approval from your supervisor) and use any accrued benefits. The employer will continue to give you medical benefits until you come back to work.

Regional Labor Pool pay

If floated to a different unit during a COVID-19 crisis, the following job classes will receive:

• RN – $5.00 per hour
• CT Tech – $ 4.00 per hour
• Respiratory Tech – $ 4.00 per hour
• Telemetry Tech – $ 2.50 per hour
• CNA – $2.50 per hour

If floated to a different hospital during a COVID-19 crisis, the following job classes will receive:

• RN – $10.00 per hour
• CT Tech – $10.00 per hour
• Respiratory Tech – $10.00 per hour
• Telemetry Tech – $5.00 per hour
• CNA – $5.00 per hour

These increases will only last until the state emergency is declared over. Read the full memorandum: