Healthcare workers win unprecedented wage increases and overwhelmingly vote to ratify union contracts at St. Elizabeth and St. Anne Hospitals
Workers united in SEIU Healthcare 1199NW won historic wage increases that will help recruit and retain caregivers; created improved processes to address staffing and safety concerns; and maintained existing contract standards.
RENTON, WA — More than 500 healthcare workers united in SEIU Healthcare 1199NW at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Enumclaw and St. Anne Hospital in Burien, including nurses, service workers and techs, overwhelmingly voted to ratify their respective union contracts this month.
Among the wins, the union bargaining teams negotiated new condensed wage scales that move workers to the top of the scale faster, resulting in significant raises that the workers hope will improve recruitment and retention, and will help alleviate the ongoing staffing crisis.
At St. Elizabeth, the base wage for nurses will increase from $33.22 to $42.58 — a 28% increase over the life of the contract. The new top step will increase from $58.06 to $81.66, an increase of 40%.
At St. Anne, the base wage for service workers will increase to $20.62 from the current $16.34, an increase of more than 26%. Service workers at the top of the scale will earn at least $30.13, an increase of more than 29%. Some service workers will see up to a 37% wage increase over the life of the contract. For nurses, the base wage will increase from $34.68 to $42.58, an increase of more than 22%. The new top step will increase from $61.71 to $81.66, an increase of more than 32%.
Although they serve different communities, the union teams at the two hospitals adopted a joint bargaining strategy and spent time at each other’s negotiations, coordinated joint actions, and compared experiences at the bargaining table. St. Elizabeth and St. Anne Hospitals operate under the integrated health system Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, part of CommonSpirit Health and formerly known as CHI Franciscan.
“We now have one of the best contracts in the area, and we’re even prouder to work at St. Anne,” said Adiam Gidey, an ICU nurse at St. Anne Hospital and member of the union bargaining team. “I’m so glad we teamed up with our colleagues at St. Elizabeth to win some serious increases at both hospitals.”
“Joining together made hospital administrators aware that as workers, we had more power in numbers. It wasn’t just one hospital; it was all of us,” said Kelly Patton, an acute care nurse at St. Elizabeth Hospital and member of the union bargaining team. “Power in numbers, plain and simple.”
In addition to wage increases, the workers won:
- Increases to premium pay, such as evening, night and weekend shifts, standby, charge and lead pay, and certification pay
- Improved processes to address staffing concerns that give workers a greater voice in staffing decisions
- Advancements toward creating anti-racist workplaces through strong equity, diversity and inclusion language, and more
“Winning great union contracts at St. Anne and St. Elizabeth would not have been possible without workers uniting together across the Virginia Mason Franciscan Health system,” said Yolanda King-Lowe, Secretary-treasurer of SEIU Healthcare 1199NW. “Building cross-workplace solidarity was key, and our wins are the manifestation of that unity. These historical wage increases move the hospitals forward and will have hugely positive impacts on the delivery of care for Burien and Enumclaw patients and the communities these workers serve.”
The workers at St. Elizabeth Hospital began bargaining in March 2022, followed by workers at St. Anne Hospital in June. They held joint informational pickets in November 2022 to demand fair contracts.
###