BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – The crowd of picketing healthcare workers in Bellingham is growing larger.
Over 1,000 registered nurses at PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center joined their striking coworkers for an informational picket on Thursday, May 15. The nurses, represented by the Washington State Nurses Association, are not striking yet, though they overwhelmingly voted in March to reject PeaceHealth’s latest contract offer.
The union is set to return to the bargaining table on Friday morning, May 16.
In the meantime, they’ve joined two separate unions of service workers and physicians, who are wrapping up the fourth day of their strike.
Among them is Jose Reta, an MRI technician at the hospital, who says the strike brought negotiations to a halt. “I don’t think they’re [PeaceHealth] bargaining in good faith honestly,” Reta told My Bellingham Now. “We had bargaining dates planned for the 5th and the 7th of this month, we turned in our notice to strike and then they pulled those bargaining dates.”
PeaceHealth spokesperson Amy Drury told MBN in a statement: “We had been eager to resume bargaining with both SEIU 1199NW and the Union of American Physicians and Dentists PeaceHealth Medical Group Advanced Practice Clinicians (UAPD) to focus on reaching an agreement. Considering their decision to initiate a work stoppage, our full attention will turn to ensuring smooth and continuing operations in caring for our community and prioritizing excellent patient care. We will be glad to reengage and continue bargaining at the conclusion of the work stoppage.”
The week-long strike will end on Friday with a 5 p.m. rally that includes guest speakers and local elected officials.
All three unions cite subpar wages, rising health insurance and a lack of respect as sticking points in contract negotiations.
