We are more than 2,400 healthcare workers at Valley Medical Center in Renton united in SEIU Healthcare 1199NW. We are service workers, registered nurses, professional and technical workers, pharmacists, case management social workers, licensed practical nurses, and other job classes.
We are fighting for contracts that will protect bedrock healthcare workers’ rights: great wages, stable and secure benefits, and staffing for safe patient care and less caregiver burnout.
The healthcare workers of Valley Medical Center are our siblings, parents, children, and neighbors and they are the bedrock of our community. Through the COVID-19 pandemic, they showed up and cared for us in the face of danger and remain dedicated to providing the best care possible to our families and neighbors.
Unfortunately, Valley Medical Center management has prioritized excessive executive pay above quality care and the needs of workers and patients. Valley Medical Center’s proposals at the bargaining table do not reflect an investment in our healthcare workers so that they can better serve our South King County community. It is simply unacceptable that so many of the Valley Medical Center healthcare workers are not able to afford rent and mortgages, and are unable to take paid sick days because of Valley’s insufficient sick leave accruals.
We, the friends, family, neighbors, and community members, call on Valley Medical Center and UW Medicine executives to accept the proposals our healthcare workers have made to improve their working conditions and patient care. Trust Valley Medical Center healthcare workers — they know what it takes to safely take care of patients.
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Valley needs to become a wage leader in King County again in order for us to recruit and retain safe staffing in every area of the hospital.
Valley must ensure that all of us have affordable, accessible sick time for ourselves and our dependents.
Linking proposed contract improvements to "takeaways" is not acceptable. Our message is clear: We won’t take cuts to our contracts.
We're fighting to improve and secure our retirement benefits so that Valley cannot take them away from us.
We need respect for our union and a strong voice for changes in our workplace.
Compensation data for Valley’s executive team shows that Valley wants to be a leader in King County when it comes to executive compensation. Meanwhile, wages have fallen behind for those of us who run the hospital and care for the community on the frontlines.
Valley Medical Center’s publicly-funded CEO, Jeannine Grinnell:
We are a public institution, funded by the patients we serve and the investment by our community. The decisions Valley makes now draw the distinction between who they value.
In September, we held an informational picket with our friends, families, neighbors, and community leaders. After 14 bargaining sessions, we were given no choice but to bring our contract fight to the community, making our voices heard for fair wages and sick leave that matches the standards of other UW hospitals. We deserve to be able to afford the cost of living and have sick leave to care for ourselves and our families!
We’re more united than ever and energized by the turnout from our community. It’s not just about us – it’s about upholding the high-quality care our patients need.
