The strike is set for 7 a.m. Wednesday through about 7 a.m. Friday. Workers represented by the Service Employees International Union Healthcare 1199NW plan to gather at 3432 South Bay Road in Olympia, the main office for Providence SoundHomeCare and Hospice.
Providence SoundHomeCare and Hospice is a division of Providence Senior Community Services, which serves Thurston, Mason and Lewis counties. It also is part of Providence Health and Services of Renton.
About 160 people work for the home care and hospice division, including nurses, home health aides, social workers and physical therapists. The labor contract expired Feb. 28.
Sticking points in the negotiations include a proposed change to sick-leave policies and health care coverage for dependents. Under the proposal, sick leave wouldn’t take effect until the third day of its use, and Providence wants to reduce its share of dependent-care coverage to 60 percent from 70 percent, SEIU spokeswoman Linnae Riesen said.
Hospice director Catherine Koziar said employees still would receive paid time off before it would transition into an “extended illness” period.
The union contends that the two days of paid time off before sick leave commenced would come out of an employee’s vacation time.
The organization has been working and planning all week for patient care next week, it has a backup plan in place and it doesn’t expect any disruptions to patient care, Koziar said.
“We presented a competitive proposal, and we believe it is competitive with what’s in the market and reflects our core values,” she said. “We will continue to provide care throughout the coming week and weeks and we look forward to getting back to the bargaining table.”
Riesen called the proposed sick-leave policy a “punitive” measure that will affect employees, including those who have to use to sick leave to take care of their dependents.
‘IF WE HAVE TO …’
Denis Ganey, 64, of Olympia, a longtime social worker for the organization, said he’s concerned that the proposed sick-leave policy will encourage people to come to work sick and will make it harder to recruit workers who have children.
“They haven’t identified a problem; they just don’t want to do it that way anymore,” he said about the proposed change to sick leave. He also said he doesn’t want to strike, but “if we have to, we have to.”
Ganey works with hospice patients, those with a terminal illness who are seeking comfort measures rather than curative measures during the end of their life. He said staff members do a lot of teaching, explaining to patients how to use medicines to keep them comfortable.
If there is a strike next week, the patients “will miss their regular visits, but I’m hopeful they will still be comfortable,” Ganey said.
Rolf Boone: 360-754-5403
rboone@theolympian.com
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