Union to protest lack of COVID-19 safety at two MultiCare clinics this week
A fresh round of union action is planned this week as a union representing MultiCare urgent care providers continues to press for changes regarding COVID-19 safety in the workplace.
Informational pickets to protest working conditions are planned March 16-17 at two MultiCare Indigo clinics, involving physicians and providers represented by the Union of American Physicians and Dentists.
The pickets will take place 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the following sites:
▪ MultiCare Indigo Puyallup, 15125 Meridian Ave. E., Suite 102, Puyallup
▪ MultiCare Indigo James Center, 1812 S. Mildred St., Suite H, Tacoma
MultiCare told The News Tribune in a statement Monday it is “disappointed” by the new round of picketing.
The actions come after MultiCare announced it would appeal a Feb. 19 citation and notice of assessment from the state’s Department of Labor & Industries regarding COVID-19 safety violations at the Puyallup clinic.
The health system faced a similar citation, which it also plans to appeal, following an inspection at its Good Samaritan Hospital in Puyallup.
On Monday, the union said it had filed with the state another round of COVID-19 safety complaints against MultiCare, saying that as of March 11, 2021 MultiCare had not taken corrective actions called for in the citation: providing N95 masks to providers and staff, testing COVID-19 suspect and positive patients, enforcing social distancing requirements, installating protective barriers, and stepping up cleaning and sanitation at the clinics.
The union also said MultiCare “has failed to inform its employees about the L&I citations.”
MultiCare, in a statement Monday, disputed UAPD’s claims.
“Safety is, and always has been, the top priority for MultiCare. All Indigo employees have access to the PPE they need to do their jobs, including N95s,” the health system said.
“We believe our infection control and infectious disease experts are in the best position to make sure we’re following the science and the latest CDC and WHO guidance. We’ve listened to them and relied upon them throughout this pandemic to keep all our patients and medical teams safe,” it added.
The health system said that it “strongly” disagrees with L&I’s findings in its Indigo citation and that it has filed an appeal.
“We believe L&I’s citation – based on a visit late last fall, days before we identified a reliable N95 supplier and began fit testing – is both wrong in its application of the rules and doesn’t take into account the very real challenges we and other health systems faced in keeping teams safe, amid supply chain shortages and constantly evolving science and understanding of this disease,” the health system said.
The pickets come amid continued contract talks with the health system. The union says it seeks a cost-of-living increase for workers and different end-of-day management policies. The union contends that current onsite policies often increase providers’ work hours past their 12-hour shift.
“The public deserves safe and sanitary urgent care conditions, and the best possible care from providers who are not overworked. MultiCare is failing their patients tremendously by neglecting their clinics, failing to comply with safety laws, and refusing to take care of their providers,” said Dr. Stuart Bussey, president of UAPD and former urgent care physician, in a statement announcing the pickets.
Indigo staff represented by the union organized a two-day strike last November over COVID safety issues.
“MultiCare’s failure to comply with the law leaves providers no alternative but to resume picketing,” Bussey said Monday.
MultiCare pushed back on the union’s actions and statements.
“While we support our provider’s right to negotiate a fair labor contract, we’re disappointed by the informational pickets planned for this week and the inflammatory comments made by UAPD, which are counterproductive to mediation and bargaining,” the health system said.
“We continue to work with our providers and the union representing some of them to finalize a contract. We will remain open and continue to serve our patients and our community, as our values have called us to do throughout this pandemic.”
