The physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners practice at 24 urgent care clinics under Indigo Health, a division of MultiCare, and are represented by the Union of American Physicians and Dentists. The authorization vote was announced Sept. 25 and contract negotiations were set to resume Sept. 27.
The union said contract talks have focused on patient loads, providers working beyond 12-hour shifts, no scheduled meal breaks, and wages that lag behind the cost of living in Washington. The union also said Indigo has seen a 26 percent turnover rate in the past year.
MultiCare told local NBC affiliate KING 5 that it has been bargaining with UAPD since November 2022 and has held 19 bargaining sessions, one of which included a federal mediator.
Indigo has 40 clinics across Washington and Idaho. Eight-hospital MultiCare launched Indigo in 2016. In its annual report that year, MultiCare said the clinics were designed to differ from traditional urgent care centers, with healthcare “concierges” to greet patients at the door and amenities.
Becker’s reached out to MultiCare for comment and received a response that the health system was experiencing a high volume of media inquiries. This story will be updated if comment is made available.
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