Clinical pharmacists at Providence Regional Medical Center Everett (Wash.) voted July 28 to join The Pharmacy Guild/IAM, affiliated with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, according to a union news release shared with Becker’s.
The bargaining unit includes more than 70 inpatient, ambulatory care and retail pharmacists, according to the release. Pharmacists cited safe staffing levels, corporate accountability and patient care protections as reasons for organizing.
“Every day, pharmacists advocate for our patients,” said Matt Chen, a senior clinical pharmacist in the inpatient department, in the release. “In voting for The Pharmacy Guild/IAM, pharmacists chose to advocate for our profession, so we can continue delivering the safe, high-quality care our community deserves.”
Providence said in a statement shared with Becker’s that while it was “disappointed in the outcome,” it respects caregivers’ right to organize. “We will now focus on working with the union toward a mutually agreeable collective bargaining agreement,” the statement said. “We remain committed to approaching these negotiations thoughtfully, respectfully and in good faith.”
Renton, Wash.-based Providence’s Providence Regional Medical Center Everett is the only level 2 trauma center in Snohomish County.
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