Nichole Booker has worked at the MultiCare Northshore Clinic in reception since October 2021, and is currently serving on the MultiCare Bargaining Committee representing her fellow UFCW 3000 members during this year’s contract bargaining. But she is no stranger to union stewardship or bargaining with tough employers.

Nichole worked at the SeaTac Macy’s from the late 1990s untill 2021 and was a long term steward and activist there. She served on multiple bargaining committees with Macy’s and spent countless hours enforcing their union contract. In 2020 when the COVID pandemic hit retail hard, Nichole helped bargain the reopening and operating agreement with Macy’s, and then in 2021 when the SeaTac store unfortunately closed, and Nichole helped bargain the severance agreement for employees at that location.

After the store closed she found work at the reception desk of the Multicare Northshore Clinic which is also represented by UFCW 3000. Since then Nichole and joined with her coworkers in taking on the workplace issues at Multicare and this year has stepped-up to serve on the bargaining committee for the new contract. To make sure that MultiCare sees that the Northshore Clinic is united and ready to fight for a fair contract, she and her coworkers at the Clinic have started "Swag Day" where everyone wears yellow UFCW t-shirts and swag every Friday. Building solidarity often begins with workers displaying their commitment to one another with buttons, wrist bands, t-shirts, or lanyard placards, The Northshore clinic made it a weekly event that made it part of the workplace culture.

She also recruited her coworkers to join her at the recent information pickets at MultiCare Tacoma General Hospital.

MultiCare workers are fighting for improved healthcare benefits and competitive pay from an employer that so far has fallen short of that at the bargaining table. Union members turned out to make it clear that they would settle for nothing less than a free contract, and they are prepared to do more if necessary.

Nichole is a labor movement veteran at this point and doesn’t show any signs of stopping soon!