Hutchinson Center Staff Association records, 1979-1984

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (FHCRC) workers, with lots of community and labor support, organized and ran wall-to-wall union for 6 contentious years, 1979-1984. The Hutchinson Center Staff Association (HCSA) was independent by choice, first as an organizing committee, then as a union. HCAA had great difficulty securing a first contract, and decided to merge into United Food and Commercial Workers, Northwest Economic Council (UFCW-NEC), Local 900. That union local already represented clerical workers and lab techs at Swedish and Group Health. Members failed to vote for that union and the entire organizing effort failed. At that time, FHCRC was newly formed; Principle Investigators ruled fiefdoms, Research Techs in different labs were paid differently, and they needed approval of their boss if they wanted to transfer.

HCSA organizing forced personnel centralization and Center-wide safety standards. They won dental care, improved safety, 50% compensation on bus plans and parking, better sick leave policy, improved raises, and a grievance process. HCSA also won the fight to be radical in the workplace by championing free speech, including support for affirmative action and abortion rights.

HCSA employed intense contact with staff and dedicated staff leadership, including stewards throughout the building. The union heavily used the National Labor Relations Board process and benefited from the guidance and support from radical labor leaders in the Freedom Socialist Party, including Clara Fraser who was fighting her own case at Seattle City Light. The HCSA was also counseled by labor lawyer Christine Mrak and found strong support from the Teamsters and other labor groups, elected officials, the church council, and dietary workers at Swedish who organized themselves into the Service Employees International Union.

In 1984, FHCRC management won the union vote by promising cost of living increases, annual step increases for longevity, formal grievance procedure, new and accurate job descriptions, grouping of similar jobs to facilitate protection by seniority for layoffs, and seniority applied toward transfers and promotions. Little of these reform promises came to pass.

Principal organizers on the HCSA campaign included Henry Noble, Patricia Norkool, Mary Peretz. Pat stayed on with the Wilm's Tumor Project until at least 2009, authoring many scientific papers.

TIMELINE

1975

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (FHCRC) opened.

1976

Hutchinson Center Staff Association (HCSA) organizer Henry Noble transferred from UW Academic Computing Center, where he was founder of United Workers Union-Independent, to work in Hutchinson's Epidemiology Biostatistics Department. In August, Noble is reprimanded for picketing with nurses striking Swedish Hospital.

1977

Patricia Norkool, researcher in the Wilms Tumor study, asked FHCRC to include Group Health as a staff medical plan. When management refused, she circulated a petition that got much support from staff but management wouldn't budge. Dr. Hutchinson considered Group Health to be "socialized medicine".

1978

President Carter issued voluntary wage guidelines that Hutchinson Center seized upon. HCSA circulated petition to management about wages raises.

1979

Staff decided to form an association but not union. They felt unions were too “blue collar” for their profession. Formed and Announced Hutchinson Center Organizing Committee (HCOC) in May. FHCRC harassed union activists. Patricia Norkool is elected president and negotiator. In June, experienced harassment by Swedish for organizing in their public cafeteria. In July, Dr. Hutchinson responded to a petition regarding wages by stating that no recognition would be given to an employee organization "unless that person or organization has been certified by the NLRB as result of secret ballot election on the issue of collective representation". Elliot Willman of the UFCW Northwest Employment Council speaks to a union meeting. NEC represents Lab technicians and clerical workers at Group Health and Swedish. With this background in mind, staff decided they needed to be union. August, HCSA circulated petition on raises and delivered it to Dr. Hutchinson. HCSA founded and bylaws adopted in September and October. A charge is filed against Swedish with the NLRB.

1980

President Reagan dropped the wage guidelines, but Hutchinson Center persisted with low raises. In February, HCSA filed for a representation election (2/12/80). Union election for 350-person unit did not pass. However, the election was overturned because FHCRC threatened staff would lose their jobs.

1981

HCSA fought the firing of a Latina mailroom clerk in February. A 2nd representation vote, occurring on April 17 was successful. In July, bargaining began and the contact proposal is delivered to FHCRC. In August, FHCRC turned over job descriptions to staff. FHCRC mobilizes Principal Investigators to harass their staff. In September, FHCRC cleaned up some safety issues after HCSA push.

1982

In December, Teamsters refused to hold their annual fundraiser that benefited the Hutchinson Center. King County Labor Council labeled FHCRC unfair to labor.

1983

In October, HCSA won 5% raises for staff, except Noble as "he didn't accept the authority of his supervisor".

1984

Northwest Economic Council, UFCW #900 filed to represent FHCRC staff. The December 1983 charge of employer harassment against HCSA leader Henry Noble was upheld in March by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Office of Appeals, finding the 2% raise punitive. On May 14th, a NLRB representation vote resulted in 105 Yes, 108 No, and 113 did not vote. A big fight and trial at NLRB ended with settlement to put Noble back at work full time. HCSA’s efforts included appeal to NLRB in DC. Noble left the Hutchinson Center to start work at Boeing. Norkool stayed on at Wilm's Tumor Lab until at least 2009. Peretz also stayed on at Wilm's Tumor Lab.

Sources: Adapted from donor-provided history and inventory by Henry Noble

https://socialism.com/fs-article/management-is-dangerous-to-your-health/

https://socialism.com/fs-article/a-new-victory-for-cancer-research-workers-henry-nobles-job-restored-at-hutchinson-cancer-center/

https://socialism.com/fs-article/union-leader-scores-against-cancer-center/