Columbia River Mental Health Services (CRMHS) has partially backed off plans to transfer all of its operations to the Cowlitz Indian Tribe.
CRMHS and the tribe notified workers July 10 that it would transfer its programs and assets to the tribe by Oct. 1. Workers were told they would have to reapply for their jobs to work for their new employer and would not receive severance pay. Office and Professional Workers International Union (OPEIU) Local 11, which represents around 90 workers at the Southwest Washington mental health care provider, pushed back on the plans and a statement from the tribe implying that it wouldn’t recognize the union.
On Aug. 4, CRMHS leadership notified workers via email that the plans had changed. Instead of Cowlitz Indian Tribe taking over all CRMHS operations, it will only take over the opioid treatment program. CRMHS leaders told workers that the nonprofit will continue to operate its other mental health services and will receive money from Cowlitz Indian Tribe to alleviate CRMHS’s poor financial status, OPEIU Local 11 said.
“There’s still some question about what will happen for employees at NorthStar (the location dedicated to opioid treatment that will move to the Tribe), but OPEIU Local 11 will continue to fight to ensure the smoothest, fairest transition for all our members,” Local 11 organizer Mallory Gruben told the Labor Press by email. Gruben said less than half of the unit works in the opioid treatment program, but exact numbers weren’t available at press time.
The Cowlitz Indian Tribe said in a written statement that it was continuing discussions with CRMHS as outlined in the letter of intent the two sides signed in July, but did not provide specifics on what staffing changes the updated deal would involve.
