ARLINGTON — Cascade Valley Hospital is formally warning that it may lay off more than 400 people this spring, but that doesn’t mean they all will be out of work.
The change is part of an expected merger with Skagit Regional Health, a public hospital system in Skagit County.
The two entities are to begin working together under a 30-year contract on June 1, officials said Friday. Cascade Valley’s clinics are covered under that contract.
“There is no anticipated reduction in force,” Cascade spokeswoman Jennifer Egger said. “Current Cascade Valley Hospital employees will be transitioning over to the Skagit Regional Health system. There are no layoffs. It’s just a transition from one organization to the other.”
The hospital, at 330 S. Stillaguamish Ave. in Arlington, is part of a publicly funded taxing district that includes Arlington, Darrington, Granite Falls, Silvana and surrounding areas. Its leaders have notified the state of plans to cut 418 positions starting May 31. State law requires large companies to notify workers of expected layoffs. The state Employment Security Department shared the notice on Friday.
Cascade Valley Hospital has roughly 500 employees and an operating budget of $50 million. The emergency rooms sees 19,000 patients annually.
About 200 hospital employees are represented by a local chapter of the Service Employees International Union. Hospital staff had to reapply for their jobs with an understanding they would be brought on by the new owners, said Mary Hyatt, the lead union negotiator.
“We’re looking forward to still providing the same personal health care that we do now,” she said. “It’s important to all of the employees that we still give good care and the local residents know we’re still going to provide that care for them.”
The two public hospital entities also have ongoing talks about a new business partnership with the University of Washington’s UW Medicine. Nothing new has been shared on that front.
Rikki King: 425-339-3449; rking@heraldnet.com.
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