Incentive bargaining update
Throughout this pandemic the nurses have worked tirelessly to provide the kind of patient care that we would provide to our own family members. We understand that nurses are struggling to continue our optimism and a positive outlook that we will see an end to this situation and can return to “normal”. We recognize that the sacrifices that have been made and continue to be made should be acknowledged and rewarded by the organization that you work for. In that spirit, WSNA leadership approached PeaceHealth with a demand to bargain.
On Thursday Sept. 10, WSNA leadership met with labor relations to discuss the introduction of numerous initiatives which included the following:

1. Crisis Pay: CES 3 – Remove the current barriers to the CES 3 MOU to include:
   1. Lift the cap on shifts RNs can pick up.
   2. Allow per diem and relief RNs the choice to pick up CES 3 or call shifts.
   3. Remove restrictions of RNs losing their CES 3 shifts (premium pay) and reverting them to straight time if the RN then tests positive for COVID-19 or is placed in quarantine.
2. Retention bonus: Reward nurses who have stayed with PeaceHealth and continue their loyalty to their community and the organization with a monetary recognition of their service.
3. Hazard pay: Recognize the complexity and psychological toll nurses working with COVID-19 patients are burdened with by offering a differential for their commitment to this patient population.

WSNA believes taking these steps not only is well deserved, but will also help keep the compassionate, highly skilled, and dedicated nurses who currently work at the bedside. We are eager to hear the response from PeaceHealth’s leadership.

Requesting reasonable accommodation: Your right to representation
If you need to request reasonable accommodation for medical or religious reasons, you have the right to union representation.

1. Send written communication that you want to schedule an interactive meeting to discuss your accommodation.
2. Contact one of the WSNA Officers or the Nurse Representative to attend the meeting with you.
3. If your employer has stated that they are accommodating you but this no longer works for you, you can submit another written request. State that you would like to continue to discuss other accommodation options.
4. If you receive a phone call from your manager or Human Resources, you have the right to request that they document what they are telling you verbally. If they refuse, you may email your manager and restate what you were told over the phone. Ask that they verify that the information is mutually understood.
5. Your employer is required by law to meet with you if you have asked for a meeting regarding your requested medical or religious accommodation. If an employer were to refuse, you may submit a complaint to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or the Washington state Human Rights Commission. For more information
   1. Human Rights Commission: https://www.hum.wa.gov/file-complaint
   2. EEOC (Seattle): https://www.eeoc.gov/field-office/seattle/location
      
      

Update on Unfair Labor Practice complaint

WSNA continues to wait for the NLRB to respond to the complaint we submitted in August for injunctive relief against taking nurses off the schedule. A grievance has been filed on behalf of all affected nurses.

For additional questions, please contact WSNA Nurse Representative Mara Kieval at mkieval@wsna.org.