We’re celebrating you

On Sept. 27 from 4-9 p.m. we will be celebrating 50 years of union strength at Sunshine Ranch in Wenatchee. This is a family friendly event and catering will be provided through Visconte’s. Special thanks to our dedicated party planner Caryn Rumble for her efforts to coordinate this event for you and your families.

Staffing Committee

The nurse staffing committee will be held on Sept. 6, 2023, in conference rooms A&B from 3:30 to 4:50 p.m.  This is an open meeting, so we encourage nurses to attend who are not working. If you have filled out an ADO, your contract gives you the right to attend and speak directly to the nurse staffing committee about your submission. Article 14.4 of your contract speaks to your rights:

“Nurses who have submitted a written staffing complaint may request to attend a NSC meeting and/or may be invited by the NSC to attend, and good faith efforts will be made to relieve the nurse of duties so that they may attend, on paid time.”

Your contract and all updates can be located on this local unit page.

Conference Committee

We have been rotating observers through the conference committee to get an inside look into how your officers approach issues you raise. If you would like to observe reach out to any of your officers or contact your nurse representative directly at sreed@wsna.org or by text or voice 206-620-4246.

Due to the Labor Day holiday Conference committee has been rescheduled to Sept. 19 from 3:30 – 4:20 p.m.

ADOs (Assignment Despite Objection) FAQ

Q: My concern was from last week. I presented my concern at the time to my charge nurse (nurse leader, house supervisor) and it was not addressed. Can I still fill out an ADO?

A: YES! Any time you have a staffing concern you should complete an ADO. 

Q: Our staffing grid feels as if it is ignored, what can I do about this? 

A: Go back to the first rule of nursing – documentation. Documentation via ADO is important to alert your nurse staffing committee representative, WSNA officers, and nurse representatives along with administration of what is taking place in real time on the floor. When in doubt CTL (close the loop) and send an email to the person you spoke to recapping your conversation and concerns and submit your ADO.

Q: My manager called me in to ask me if I really felt unsafe. I felt like they were telling me to not fill out an ADO. What should I do?

A: We have previously addressed this issue with administration however if you have specific examples, please communicate with your WSNA officers and/or your nurse representative.

Nurses vote to join the Central Washington Contract

On August 30, nurses from the infusion room on site in the Mares building voted to unionize and join the Central nurses, nurse navigators from Moses Lake and Omak were mailed ballots by the National Labor Relations Board. Due to the nature of the vote (in person and mailed ballots) we will not know the outcome of the vote until late September; however, we are hopeful to announce their inclusion during the 50^th anniversary event. This landmark election was negotiated with Confluence to keep all infusion nurses, regardless of work site together in a non-precedent setting agreement.

Labor Day

President Grover Cleveland declared Labor Day a national holiday in 1894 after several states had adopted the holiday. From the department of labor, “Observed the first Monday in September, Labor Day is an annual celebration of the social and economic achievements of American workers. The holiday is rooted in the late nineteenth century, when labor activists pushed for a federal holiday to recognize the many contributions workers have made to America’s strength, prosperity, and well-being.”

As we grow closer to the holiday there is much that is unknown regarding the history of nursing unionization, however many of the same struggles our predecessors faced as echoed in the work performed today. Labor Day is a good reminder to take time to reflect on the work that we do and why.

While nursing has changed, technology advances, the human work remains the same.

Questions? Contact your WSNA nurse representative Shawn Mork (Reed), RN, SANE – sreed@wsna.org .