As more fully outlined below, the Tentative Agreement includes many significant improvements, including wage increases, a BSN premium, increased shift differentials, and workplace violence language. This Agreement includes tradeoffs including the requirement of 0.75 FTE to be full-time benefits eligible for new hires after Jan. 1, 2020. All existing MultiCare employees are grandfathered in to maintain this benefit at 0.6 FTE. We also agreed to their proposal of sharing the cost of monthly medical premium increases. We reluctantly agreed to these proposals in order to secure competitive wage increases, ensuring that Good Samaritan nurses will remain at the front of the market even as we face an uncertain economic future as employers grapple with the impacts of COVID-19.

A total of ten and a half percent over three years (3.5%-3.5%-3.5%): Despite these uncertain economic times, nurses will keep their competitive market wages with a total of 10.5% in wage increases over three years, with 3.5% increases each year of the contract. The first year’s increase is retroactive to the date of contract expiration, April 1, 2020. Art. 8.1.

New longevity step: New step at 31 to be added, with an increase of .5% step 30, so that nurses at Step 30 don’t have to wait two years until their next step increase. Art. 8.1.

New BSN/MSN/MN/PhD premium: New certification premium of $1/hour for RNs with a BSN, MSN, MN, or PhD. Art. 9.6.1.

Increased shift differential premium: Evening shift differential increased from $2.50 to $2.75, and night shift differential increased from $4.25 to 4.50. Art. 9.1.

Extended weekend premium: The weekend premium will now cover all shifts that begin prior to 11:01pm on Sunday, instead of ending at 11pm. Art. 9.9.

Low Census: Your team fought hard to ensure that staff and per diem RNs will not be sent home before travelers. We also bargained for language ensuring more transparency and accountability when there are excessive amounts of low census. Art. 6.6.

Floating: Your team fended off language that would have allowed for house-wide floating and convinced management to maintain current contract language. Art. 6.7.

Higher starting pay for former LPNs: LPNs will have more of their experienced recognized when their starting step is determined. Art. 8.4.1.

Per Diem nurses: While management insisted on bringing Good Sam in line with all other MultiCare facilities’ 15% premium for per diems and nurses who receive a wage premium in lieu of benefits, all affected nurses will receive a 1% cash bonus each year of the contract, and per diem nurses will get other new benefits, like new education time and funds. Arts. 4.6, 8.5, 13.2, 13.4. The requirements for per diems to be available a total of four shifts per month (including two weekends) is now in the contract, ensuring that management cannot unilaterally change the requirements. Art. 4.6.

Health Care: Current nurses retain full time benefits at .6 FTE and above. Newly hired nurses going forward will qualify for full time benefits at .75 FTE. Art. 11.1. Part-time nurses’ premiums will paid at one half the full time premium for the RN only plan. Cost increases to medical going forward will be shared on a 50/50 basis with a maximum of $50 per month. Dental benefits and premiums will be the same offered to non-represented employees. Existing nurses grandfathered in from new .75 FTE requirement; future part-time nurses working at least 16 hours per week will receive half the cost of the premiums for the RN only plan. Art. 11.1.

Staffing: We fought to retain the right to vote before any changes to the staffing matrix, in addition to the staffing plan. Art. 14.4.

Workplace violence prevention: New language ensuring workplace violence prevention, including anti-retaliation language for making reports of workplace violence. Art. 14.3.1. Requires signage on each unit stating the Hospital’s No Tolerance for Violence Policy.

Education: Increased education allowance from $500 to $550, which can now be used for membership dues in professional organizations like AWHONN and the ENA. Art. 13.4 & Add. 9. New $100 and 2 hour allocation for per diems. Art. 13.2, 13.4. More transparency into denials of requests for education leave. Art. 13.2.

Bereavement: Expanded bereavement leave for more family members (step-parents, step-siblings, step-parents, step-grandparents, step-grandchildren now included). Art. 12.5.

New Washington State Paid Family Leave: Establishes Nurses right to choose whether to access PTO and EIT accruals or new Washington State Paid Family Leave. Nurses will be able to top off State Paid Family Leave with PTO or EIT to 100% of regular wages. Taxes will be paid by nurses and the employer per the new law. Art. 12.12.

Residency agreement: Change from one-year commitment to two-year commitment.

Bulletin boards: Removed requirement to obtain prior approval from management before posting items to bulletin board.

Contract Vote Information

When:

Monday, July 20, 2020

Times and Locations:
6:30 -9 a.m. in the Baker Conference Room
11 a.m. - 1 p.m. in the Family Birth Center Conference Room
6:30 - 9 p.m. in the Baker Conference Room

Masks will be required in each voting location along with a 6 ft. social distancing require­ment. Addition­ally, no more than 10 people will be allowed inside of the room where the VOTE takes place.

You must be a WSNA member in good standing to cast a VOTE!

Your Negotiating Team: Cheryll Howe - Family Birth, Dawn Morrell – Cath Lab, Aaron Bradley – Palliative Care, Christina Swan – Family Birth, Mindy Thornton – ER, Heidi Kennedy – ICU, Qona Johnson – Pulse Cardiac, Adrienne Berg – PCU, Anne Landen – ER, Jorie Gliane – Float Pool

Questions? Contact Travis Elmore, WSNA Nurse Representative at 1 800 231-8482 ext. 3117 or telmore@wsna.org