Today we kicked off bargaining with management. Our bargaining team consists of 10 nurses throughout the hospital along with our WSNA Nurse Representative, WSNA Attorney-Negotiator, and WSNA Organizer.

We proposed improving Low Census and Float language by providing a more logical order that prioritizes bargaining unit nurses over travelers, agency and system floats. We make it clear in our proposal that non-ED nurses caring for ED overflow IS floating (management considers it “taking care of similar level” patients but just not in your department). We proposed the same $10/hour float pay when floating outside your clinical grouping that Tacoma General has – this is a system that MultiCare already does in its other hospitals.

Management mostly proposed “clean up language” on various articles – this won’t affect how we do our jobs, but clarifies current language.

Staffing and break coverage will be critical issues in these negotiations. Both are vital to patient safety, our safety (and protection of our licenses!), and recruitment and retention. Our team is currently working on proposals and language to present to management at our next session on February 16.

Our contract will only be as strong as the solidarity we demonstrate in the hospital. This takes every one of us working together to demonstrate our commitment to getting a great contract.

Here’s what you can do:

• Wear you WSNA T-Shirts EVERY Friday and on bargaining days.
• Wear your “I support my bargaining team” stickers EVERY Friday and on Bargaining days
• Wear your “Breaks for Safety” buttons EVERY day. We’ll be distributing them soon.
• File ADOs every day you miss your meal and rest breaks and also indicate so in Kronos. It’s imperative that we have the documentation that shows breaks are being missed.

We know that it is frustrating to file ADOs day after day for the same violations but it is critical that we do so – without ADOs, we cannot show on-going patterns. The public may have heard about the nurse staffing crisis, but it is our ADOs and everything we endure that bring the enormity of this crisis to life. (Plus, an ADO may save your license if you’re placed in an unsafe situation or don’t have the equipment or resources to provide safe care.)

Note! It violates the Contract (not to mention the law) for your manager to retaliate against or discipline you for filling out an ADO. While managers can discuss the issues you raise in an ADO with you, they cannot counsel, discipline, or discriminate against you for filling out ADOs. If that happens, contact WSNA nurse representative Janet Stewart. Patient advocacy is a fundamental part of our job – report unsafe or untenable situations in ADOs.

In Solidarity, your bargaining team,
Mindy Thornton, Jared Richardson, Aaron Bradley, Raeli Korzeniecki, Dawn Morrell, Anne Landen, ErenDao, Ashley Eubanks, Atalia Lapkin, and Erin Butler

If you have questions or want to get more involved in our contract campaign, contact any of the bargaining team members or WSNA Nurse Representative Janet Stewart jstewart@wsna.org.

For T-shirts, stickers or buttons, contact WSNA organizer Grace LaMonte GLamonte@wsna.org