WSNA News
Posted May 28, 2024
Consecutive Weekend Pay Group Grievance Denied; Advanced to Next Step
WSNA met with management on May 17 for a group grievance for the denial of paying CWW for extra pick up shifts, which has been shown to be past practice in many of our departments.
On 5/24 Good Sam management denied our grievance. WSNA maintains that when a nurse offers to pick-up a weekend shift to fill voids in the posted schedule, you are not waiving your CWW premium. WSNA maintains that nurses who work on a scheduled weekend off shall receive CWW premium. WSNA is advancing the grievance to the next level, Step 3. You will again be invited to attend that meeting once it is scheduled. Thank you to those who attended and gave testimony at the Step 2 meeting.
Staffing Standard Pay Group Grievance
WSNA met with Management on April 4 for a Group Grievance for the denial of paying the Staffing Standard Premium Pay. The staff denied were from the Emergency Department and the Family Birth Center. The main reason for the denials was that there was not enough information provided on the forms to be able to approve the SSP. Since then, the forms have been changed to allow more space to describe why you are claiming SSP. If you are denied and do not understand why, management is inviting you to have a discussion with them about it.
Having that conversation with your manager helps them understand why you feel you were over matrix/understaffed, especially in areas of the ED which don’t have a staffing matrix. Also, it gives management an opportunity to explain why you were denied, such as unscheduled absences, that staffing met census, or that there was not enough information provided on the form.
If after speaking to management, you still have concerns, please notify your WSNA nurse representative or one of the Officers so we can follow up at the monthly Conference Committee (Labor/Management) meeting.
Effective the first full pay period in January 2024
14.6 Staffing Standard for Patient Population. The state-submitted staffing plan, in effect, will guide the individual department staffing matrix. The Employer and Association agree that the assignment of patients will take into consideration staffing standards, acuity, and departmental needs as defined in the staffing plan.
- 14.6.1 Staffing Standard and Premium. The State-submitted staffing plan shall define the eligibility for the staffing standard premium. The department’s staffing matrix defines the number of nurses needed based on patient volume/census and department needs. If a nurse has a patient assignment in excess of the staffing standard for two (2) or more continuous hours, the nurse shall be eligible for staffing standard premium for all time worked above the standard. The premium shall be $5 per hour.
- 14.6.2 Premium Ineligibility. Staffing Standards Premium shall not be paid as a result of an unscheduled absence, including but not limited to, intermittent FMLA. Staffing Standards Premium shall not be paid for a nurse leaving the floor for reasons including, but not limited to transport, a code response, meals and/or breaks, etc.
- 14.6.3 Charge Nurse. If the Employer determines the charge nurse needs to take a patient assignment, or an additional charge nurse assignment, they may either remove the charge nurse assignment or the charge nurse shall be eligible for staffing standard premium for time worked with a patient or second charge nurse assignment, for two (2) or more continuous hours, as long as all eligibility criteria (14.6.1 and 14.6.2) are met.
- 14.6.4 Resolution. Staffing Standards Premium pay shall be the exclusive resolution for deviations from staffing standards, in accordance with 14.6.1.
- 14.6.5 Staffing Standard Approval Process. The CNE, or designee, shall have final approval on whether staffing standard is paid based on the shift criteria and eligibility.
Workplace Violence Committee
Nurses are needed to serve on the Hospital Workplace Violence Committee, which meets quarterly. The committee needs to hear from frontline nurses about the issues you are facing on your units. Next meeting is July 10 at 2 pm. If interested, please let WSNA Nurse Rep know – Janet Stewart jstewart@wsna.org
14.3.1 Workplace Violence Prevention. The Employer is committed to providing a safe and secure workplace for nurses. The Employer will not tolerate workplace violence. Signage will be posted in each unit of the Hospital stating this policy. Nurses may request security in units or rooms of patients any time they believe there is a safety risk. The Employer will engage in appropriate workplace violence prevention planning through its existing Safety Committee or whatever additional committee(s) it deems appropriate. Nurses may volunteer to serve on the Employer’s Safety Committee(s). Attendance at any such committee meetings will be on a paid time basis at the nurse’s regular rate of pay. Upon receiving thirty (30) days’ notification of a Nurses’ need to attend committee meetings under this Article, the Nurse’s manager shall arrange coverage for Nurse’s shift. Nurses shall not be retaliated against for reporting incidences of workplace violence.
Representational Rights
State the following before the start of any meeting that could lead to discipline:
“If this discussion could in any way lead to my discipline or termination, I request a Union Representative to be present. Unless I have this representation, I respectfully choose not to participate in this discussion.”
Then, notify one of your WSNA officers or Nurse Representative immediately.
Additional Opportunity PTO Cashout
This temporary option is being offered due to unknown issues regarding the original February notification distribution. This opportunity is only available to those staff who have not yet elected a February PTO Cashout.
- At the time the choices are offered, the balance in your PTO bank must be greater than 40 hours.
- Employees may choose to cash out up to 80 hours provided the balance in the PTO bank does not drop below 40 hours.
- This election will be offered in February and August each year.
- Current cash outs, when processed, will be combined with your routine payroll and are subject to all applicable IRS taxes and payroll deductions.
If you are interested in cashing out PTO, and did not already do so earlier in the year, you should enter a general payroll ticket through the Employee Resource Center and your request will be processed in the order received.
Questions/Comments, contact:
Your Good Samaritan Officers,
Ilia Mondoy, Raeli Korzeniecki, Mindy Thornton, Aaron Bradley, Anne Landen, Atalia Lapkin
WSNA Organizer Grace LaMonte GLamonte@wsna.org; WSNA Nurse Rep Janet Stewart Jstewart@wsna.org