Happy New Year! You will find in this edition of news you can use includes the following information!

• Upcoming rounding, meetings, and trainings
• Oregon Nurses Association Providence Strike
• Committee Updates
• Grievance Updates

Your local officers and WSNA Nurse Representative are hosting multiple opportunities for nurses to connect with their Union in 2025. Check them out below!

Time Clock Hot Chocolate- On Wednesday January 22 from 0600-0800 and 1800-2000 your WSNA officers will be set up by the time clock on the main floor with hot chocolate and cider. Drop by and say hi and grab a free hot beverage.

Investigation Workshop Training- On Tuesday, January 28 from 1-2 pm, your local grievance officer, Tristan Twohig, will be co-hosting a training on HR investigations. The goal of this workshop is to equip our nurses if they are ever called to an HR meeting or to support a colleague in their interview. We will have content prepared and a practical demonstration of an investigation meeting. RSVP here if you can attend in person or virtually.

Local Unit Meeting- On Thursday, January 30, from 8-9 am and 8-9 pm, your Union will be hosting a hybrid local unit meeting! Nurses can join via Microsoft Teams or in-person in the HEC room. Agenda items include upcoming officer nominations, convention opportunities, grievance updates and open table time for nurses’ concerns. Mark this date and time on your calendar and come see us!

Mighty Mondays- Beginning NOW in January 2025 on the second and fourth Monday of each month, drop in to the cafeteria to meet with your local officers and WSNA nurse representative. Join us from 11:30 am-1:30 pm, meet with your local officers, chat with your nurse representative, and learn about your contract and rights as a union worker. See the flyer below for content provided on each drop in.

Oregon Nurses Association Strike Update

Doctors, nurses and other frontline caregivers at Oregon Providence facilities are going on strike starting January 10, 2025!

“We are nearly 5,000 healthcare professionals calling on Providence Health & Services to come back to the bargaining table and put their patients before profits by offering a fair contract to frontline caregivers. 

The strike will start January 10 and affect Providence St. Vincent, Providence Portland, Providence Milwaukie, Providence Willamette Falls, Providence Newberg, Providence Hood River, Providence Seaside, Providence Medford, and the Providence Women’s Clinic.” Oregon Nurses Association

Visit the ONA website for more information and how YOU can show support.

Committee Corner

Workplace Violence- Your committee nurses include Susan Detheridge, Caleb Boyd, and Alina Creighton and they need your help! Fill out our survey regarding your understanding and experience with workplace violence. We will use this anonymous data to further conversations with management committee members on how to keep our nurses and patients safe.

Staffing Committee- Our December meeting was cancelled due to low volume of unsafe staffing forms submitted and holidays. Our next meeting is January 16 from 3:30-5 pm.

Nurse Practice- We have open seats for nurses from the following departments to join this committee.

• ICU
• Surgical (4^th floor)
• OR, PACU, Endo, Infusion
• PCU

The purpose of this committee will be to evaluate the delivery system of nursing care and prepare recommendations to nursing administration.

Grievance Updates

Hammersmith- A nurse was screened out of the candidate pool for a dayshift job on their home unit. Management’s position is that a recent discipline prevents this nurse from transferring within their own unit. Your union’s position is that Article 11.2 simply states management will consider disciplinary action and we find it an abuse of this language. The Employer has also cited an internal policy on transfers that wasn’t bargained with the Union.

Gibson & All Affected- Supplemental nurses are being told they are required to offer 18% minimum availability for the first 6 months of their position. Your Union is actively working with the grievant nurse and management to find a resolution for this grievance. Our position remains availability is the choice of the supplemental nurse.

Burgin- A nurse’s posted schedule was changed without their consent for a residency class. Management added a night shift without notifying or consenting the nurse.

Questions? Contact your local officers or WSNA Nurse Rep Alle Machorro at amachorro@wsna.org.

In Solidarity,
Martha Goodall- WSNA Chair
Peggy Smith- WSNA Co-Chair
Tristan Twohig- WSNA Grievance Officer
Emily Troyer- WSNA Membership Officer
Teresa Wood- WSNA Member at Large
Eric Holden- WSNA Secretary/ Treasurer