November 14, 2022

Bargaining Session

The team and the employer met for our fifth full day of bargaining.

Your WSNA team took the opportunity to share the feedback we've received from the survey, reading aloud several responses from Kadlec nurses regarding their frustration and disappointment over management’s wage proposal. It was very impactful (please keep circulating the survey to both nurses and community supporters!). Management countered our last proposal by proposing to bring the base starting wage to $36/hour, and increasing other steps accordingly to maintain the same differentials between each step that currently exist, amounting to an increase of 5.3% across the board. They also proposed increases of 3% the first full payroll period of July 2023, 3% effective January 1, 2024, and 2.5% effective January 1, 2025, for a total increase of 13.8% over the contract.

Your team responded by proposing to immediately increase wages from 5.3% to 18%, depending on where on the wage scale a nurse falls, in an attempt to address wages in the middle of the wage scale where nurses are the furthest behind compared to market comparators. We maintained our proposal for an across the board increase of 7% in each of the second and third years of the contract.

Your team was also joined by pediatric and surgical lead nurses who spoke to the struggle of leads taking patients and the toll this takes on themselves, the floor nurses they help and most importantly the patients in our hospital. We also shared excerpts from letters from the pediatric depart addressing this issue, as well as staffing complaint forms/ADOs which where filed specifically about leads taking patients on a number of occasions. These testimonials provided powerful support for our proposals to add language to prevent leads from taking assignments.

TA 4.8.3 Starting in 2023, per diem nurses shall accrue service increments based on one thousand eight hundred and seventy-two (1872 )paid hours, excluding standby hours.

TA 5.17 Functional Assignment: We agreed on new language to address the situation when during a functional floating assignment, the nurse being asked to perform a nursing care task or procedure that goes beyond a functional assignment.

TA 6.9.1 Restructure: We added language requiring the Hospital to notify WSNA of intended restructures, and making clear that we reserve the right to bargain over any such restructures.

TA LOU .45 FTE: We agreed that previously identified “grandfathered” nurses who work on a .45 FTE will continue to remain benefits eligible as long as they remain continuously employed in that .45 FTE position. We also agreed that if (and only if!) any of those nurses agree, they can give up their benefits coverage for payout of $2500, paid out in two installments over the course of 2024-2025.

Please continue to show your support for your bargaining team! Our next confirmed bargaining days are November 17 and 29.

Continue to circulate the latest survey to both Kadlec nurses and community supporters!

ATTENTION WE HAVE A BARGAINING UPDATE MEETING ON WEDNESDAY THE 16^TH FROM 530 TO 7PM AND 730 TO 9PM- VIRTUAL OPTION IS AVAILABLE THIS TIME! CONTACT RYAN OR LAURIE FOR THE MEETING LINK IF YOU DID NOT RECEIVE IT VIA EMAIL.

Your Team asks that you show your support by wearing your WSNA shirts on bargaining days. In addition, please send your candid photos of you and your co-workers showing your support to your Nurse Organizer, Ryan Rosenkranz at (206) 867-4627.

In Solidarity,
Meri Bukovinsky “Chair”-CDU
Jamie Woodall “Co-Chair” FSED
Vanessa Douglas “Secretary/Treasurer” ICU
Anita Dennis “Grievance Officer” PACU
Andrew Blake-Cath Lab
Kat Banks- PACU
Michelle Killebrew- CV Pre/Post
Kelsi Duncan-NICU

Thank you,
Laurie Robinson WSNA Nurse Representative
lrobinson@wsna.org