On Friday, July 26, our nurses from Sacred Heart and Kadlec joined hundreds of outraged nurses, healthcare workers, state labor leaders, public officials, and union activists from across Washington to hold a “Rally for Patients Before Profits” at the corporate headquarters of Providence St. Joseph Health, the state’s largest health system.

We brought our message directly to multi-millionaire executives because managers in our local Providence facilities have refused to address urgent problems including workplace and patient safety concerns, cuts to sick time and paid time off, competitive benefits and wages to recruit and retain nurses.

The rally represents over 20,000 workers from throughout the Providence system in almost every job title. The shared problems they are experiencing have become so extreme that they have prompted the workers’ four different unions – OPEIU Local 8, SEIU Healthcare 1199NW, UFCW 21 and the Washington State Nurses Association – to create the “Providence United Coalition” to support each other and jointly hold executives accountable for solutions.

The response from Providence? A statement to the media that “the most effective venue for discussing labor contracts is at the local bargaining tables” and “We have full confidence that our local leaders, who are bargaining these contracts, have presented strong pay and benefits packages that are aligned with our values and advance our commitment to creating an exceptional work experience for our caregivers.” Really? If that were true we wouldn’t have been compelled to travel across the state to try and get our message across. We wouldn’t have rallied and picketed. We wouldn’t be launching strike preparation.

Resolution calling on Providence St. Joseph Health to put Patients before Profits

At the Washington State Labor Council Convention on July 27, delegates passed a resolution calling on leaders of local unions to send letter to the Providence board of directors calling on them to listen to healthcare workers and immediately negotiate fair union contracts; and the Washington State Labor Council to stand in solidarity with healthcare workers in their fight to make Providence return to the founding core values of Compassion, Dignity, Justice, Excellence and Integrity, and put patients before profits.

Prep for launch of strike assessment

As we ramp up in our fight for the contract that our patients need and our nurses deserve, we have to be prepared for the battle, one that may lead to a strike if necessary. The fight for a fair contract will require organizing a credible strike threat against Providence Sacred Heart. Rapid Response Organizers will have the important job of talking to nurses and assessing their readiness to strike if necessary to get the contract patients need and nurses deserve.

Questions? Contact WSNA Nurse Representative Jaclyn Perkins at jperkins@wsna.org or or 206-575-7979, ext. 3118.

WSNA Local Unit Officer Contact (For Sacred Heart Nurses ONLY) – Voice Tel 1-866-305-5612.