As nurses are well aware, today at 2 pm the UFCW Techs will begin their ULP strike. Nurses have told us as a personal choice, they would like to attend actions in solidarity. Therefore, should nurses choose to join the techs in their efforts, it must be on non-work time.

Nurses are free to wear their WSNA t-shirts while attending any actions.

As Management has put into emails and mentioned in huddles, this is not a WSNA action and must be done on non-work time. We do not expect that Management would discipline nurses for participating – in fact, it would be unlawful if they did. While WSNA cannot guarantee that Management won’t take unlawful actions against nurses who support our UFCW coworkers on their own time, understand that WSNA will have your back to the full extent of our abilities if Management tries. If you have received conflicting information from Management or would like to proceed in an abundance of caution, consider marching, chanting, taking pictures, and sending messages of solidarity instead of carrying a sign. Always let Nurse Rep Jaclyn Smedley know if Management implies anything about your support for the UFCW ULP strike.

We have also heard Providence has taken measures to block the public sidewalks around areas of the hospital near the water tower parking garage. We find this to be a public safety concern since the nurses are forced to walk down the streets to report to work, and feel the employer is subjecting nurses to dangerous working conditions. Several nurses have called the City of Spokane to report the sidewalks being blocked, as well as the fire hydrants. In addition, we are looking into this issue, and will take appropriate action should this remain unresolved.

As a reminder, you can show your support for your tech co-workers is to wear a UFCW button along with your WSNA button at work.  You can get a UFCW button/sticker at the next two sip and chats (By Thomas Hammer in the cafeteria) which are:

April 23, 2024 from 2100 – 2330
April 24, 2024 from 0800 – 1130

Remember, mandatory overtime is prohibited with a few narrow exceptions (unforeseeable emergent circumstances, prescheduled on-call time, when the employer has used reasonable efforts to obtain staffing, or when an employee is required to work overtime to complete a patient care procedure already in progress where the absence of the employee could have an adverse effect on the patient).  You have the right to refuse to work voluntary overtime without fear of retaliation.

Rally with UFCW, Wednesday, April 24, 2024 at 7 pm. Cowley Park!

WSNA urges nurses to attend wearing their WSNA shirts on their time off to support the techs in solidarity!