Our overwhelming “yes” vote on strike authorization made a difference at the bargaining table – but it wasn’t enough to get us an agreement that meets the needs of nurses by ensuring safe staffing at all times, better protection against workplace violence, and providing the time we need to take care of ourselves and our families.

Key dates coming up:

• Nov. 10 – Check out our full page Sunday ad in the Spokesman Review with our open letter to the community signed by more than 1,000 Sacred Heart nurses.
  
  
• Nov. 20 (8 p.m.) & Nov. 21 (8 a.m.) - Strike committee training.
  
  
• Nov. 22 - Our next negotiation session with a federal mediator.
  
  
• Nov. 23, Saturday (8 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 4 p.m., 8 p.m.) – Local unit meeting

Common Questions:

• It’s time to sign up for benefits, what shall I do? WSNA recommends nurses sign up for their benefits as they routinely do. The pending threat of a strike does not change this process for you.
  
  
• Changes to our retirement plan? Management must bargain with WSNA before changes can be made to your retirement plan.
  
  
• Not getting email newsletters from WSNA? Don’t miss important updates. If you or someone you know isn’t getting the WSNA e-mail newsletters, please contact your Nurse Rep or speak with WSNA membership at 1-800-231-8482 ext: 3023 or by email at membership@wsna.org.

In the meantime, we need to keep up the pressure – from nurses and members of our community. Here’s what you can do to help us pressure Providence to give us the contract we deserve:

• Share the public petition and encourage your friends and neighbors to sign on
  Sacred Heart is our community’s hospital. Encourage everyone you know to tell Providence that Spokane loves its nurses and supports us in getting “a fair contract that ensures safe staffing and maintains earned benefits so we all can receive the exceptional care we expect from Sacred Heart.” You can use this flyer for public outreach and share this link -https://NursesAtTheHeart.com
  
  
• Reach out to businesses and community organizations
  Are you member of a church, a volunteer organization, a club? Fill out a “Community Connections” card so that we can reach out and get the community on our side

Media coverage you may have missed

We continue to get great media coverage on TV, radio and in print. Here’s some of our most recent coverage.

• THE INLANDER: Nurses and hospital workers at Sacred Heart and other hospitals across the state are poised to go on strike (10/31/19)
  
  
• KHQ SPOKANE: Sacred Heart nurses say strike will happen if a fair contract doesn't (11/1/19)
  
  
• THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW: Nurses, Providence unable to agree on new contract at 1st bargaining session since strike authorization (10/31/19)

Any questions? Contact WSNA Nurse Representative Jaclyn Perkins, BSN, RN at 800-231-8482, ext. 3118 or jperkins@wsna.org.