These are crazy and unusual times we are living in. However it is VERY important to remember that the contract must be followed by the employer even in this pandemic situation. There are two situations that recently have come up that we need every nurse to be aware of.

#1 CONSECUTIVE WEEKEND PAY Article 7.11

“…all time worked on the second weekend shall be paid for at the rate of one and one-half (1 ½ ) times the nurses straight-time hourly rate of pay…unless the nurse voluntarily agrees to work on the weekend either at the time of hire or thereafter, …” Please be clear with your scheduler that you would be working a consecutive weekend at the appropriate premium. Please follow that up with an email to the scheduler and keep a copy for your records that states … “in follow up to our conversation, I will be working ______ at the consecutive weekend premium pay per contract article 7.11”. Similarly if you decline the premium pay you should follow it up with an email to have the information in a written format.

Consecutive weekend pay is something you as members voted to have in the contract AND your management representing the hospital also agreed to this article in the contract. This is a JOINT and agreed upon contract. We are hearing that nurses are being told if they accept the assignment they are automatically waiving the benefit. This is NOT what the contract states.

#2 Nurses who are 8/80 or 8/40 job codes Article 7.5

Nurses who are regularly employed in this job code normally work 8 hour shifts and have overtime for anything over 8 hours. If you are asked to float to another unit to help out during this Covid-19 Pandemic, please note that you should not be expected to work overtime without the appropriate compensation. If you are agreeable to working a 12 hour shift WITHOUT the over 8 hours overtime, that needs to also be a mutually agreeable change and cannot be implemented unilaterally. The article reads “…shall receive a premium pay rate of time and one-half their regular rate of pay for time worked in excess of their scheduled shift of at least 8 hours…” **PLEASE NOTE** Your hired job code must reflect the 8/80 or 8/40 category for this application.

The article also states that “all overtime… must be authorized by the employer.“ This is also true so it is the nurses responsibility to make sure it is known you will be claiming overtime over 8 hours of work. They must know and approve the shift in advance.

Your contract can be found online using the Contract link at the top of this page.

#3 ADO – Assignment Despite Objection

Your online WSNA form is not only for staffing issue but all other things that are disruptive to your work. That would include but not limited to

• Inadequate support staff
• Malfunctioning equipment
• Lack of PPE
• High acuity patients and not staffed to acuity level.

These forms can be completed on your smart phone from the comfort of your own sofa! And the instant you hit “SEND” the form arrives in your local unit chairs email box as well as your Nurse Rep email box as well as the Staffing Committee Co-chair. There will be no repercussions for filling this out and your local unit team will be able to respond quickly to any concerns that you may have. Check out the form at: www.wsna.org/ado.

As always feel free to reach out to any of the team members for further information or questions. You may also email your nurse rep Sue Dunlap at sdunlap@wsna.org .

Liz Rainaud MSN, RN – Local Unit Chair:
Jessica Googe RN - Secretary
Hannah Guy BSN RN Treasurer
Kristi Perez RN CMSRN Secretary / Grievance Officer
Alice Riddle RN - Membership
Cheryl Pedersen RN – Grievance Officer
Rachel Yates RN – Co-Membership