Important announcement for all RNs
Posted Jul 2, 2021
- In the early months of the pandemic, PeaceHealth made a number of changes that affected WSNA nurses and did not bargain those changes with the Union. Specifically, the Hospital implemented a Personal Travel Policy and a COVID-19 Leave Bank Program. Nurses had to use unpaid time off or PTO to cover incidents and they would not have done so but for the Hospital’s unilateral changes.
- WSNA filed unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board (the “NLRB”); we alleged that the Hospital violated federal labor law when it unilaterally implemented these changes without bargaining with the Union.
- The NLRB recently agreed with WSNA and determined that the Hospital did violate federal labor law by not bargaining with the Union.
- As a result, the Hospital will make every nurse affected by these unilateral changes who had to take unpaid time or who used PTO “whole” – that means the Hospital will either provide backpay plus interest or will reinstate PTO used to the affected nurses so that affected nurses will be reinstated to the position they would have been in if the Hospital hadn’t made the unlawful changes.
- You will see NLRB postings around the Hospital from June 30 that will remain up for 60 days, stating what the NLRB determined, what the Hospital has to do to make things rights, and the steps that the Hospital needs to take before the NLRB agrees that this issue is resolved.
- The Hospital will send this posting by email along with claim forms. If you took unpaid time or used PTO as a result of the Personal Travel Policy or the COVID-19 Leave Bank Program, fill out a claim form no later than July 23, 2021. You will find specific directions in the email from the Hospital.
- If you have any questions and/or if you do not receive an email from the Hospital, please contact WSNA Nurse Rep, Hanna Welander at hwelander@wsna.org
- In the early months of the pandemic, PeaceHealth made a number of changes that affected WSNA nurses and did not bargain those changes with the Union. Specifically, the Hospital implemented a Personal Travel Policy and a COVID-19 Leave Bank Program. Nurses had to use unpaid time off or PTO to cover incidents and they would not have done so but for the Hospital’s unilateral changes.