We are thrilled to announce that the ten dedicated St. Joe's nurses who will represent you at the bargaining table have met for the first time! This marks a significant step forward in our journey to secure a new contract that enhances the working conditions for all nurses at St. Joe's. In our first session, we reviewed your survey responses and discussed your priorities for the upcoming contract.

Meet your bargaining team:

• Emily Nollmeyer, Co-Chair, Family Birth Center, day shift
• Carina Price, Co-Chair, ICU, night shift
• Matthew McGuire, Treasurer, ED, day shift
• Shannon Suchland, Secretary, Walter’s OR, day shift
• Yunna Flenord, Grievance Officer, ICU, night shift
• Teresa Kindell, Membership Coordinator, 2S, day shift
• Shelly Mead, Grievance Officer, ED, day shift
• Jessica Lenczycki, Labor and Delivery, night shift
• Kaitlin Frazier, 7th floor, night shift
• Sarah Guillen, EP, day shift

These amazing volunteers are sacrificing their time and days off to fight for the best contract possible. Each member is a working nurse at St. Joe’s, bringing firsthand experience and understanding of our complex needs. The team comprises elected officers and members from different units and shifts to ensure comprehensive representation. We are deeply grateful for their dedication and willingness to stand up for our rights.

While these nurses represent us at the table, they need our collective support. Every one of us at St. Joe’s must stand in solidarity with our bargaining team. Together, we will send a powerful message to SJMC management that we are united in our fight for better wages, better staffing, and better working conditions. Let’s remind everyone that St. Joe’s is a union hospital, and Tacoma is a union town!

First negotiations begin in August

Our committed bargaining team is gearing up for the initial negotiations, expected to start in August, ahead of the current contract's expiration on October 31, 2024. Be on the lookout for information about a negotiation kickoff event coming soon!

Show your support and sign the petition!

Stay tuned for more updates on negotiations and upcoming events. In the meantime, show your solidarity by wearing blue on Fridays. If you see a bargaining team member at work, let them know how much you appreciate their hard work and commitment. Send in pictures of you and your coworkers on Blue Fridays so we can share them on our Instagram, @sjmc_wsna!

Don't forget to sign the Racial Justice Taskforce petition calling on management to keep the taskforce centered on nurses in our community, not VMFH executives. One of our focuses in negotiations will be on getting management to recognize Juneteenth, which has been a federal holiday for the last three years. On Juneteenth, we'll be celebrating with free ice cream outside the hospital from 11-3.

You can sign the petition at https://forms.office.com/r/QdvJNktieA.

Let's unite, support our team, and make our voices heard for a stronger, better St. Joe’s!