Our last contract created a historic Racial Justice Taskforce, led by nurses and  dedicated to developing solutions that promote equity in healthcare and racial justice within the St. Joseph’s community and its surrounding areas.

However, management is now threatening to sideline and weaken this taskforce by introducing a corporate initiative led by executives, not nurses. To counter this attempt and ensure that Juneteenth is addressed in our upcoming contract negotiations, we are launching a petition demanding that management:

1. Ensure the Racial Justice Task Force remains a nurse-centered effort driven by bedside care providers, not a corporate initiative run by upper management.

2. Recognize holiday observances, like Juneteenth, that appropriately reflect the culture and values of the hospital workforce and the community it serves.

Sign the petition at https://forms.office.com/r/QdvJNktieA

Celebrate Juneteenth with Us!

Join WSNA in celebrating Juneteenth with free ice cream for nurses from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the corner of S 17th & S J St. Enjoy free ice cream with your coworkers while learning about the contributions of Black nurses to healthcare and engaging with our Racial Justice Taskforce.

Juneteenth, celebrated on June 19th, commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. It marks the day in 1865 when Union General Gordon Granger announced the freedom of all enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, over two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. Recognized as a state holiday in Texas in 1980, Juneteenth was declared a federal holiday in June 2021 symbolizing freedom, resilience, and the ongoing pursuit of racial equality in America.

Make sure you follow our Instagram @sjmc_wsna to stay up to date with local unit news! We'll be sharing information throughout the month about contributions Black nurses have made to our profession and ways you can get involved with racial justice and health equity.

In Unity,

Emily Nollmeyer, Co-Chair

Carina Price, Co-Chair

Matthew McGuire, Treasurer

Sally Budack, Co-Secretary

Shannon Suchhland, Co-Secretary

Shelly Mead, Grievance Officer

Yunna Flenord, Grievance Officer

Teresa Kindell, Membership Coordinator

You can contact WSNA Nurse Representative Jared Richardson, MSN, RN, at jrichardson@wsna.org or WSNA Organizer Grace LaMonte at glamonte@wsna.org.