After 15 hours of negotiations in our 13th bargaining session on Thursday, we were still unable to close the gap on meals & breaks, and how call is assigned, and haven’t yet agreed on wages and nailing down specifics on Baylor shifts (weekend-only schedules where a nurse works 2 12-hour weekend shifts and gets paid for 36 hours). These issues are crucial to ensuring our patients get care from nurses who are well rested and have safely received all their breaks, as well as underscoring our value and worth at our job —we're not done until we get a contract that reflects all of this.

The Hospital has abused nurses who are required to take on-call shifts – effectively punishing nurses who have remained at Joe’s. Our call proposals insist on a fair distribution of call shifts, incentivize call shifts in excess of the required number of call shifts, and demand that St. Joe’s follow Washington’s laws on mandatory overtime when addressing unfilled call shifts. We know that there were no issues with unfilled call shifts during Covid when they were incentivized – this is a problem management can fix if it is sincere about addressing staffing in units that take call in an equitable manner.

Meal & break coverage is another priority, and an issue on which we’re still far apart. Managers have become too comfortable relying on the “break buddy” system (where nurses double their patient load to give their coworker a break). Let us be clear: it is management's job to ensure that the law is followed so nurses can receive uninterrupted meal and rest periods that ensure patients receive the best patient care possible – and provide us with crucial restorative breaks! Our proposal builds on language from Virginia Mason's contract that uses break buddies as a last resort, and forces management to track and account for units where break buddies are frequently used.

We want to emphasize that nurses need to be clocking every single missed meal and break in Kronos AND filling out an ADO – we need accurate data that reflects if breaks are being taken in order to hold management accountable. Right now, St. Joe’s reports 92.39% compliance with breaks to Labor and Industries, because that’s what Kronos reflects. Until all hourly employees consistently mark all missed meal and break periods, St. Joe’s will insist this artificially high “compliance” figure demonstrates that missed breaks are rare and infrequent.

Our next bargaining sessions are scheduled for December 11th and 12th. We are committed to getting a fair contract for our patients, coworkers, and community – and will keep fighting for as long as it takes.  
 
Here’s what we need to do to make that happen:

1. Wear your WSNA blue every Friday and bargaining day! We’ll be in the cafeteria with more shirts next week. Send in pictures of your unit in their WSNA shirts to @sjmc_wsna on Instagram, or on our private Facebook group! (Ask your unit rep or a bargaining team member for an invite to the FB page if you’re not already in it)

2. Come observe bargaining on the 11th and 12th to show management that we’re going to keep showing up and holding them accountable. Details on the time and location will follow – email glamonte@wsna.org if you have questions about observing!

3. Stay in the loop – and make sure your coworkers are too! Talk to your coworkers to make sure they’re getting email updates, encourage them to follow our social media, and encourage them to reach out to a member of the bargaining team with any questions they have. It takes all of us to stay informed and engaged as we work to cross the finish line.

Your WSNA representatives will be in the cafeteria on Tuesday, December 10 from 1830-2100 with shirts, candy, and information about bargaining. Come and drop in and chat with us for a few minutes to ask any questions you have!

In solidarity,
Your WSNA Officers and Negotiating Team
Emily Nollmeyer, local unit Co-Chair, Labor and Delivery, day shift
Carina Price, local unit Co-Chair, ICU, night shift
Matthew McGuire, Treasurer/Grievance officer, ED, day shift
Shelly Mead, Grievance officer, ED, day shift
Yunna Flenord, Grievance officer, ICU, night shift
Teresa Kindell, Membership Coordinator, 2S, day shift
Shannon Suchland, Secretary, Walter's OR, day shift
Sally Budack, Co-Secretary, SADU, day shift
Jessica Lenczycki, negotiating team member, Labor and Delivery, night shift
Kate Frazier, negotiating team member, 7^th floor, night shift
Sarah Guillen, negotiating team member, EP, day shift
Kat Jabasa, negotiating team member, Main OR, day shift

Questions or comments? Contact Rep Jared Richardson at jrichardson@wsna.org or Organizer Grace LaMonte at glamonte@wsna.org.