With Only 3 Negotiation Sessions Left Before Our Contract Expires, Management Continues to Ignore (and Exacerbate!) the Staffing Crisis 

Our contract expires on October 31 and while management has provided some inadequate and lackluster responses to most of our proposals, we are deeply concerned with management’s refusal to engage with the egregious under-staffing throughout the Hospital at the same time that it proposes staffing cuts and changes that increase the need for nurses! We countered their underwhelming responses with a powerful staffing package, reinforcing the fundamental need for safer staffing.

Short Staffing: The Crisis Nurses and Patients Are Facing

The biggest challenge nurses—and by extension, our patients—face at SJMC is the chronic short staffing crisis. This constant understaffing leaves us overworked, burned out, and struggling to provide the level of care our patients and community deserve.

We’ve confronted management about this crisis time and again—at the bargaining table, in Hospital Staffing Committee meetings, through ADOs, and in conference committees. Their solution? More cuts to nursing staff and a doubling of trauma cases. Our response? We stand united, shoulder to shoulder, unwavering in our commitment to safe, high-quality patient care.

At the HSC, we spoke out against cuts, and at the bargaining table, we proposed evidence-based staffing ratios that work. These ratios are already the law in California, Oregon (two states where CommonSpirit operates many hospitals!), New York, and Massachusetts, and they’re part of the contract just down the road at Tacoma General. We – and our patients – deserve the same protections. Here’s what we’ve put forward: 

Our Proposed Ratios:

• Med/Surg: 1:4
• Telemetry: 1:3
• PCU: 1:3
• ICU: 1:1-2 (case dependent)
• ED: 1:2 trauma, 1:3 otherwise
• OR: 1 RN Circulator; higher-level cases require a second RN Circulator
• PACU: 1:2
• NICU: 1:1-3 (based on acuity tool)
• L&D: 1:1 for active labor, 1:2 for early labor
• Post-Partum: 1:3 couplets
• Antepartum: 1:3 stable, 1:1 non-stable
• HCL: 2:1 conscious sedation, 1:1 if anesthesiologist present
• EP: 2:1 conscious sedation, 1:1 if anesthesiologist present
• IR: 1:1
• GI: 1:1
• Oncology: 1:4
• SADU Phase 1: 1:1, Phase 2: 1:3
• Cardiac Rehab: 1:10
• Pre-Screen: 1:1
• IV Therapy: 1:1
• Outpatient Oncology: 1:4
• Lactation Consultants: 1:1

Management—and Their Corporate Friends—Don’t Want These Ratios.

Make no mistake, getting these ratios will be a fight. Management, backed by their corporate lobbying group at the Washington State Hospital Association, wants to keep our staffing levels dangerously low – designed to maximize revenue by providing the least amount of staff necessary. We cannot allow this – nurses’ working conditions are patients’ healing conditions. With just two weeks and three negotiation sessions left, we need to show management we are serious about safe staffing.

Sign the pink picket pledge, wear your “I’m Ready to Walk” sticker, and get ready to picket for our patients, our licenses, and ourselves.

Management’s Empty Response on Pyramiding and Missed Breaks  
Earlier, we proposed a clear definition of "pyramiding" to ensure nurses receive their premium pay for working extra hours. Management’s response? They inserted a single word—“not”—into our proposal. This cheap move would continue to deny us the premium pay we’ve rightfully earned.

On missed breaks, management’s proposal is equally eye-rolling: they’ve suggested paying us straight time for missed meals and rest breaks. This goes against LNI interpretations and ignores the fact that missed breaks push us into daily overtime by working more than we are expected to. We won’t stand for this.

PSA – Yes, you’re allowed to picket, residents!

We are hearing troubling reports that management has been threatening residents and other newer nurses by stating that they are not allowed to picket. First, this is more unlawful behavior by management – report this to your unit rep, a bargaining team member, or Nurse Representative Jared Richardson at jrichardson@wsna.org More importantly, once the contract expires, we are legally permitted to picket, strike, and take other actions – that includes nurses on probation, resident nurses, and everyone else represented by WSNA. The strength of our contract is a reflection of the strength of our Union. Do not trust management’s interpretation of our contract (really, how accurate are they usually?) and do not accept management's unlawful threats, reprisals, or intimations of retaliation. Report managers who engage in this intimidating, bullying, and illegal behavior.

Mission Critical: Sign the Picket Pledge – Show Management that we’re Ready to Walk! 
 
After yesterday’s session, it’s clear that management thinks that mediocre proposals and empty promises are enough to recruit and retain the nurses that care for our community. We know that's not true, which is why every nurse needs to sign the picket pledge. If you need a pledge, you can find a printable one here, or text WSNA Organizer Grace at 206-553-9794 to get some pink picket pledges dropped off on your unit!  
If you’re a per diem who isn’t able to make it into the hospital to sign a picket pledge, but you’re still willing to stand with us at a picket, you can send in your signature with a message saying you’re willing to picket to 206-553-9794 or SJMC@wsna.org. Bonus points for taking a picture or video saying why you’re willing to picket!  
We know there are lots of questions about what a picket is, why we have them, and how they work. Check out our Picket FAQ here to get the answers straight from the source – not from management.

Next Bargaining Dates: 10/23 and 10/24

We have back to back bargaining sessions next week and we want you to come and observe! The negotiations will be at the Mariott Hotel Downtown Tacoma. Contact Grace at sjmc@wsna.org if you want to be an observer.

Union Chatroom Tonight!

 Join us on our weekly union chatroom tonight at 1900 to hear more about what happened in bargaining and how you can help. This is a casual space to come and chat with your bargaining team and coworkers about issues happening in your unit and across the hospital – we hope to see you there! You can join the call by using this link, or by dialing this number:  +1 206-485-2614,,624183534#.

Picket Dress Rehearsal (aka – stand in solidarity with our SEIU coworkers!)

Our coworkers represented by SEIU 1199NW are picketing because of the frustration they’re experiencing at the bargaining table on Wednesday, October 23 from 1100-1400. If you are not working, join their picket line! See our picket FAQ for an explainer. Remember – this isn’t a WSNA picket on October 23, it is a showing of unit by St. Joe’s workers that we and our patients deserve better.

Blue Friday is Tomorrow!

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

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