The support we received from members, including the successful picket, has paid off. We are happy to announce that we have reached a Tentative Agreement on a contract! Your bargaining team recommends this contract for ratification.

SUMMARY OF 2019 TENTATIVE AGREEMENT

Wage Increases – largest in recent history

Upon ratification – 3%
11/1/19 – 3.5%
11/1/20 – 3%

Ratification Bonus

All nurses with a 0.9 FTE and up will receive a ratification bonus of $700. Nurses below a 0.9 will receive a prorated portion of $700 (i.e. a 0.5 FTE will receive $350). Supplemental Part-Time and Per Diem nurses will be treated as 0.2 FTE ($140).

Protection for current Supplemental Part-Time Nurses

Your bargaining team successfully fought off the Medical Center’s attempt to reduce the premium paid to Supplemental Part-Time nurses from 15% to 10%. The Medical Center has informed us that they will exercise their right to stop hiring into this position. In the future, they will utilize the Per Diem position. However, nurses currently employed as Supplemental Part-Time Nurses will continue under the same terms and at 15%.

Per Diem Nurses

The new contract will require an increased work commitment from Per Diem Nurses. Per Diems will now have to make themselves available for 4 shifts per month which will include either one full weekend of 2 shifts or 3 weekend shifts. Per Diems will also need to make themselves available to work 2 holidays during the year. As compensation, Per Diems will now be placed on the wage scale plus an additional 10%. Depending on a nurse’s years of experience, this will result in substantially more money for some Per Diems.

Safe Staffing

Staffing was a top priority for the bargaining team. In addition to wage increases that should help the Medical Center recruit and retain quality nurses, the new contract establishes a clear method for nurses to both proactively provide feedback into staffing plans and file complaints regarding staffing practices with the Staffing Committee. Complaints can be filed in any format including the electronic ADO forms on the WSNA website (wsna.org/union/ado). Staffing complaints are a very important tool for stopping some of the unsafe staffing practices that are currently in place. Remember: Both our contract and state law prohibit the employer from retaliating against you for filing a complaint.

Workplace Violence

Work should not hurt! The new contract includes a commitment from the Medical Center to utilize the Workplace Violence Prevention Plan to address measures such as proper signage and the assignment of security personnel.
In addition, WSNA will be able to appoint 5 RNs to the Safety Committee to oversee the Plan. We need to keep working to make our workplace safe for our patients and for us.

Paycheck Concerns

The problem of inaccurate and indecipherable paychecks remains an ongoing concern. It is also a difficult problem to solve during union contract negotiations. The new contract does require the CHI Division Director of HR Operations to meet with 3 nurses appointed by WSNA during the next 12 months. The bargaining team is hopeful that raising the issue with somebody outside of St. Joes will shine a spotlight on this problem so that solutions can be implemented. In the meantime, nurses will now have 45 days to notify the employer of errors on paychecks.

Clinical Groupings

The Clinical Groupings in Article 7.6.1 has been updated. Unfortunately, we were unsuccessful in removing the Walters group from the Main OR/PACU. While the Medical Center committed to slowing down the integration of the groups, they refused to recognize the concerns of the nurses who are impacted by inadequate training and unfair scheduling.

Grievance Procedure

The grievance procedure will have a simplified timeline. In addition, WSNA will now be able to file “Association Grievances” in cases where more than one nurse has been affected.

Lactation Rooms

The Medical Center has committed to a policy of ensuring adequate designated space for lactating mothers. Pursuant to this policy, a new room will be made available in the near future.

Successorship

The new contract contains language to protect us if CHI sells the facility or merges with another entity during the term of the contract.

Vacation Scheduling and Usage

Please note the new calendar for requesting time off. Beginning in 2020, nurses need to submit their requests between January 1 and March 1 for the vacation year running from May 15 through May 14. Also, nurses will no longer have to utilize accrued PTO time if you have worked your FTE for the week. The bargaining team believes this will give nurses an incentive to pick up additional shifts when they are available to do so.

This contract is recommended by your bargaining team: Dian Davis, Janet Stewart, Rachael De Souza, Linda Burbank, Crystal Collins, Tiffany Repar, Melissa Garcia, Katie Miller and Francine Gumina

The VOTE to ratify this contract will occur on April 11 from 6:15 – 9 a.m., 2:15 – 4:15 p.m. and 6:15 – 8:30 p.m. in the Dietary Conference Room.

You must be a WSNA Member in good standing to vote on the contract. YOU ARE WSNA!!
Pat McClure, WSNA Nurse Representative at 206-575-7979, ext. 3110 or pmcclure@wsna.org.