This Thursday, June 18th, WSNA will be distributing surgical masks donated by our national union, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), across the street from the facility on the corner of 17^th and J.

In May, Gov. Inslee issued a procla­ma­tion providing guidance on how and when facil­i­ties can safely resume certain surgeries and proce­dures. WSNA worked closely with the governor to shape this guidance, bringing forward your concerns about PPE and safe working condi­tions. WSNA Execu­tive Director Sally Watkins served on the Governor’s task force and ensured that strong language about PPE was included.

WSNA will be monitoring employer compli­ance closely and holding employers account­able if they do not adhere to the new proclamation/​directive. We will need to remain vigilant — report to your Nurse representative Barbara Friesen at bfriesen@wsna.org if you feel SJMC is not following guidance. WSNA has issued a state­ment calling for monitoring of current PPE and a return to conven­tional guide­lines so that our members and patients are safe. No Nurse should have to reuse soiled or broken masks.

WSNA has offered submission of samples of the masks we will distribute on Thursday to SJMC, to verify whether these masks meet the Employ­er’s standards for employee use in the workplace. These thousands of masks WSNA has secured through AFT can also be used by you and your family out in the commu­nity.

Please spread the word to your coworkers, including non-RN employees. We know PCTs, mainte­nance, service and other staff have also been forced to reuse masks for too long.

We will be distributing masks at the corner of 17^th and J from 7 a.m. - 5 p.m. or while supplies last on Thursday June 18. Please observe social distancing and wear a mask per public health guidelines.

Please spread the word to your co-workers and stay strong though these challenging times.

Sincerely your WSNA officers,
Dian Davis Co-Chair
Allie Jones Co-Chair
Sally Budack Secretary
Janet Stewart Treasurer and Grievance Officer
Linda Burbank Grievance Officer
Matthew McGuire Grievance Officer
Melissa Garcia Membership Coordinator

Questions? Contact our WSNA organizer Tara Barnes 206-713-2241 or tbarnes@wsna.org