Your fellow WSNA nurses completed their sixth day of bargaining. This day was done remotely via teams, and we still had a good day of exchanging proposals. WSNA started the day with a presentation from our WSNA Strategic Researcher, Ian, on some of Providence’s finances at the system level. We learned that your employer, Providence, has grown to a $29 billion organization with 51 hospitals and 1,000 clinics across 7 states. Looking at wage comparisons for both our local WSNA Providence ministries and Eastern Washington hospitals, St. Luke’s nurses are significantly behind in wages. In some comparisons that number is as high as 40% behind what a nurse could make somewhere else in town. For nurses in higher steps, that number can translate to as much as $20/hr more than what they would make at St. Luke’s. This presentation also included information about recruitment and retention of registered nurses. We learned that surrounding Providence facilities including Sacred Heart, Holy Family, and Kadlec have all INCREASED the number of nurses hired into their facilities from 2023-2024. Providence St. Luke’s went from 54 RNs to 49 RNs (based on our WSNA database) in that same time. This appears to be a downward trend for St. Luke’s as WSNA had 69 RNS in 2021 and 56 in 2022 (based on our database).

We know that we are telling you what you already know- you are underpaid, and Providence St. Luke’s is struggling to recruit and retain registered nurses. 

Discussions continue on current proposals surrounding PTO and vacation. Management proposed language that nurses should strive to schedule their vacations during regularly scheduled work rotations and WSNA rejected that proposal. We feel nurses should be able to schedule vacations when it fits into their life. There is MUCH work to be done and we need every nurse at St. Luke’s to get involved.

How to support your bargaining team:

1. On bargaining days- wear your WSNA T shirt, button or sticker to show you stand with your team. Take a picture with your coworkers and send it to your nurse rep Alle Machorro at 206-707-2048.
2. Union membership- Join WSNA today. When you become a member, it shows management that nurses are paying attention
3. Attend a bargaining session as an observer. Next bargaining session is June 21, 2024.

Pictured here is your WSNA negotiation team including 5 nurses that observed. A HUGE thank you to these nurses who gave time to observe and show management they are listening. Tanya Bunker, Rachael Mazurek, Jannell Hagerott, Evalyne Kebenei, and Teresa Kuhnkey.

In Solidarity,
Jeff Dubrawski RN WSNA Chair
Megan Iata RN WSNA Co-Chair
Erika Lee RN WSNA Treasurer
Allison White RN WSNA Secretary
Noel Wise RN WSNA Grievance Officer

Contact your WSNA Nurse Representative Alle Machorro with any questions or to get signed up to observe at amachorro@wsna.org or 206-707-2048.

For more information on how you can get involved: Ryan Rosenkranz, WSNA Organizer, rrosenkranz@wsna.org.