We would like everyone to welcome Therese Juntunen as the newly appointed Local Unit Chair for Tacoma General Hospital! She will be picking up where Danielle left off and will continue to fight for better working conditions at TG.

Below, you will find Danielle’s parting words to the bargaining unit as well as Therese’s welcome statement. Bring tissues, because these are heartfelt messages and they will pull at your heart strings.

From Danielle:

Hello to the bargaining unit RNs at Tacoma General! I wanted to give you all an update about what has been going on with me. It’s been awhile. Before the update I want to thank you all for the love and support that you showed me and my family during one of the darkest times in my life. Being fired without cause from a company I dedicated my life to for over 16 years was extremely painful and demoralizing. But my TG family stepped up to let me know that not only was I loved and respected, I made a difference in many people’s lives both coworkers and patients. That is really what kept me going. So from the bottom of my heart THANK YOU. ❤️

The fight against  MultiCare is still on going. WSNA has been supporting me along the entire way. We have exhausted the grievance process (steps 1-3), mediated, and now we are going to arbitration. The dates for arbitration have not been set but what has been offered is at the end of the year, extending into 2025. We are also pursuing an Unfair Labor Practice charge with the NLRB because MultiCare retaliated against me for my union activity, plain and simple. Just like they did at the end of 2020 and the NLRB found them fault. I’m not willing to just let it go. Union activity is federally protected and what they did is against the law.

Because it is taking so long to resolve my termination and the retaliation charges, the nurses of TG need a new chair. A leader to help steer the ship, and fight the good fight. I am thrilled to announce that Therese Juntunen of NTICU will be taking on the role of your Local Unit Chair. I want you to know that I fully endorse Therese. She is an excellent human, a fantastic nurse, and she has the passion and fire for advocacy that also burns in my soul. She’s basically my sister from another mister and you all are so lucky that she agreed to step up into this leadership role. It’s very important that you all keep fighting for your union rights and everything that we built together during my time as chair. I know it’s scary, especially after what happened to me. But we can’t stop. Your patient’s lives and your working conditions depend on it. And better yet don’t let MultiCare win. They got rid of me because they expected you all to cower in fear and roll over. The most important thing you can do to preserve my legacy is KEEP FIGHTING.

I am working now. I went to a procedural area and I like it. I’m right down the street. My new coworkers are lovely and I enjoy them very much. However to say I miss my TG family would be the understatement of the decade. I am and will always be a WSNA nurse. I will always support the nurses of TG. I’m out of sight but still available for questions, advice, and historical perspective. I am always available to Therese, the officers, WSNA and you. All of my contact info is still the same. If you need help, reach out. Even though I was treated poorly by MultiCare I would not change a thing about my time as chair. It will always be one of the most fulfilling roles I have ever taken on in my life. WE accomplished so much together as a bargaining unit and you are still a power to be reckoned with. I am so proud of all of you. I know the fight will be tough but keep going. I will be cheering you all on until the end of time. Love you guys! #unionstrong💙

Danielle O’Toole BSN, RN, CCRN
WSNA Local Unit Chair

From Therese:

Hello TG nurses! As your new unit chair, I just wanted to take a minute to introduce myself to those who don’t know me. My name is Therese Juntunen and I’ve worked in NTICU for the last seven years next to the amazing nurses there who have graciously taught and mentored me into the nurse I am today. You may have seen me around (or more likely heard me, as I often have a volume control issue!). I’ve held the roles of preceptor, staffing committee member, charge, and STAT nurse. Aside from the hospital, I am engaged to fellow nurse, Andy Nelson and I’m a mom of three boys 15,12, and almost one, who keep me busy day in and day out, and I’d have it no other way! I’m a local to the area, graduating from Lakes High School and Tacoma Community College, and have spent most of my adult life residing in Puyallup. Though I’m not a fan of the rain, I can’t imagine living anywhere else.

Being good friends with our previous leader Danielle O’Toole, I have always been grateful and passionate about what WSNA does for us, but even more so after I was invited to observe negotiations for our last contract. When I was approached about becoming the next chair, I was honored and humbled to even be considered. I promptly called Danielle to ask her thoughts and ask her, if after everything that happened to her, did she feel like it was worth it to be chair? Her response was, “You and I are cut from the same cloth, sister. As chair, you are the voice of the nurses, and the nurses are the voice of the patients. That’s the entire reason we got into nursing, isn’t it? To give patients a voice. It was one hundred percent worth it and I’d do it again.” That was enough for me, because she is absolutely right. Taking care of our nurses is the very best way to take care of our patients. My desire is to ensure you feel adequately equipped and supported to take care of our patient population to the best of your abilities and that starts right here with your bargaining unit. I promise to do everything in my power to make that happen. I am passionate about honesty, transparency, accountability, and integrity, not as fun catch phrases, but about how we conduct ourselves as a health care organization. Just as we conduct ourselves in that manner, our employer must do so as well, and I am happy to be the voice for us all when someone needs to speak up.

Please feel free to come say hi when you see me in the coffee line! I want you to know I am always open to chatting about your desires and concerns for the Tacoma General RNs and I care about you and your unit! I’m honored to represent you all.

Therese Juntunen
WSNA Local Unit Chair

We are honored to have worked with Danielle and excited to work with Therese. Both are amazing, strong, passionate women, and any time spent with them is a pleasure.

Questions? Contact WSNA Nurse Representative Brenda Balogh at bbalogh@wsna.org.

If you want to get more involved with our union, contact WSNA Organizer Grace LaMonte, glamonte@wsna.org.