Your Montlake nurse bargaining team is proud to announce a Tentative Agreement and fully recommends a “YES” vote.

November 13 - Yesterday, after 17 bargaining sessions, including two with a Mediator, and countless hours of work, we reached a tentative agreement (TA) for a new contract with UWMC-ML.  The bargaining team fully endorses the TA and recommends a “YES” Vote.

The TA includes a 7% total wage increase over the next 18 months (3% wage increase starting December 1, 1% signing bonus also December 1; 2% wage increase July 1, 2026, along with a 1% retention bonus at that same time for 7% in total). It also eliminates ghost steps, includes new and increased premiums, expanded leave, and improved donning/doffing language.

As part of the TA, we also secured an additional $1500 one-time lump-sum payout, pro-rated by FTE, to those employed on the date of ratification and who remain employed on July 15, 2026.

Since our last vote, we have been working with a PERC mediator and have exchanged at least five different proposals and counters with the employer.  We have explored every avenue and option to make sure we are leaving nothing on the table.  The $1,500 lump sum payment is also double what the employer offered us just weeks ago.

View the $1500 Lump Sum MOU.

This TA also positions us to address head-on the numerous challenges we anticipate from the imminent transition to an Actual Time Reporting (ATR) system.  We were able to get the employer to agree to a minimum of two days of bargaining over the February 2026 implementation of ATR and the alteration of schedules related to these changes.

This TA addresses two important issues since our last vote. First, it secures an extra $1500 Lump Sum payment for July of 2026.  Second, and critically, it protects nurses from the employer declaring “impasse” and unilaterally withholding ALL RAISES until July 1, 2026, while still trying to impose ATR this February.  The employer had threatened to do this.

These are two of the many reasons why we strongly urge nurses to vote YES on this TA!

Find full TA summary here:

 Fully modified contract redline to be posted on UWMC Montlake website at WSNA.org next week

The vote will be virtual opening 11/25 at 0800 and closing 11/26 at 1700.  Ballots will come to your personal email and you must be a member in good standing to vote. Please update your contact information here:

https://www.wsna.org/membership/update-info

and become a member here:

https://www.wsna.org/membership/application

Virtual Town hall meetings on the horizon…

Attend these one or both of these virtual Town Hall meetings to find out how we got to this agreement and Why we recommend a “YES” vote

UWMC bargaining team members along with Nurse Representative Ed Zercher will be present to answer all of your questions at both Town Hall Meetings listed below:

Thursday November 20 at 8 pm

Teams Meeting Link
Meeting ID: 235 372 371 243 76
Passcode: wm6Cy2px
Dial in by phone
+1 206-485-2614,,67246559# United States, Seattle
(888) 313-0615,,67246559# United States (Toll-free)
Phone conference ID: 672 465 59#

Tuesday November 24 at 5 pm

Teams Meeting Link
Meeting ID: 253 204 821 853 65
Passcode: Qr2w9rd2
Dial in by phone
+1 206-485-2614,,789816061# United States, Seattle
(888) 313-0615,,789816061# United States (Toll-free)
Phone conference ID: 789 816 061#

Cafeteria Time Meet and Greets scheduled…

We will also have team members and WSNA staff available for drop in Q&A sessions on both Tuesday, Nov. 25 and Wednesday, Nov. 26  in the rear of the cafeteria from 10 am to 2 pm both days.

In Solidarity,

Your WSNA Bargaining Team
Chris Jakubowski - LU Chair - Cath Lab
Doug Harper - Secretary/Treasurer- 4SA NICU
Jan Bower - Grievance Officer – OR
Erika Speckhardt - Unit Rep - 5SA CTICU
Melissa Sanchez - Unit Rep - 6S L&D
Lizzy Ryden - Unit Rep – ED
Melissa Humphrey - Unit Rep - Digestive Health
Sorrel Orr - Unit Rep - 7SE
Mark Beaumont - 5SA CTICU

WSNA Nurse Representative Ed Zercher ezercher@wsna.org