August 2020 Update
Posted Aug 27, 2020
For WSNA RNs, raises have gone into effect. Make sure you check your pay stubs to verify the 2% July 1 raise
Additionally, all classified RNs who were employed in March of 2019 and remain employees as of the end of November 2020 will be receiving a one-time rollover/retention bonus of $800 if your FTE is greater than .6 and $400 if it if .6 or less, at that time.
Action Alert:
UWMC has elected to eliminate an essential Vascular Access Team Member FTE position.
You can make a difference by telling UWMC to save this position and support RNs and the patients they serve today!
Some of her duties include PIV line insertion, US guided PIV insertion, Porta Cath access and troubleshooting, Triple Lumen and PICC troubleshooting and removal upon transfer or discharge. She educates RNs on best practices for PIV line insertion and maintenance, and the list goes on!
Mary Wang, RN has been providing these services for more than a year now.
How many times have her presence and skills saved patients from bad outcomes, complications, or even death??
In the name of budget cuts, the employer is wanting to eliminate what they call a "non- revenue – generating" position.
What dollar amount equates to this critical resource for so many nurses and patient lives?
We all know that this position is vital to the comprehensive care that is provided for your patients daily. If the position goes away, who provides these services in a timely fashion so that you can have essential IV access for scheduled meds and during emergencies for your patients and loved ones? The alternative is not great.
Please sign the petition to retain this vital Vascular Access Expert position.
Furloughs… they may not be over
In what the University described as an attempt to save nearly 15 million dollars in the face of a supposed 500-million-dollar deficit by the end of the summer, a first round of furloughs is complete. Nearly 450 UWMC Montlake RNs were assigned a mandatory furlough of 1 to 3 weeks. These were doled out per department based on projected cost savings.
WSNA received late notice of UWMC’s intent to implement furloughs and negotiated a Memorandum of Understanding. These mandatory furloughs have been completed by July 31. The employer has notified WSNA that there may be additional rounds of furloughs to come. WSNA and our LU officers will be involved all along the way.
Fill out ADOs! Online Staffing Complaint form – Use it!
This online staffing complaint/ADO form was developed by a coalition that included WSNA, SEIU, UFCW and WSHA representatives. Completing the form serves many purposes, including data tracking, bring issues to light, supportive documentation and discussion tool to make things better. It is not punitive.
This form is to be completed for issues including but not limited to
- The unit is not staffed according to its staffing plan or if mid-shift staffing adjustments are inadequate. (In order to know if your unit is not staffed according to its staffing plan, you must first know what the staffing plan for you unit is. Staffing plans, including nursing and unlicensed staff, are required to be posted on every unit.)
- Missed breaks or earned time denied
- In the event of equipment issues or system failure
If you have reason to complete this form, you first should speak with your manager or charge nurse for that shift in order to try to resolve the concern as quickly as possible. When you complete the online form, you are encouraged to include your manager’s name and email.
After you complete the form a copy of the submitted form immediately goes to you, the WSNA chair and co-chair, WSNA Rep, staffing committee co-chairs, and your manager, provided you have entered his or her email. The Nurse Staffing Committee will review the complaint at their next meeting if it is a staffing concern. The Nurse Conference Committee will review the complaint at their next meeting if it is of other concern.
Find the staffing complaint form at wsna.org/ado.
UWMC elected to close 7N Inpatient Psych
WSNA was very disappointed in this decision by the employer due to the very vulnerable population of patients this unit serves. The University had previously agreed to keep 7N open until which time the approved 150 bed unit at NW was completed. Due to what the employer describes as chronic low census and annual losses in excess of $1 million dollars by this unit, the unit was shut down and patients transferred to NW current Gero-Psych unit.
All RNs on this unit underwent the layoff process and WSNA was involved all along the way to ensure their rights to transfer, be redesignated within their clinical cluster, or be laid off by choice.
Roosevelt Surgical Services is undergoing a Layoff/Schedule Rebid
UWMC Roosevelt Surgical Services Reduced Weekly Surgery Schedule and subsequent reduction in FTEs for most RNs. Originally, back in April, the employer announced a plan to close Roosevelt Surgical Services entirely and move all cases scheduled there to NW Outpatient Surgical Services.
The employer has now redirected and has elected to reduce the # of days that elective surgeries would be taking place within the Roosevelt Surgical Center. Associated with this reduction in Surgical Services hours, there has been a reduction in FTE for most RNs working in the Roosevelt OR and PACU. This is an annual salary reduction for these affected RNs. WSNA is working with UWMC to ensure fairness and transparency in this less than desirable process.
Personal Day…Use it or lose it
Your WSNA/UWMC Collective Bargaining Agreement affords one personal day (8 hours) for all RNs covered by WSNA. This must be used by December 31 or you lose it. Make sure that you use this personal day first every year prior to vacation. It is yours, and you have earned it!
Epic Roll out moved from end of 2020 to Jan/Feb 2021
WSNA was notified of the proposed roll out of EPIC by the employer as late Jan 2021.
We have demanded to bargain and will be meeting with the employer to play a role in how this training takes place. We do not want negative impacts on work hours or vacation request.
If you have questions or concerns about these updates or any other issues, contact one of your officers or WSNA Nurse Representative Ed Zercher.
In solidarity!
Harry James, RN, Local Unit Chair
Christ Jakubowski, BSN, RN, Local Unit Co-Chair
Charles James, RN, Local Unit Secretary and Grievance Officer
Teresa Wren, RN, Local Unit Treasurer
Janet Bower, RN, Local Unit Grievance Officer
Michael Wolf, RN, Local Unit Grievance Officer
Ed Zercher WSNA Nurse Representative ezercher@wsna.org