On Thursday your bargaining team met for the fourth negotiation session with Management. During this session we received the bulk of Management’s proposals, although it did not include their economic proposals. We continue to stress to Management that not having their economic proposals makes it hard to move forward in negotiations. Among other things, Management proposed that Pool Nurses actually work, rather than just be available to work,72 hours per quarter; that nurses cannot self-schedule themselves to trigger rest-between-shift pay; that nurses who do not show up for an educational class reimburse the Hospital for the full cost of the class; that nurses be limited to 14 days of vacation, instead of 21 days, for the first round of vacations; that the Nurse Practice Committee be eliminated; and that there be specific consequences for missing grievance deadlines. Management also proposed to create a new Campus Flex position which would require nurses in that position to work at both the Central and Mares campuses in certain departments.

Management rejected our proposals to maintain staffing ratios during meal and rest breaks and to provide coverage for meals and rest breaks that does not require nurses take more patients than the staffing plans call for.  To require nurses to take double the number of patients and to have patients not have the nursing care they need at all times flies in the face of safe, evidence-based nursing.  This practice must end.  Management also continues to insist that resident nurses not be covered by the contract, which is at odds with how most hospitals treat resident nurses. Management has also rejected our proposal that a minimum number of pool nurses and resource nurses are maintained to help with staffing.

In our upcoming sessions, we hope that we do not hear just a simple “NO” to our proposals which are meant to address problems that Management should also be seeking to resolve, but a meaningful response that addresses those problems.

We meet again on May 15 and hope to hear from Management how they intend to address important issues, rather than saying just no, and to receive an economic proposal from them.  In the meantime, keep the discussions going, keep engaging, and keep showing your support for the bargaining team and each other.

We look forward to Day 5!

If you need a WSNA T-Shirt please contact a bargaining team member, Ryan or Laurie with your name, unit, and size.

Ryan Rosenkranz, Nurse Organizer, Cell: 206-867-4627  rrosenkranz@wsna.org
Laurie Robinson, Nurse Representative, Cell: 206-620-4136 lrobinson@wsna.org

Share your WSNA pride! 

Make sure to wear your WNA blue shirts and “I support my bargaining team” stickers and pins on bargaining days. These can be found on your WSNA bulletin board or at our next T shirt pickup! Let’s turn the hospital blue on bargaining days to show management that we’re united for a fair contract. Send any pictures of your unit decked out in blue to Central@wsna.org.

Get social! 

Central nurses are now on Instagram!

Central nurses have a FB group. Get updates and interact with nurses when you have questions. It is also a great way to stay informed during negotiations. This is a closed FB group for the nurses in the Central bargaining unit. Ask to join and a moderator will add you to our group!

In solidarity,

Todd Avis-Case Management
Paul Molenaar-ED
Simon Morton-SOU
Isaiah Ray-ICU
Sara Bergenholtz-ED
Edilia Perez-CVOR
Brittney Lamb- ED
Karen Doiron-MOU
Stefanie Gates-PACU