We have all been horrified at Astria’s callous and ruthless decision to close ARMC. The closure has left our community without a critically important health care provider. Tragically, the COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted the devastating loss to the Yakima Valley that occurred when ARMC closed its doors.

Astria’s decision to close ARMC had a particularly devastating impact on its employees who lost jobs without any notice. WSNA nurses had worked for years to help ARMC survive while simultaneously serving the health needs of the community. Everybody involved deserved much better.

WSNA has invested heavily in a legal campaign to defend the rights of nurses who have been unfairly impacted by the sudden closure. As a result of this pressure, Astria finally came to the bargaining table to settle the dispute. We are pleased to announce that Astria has agreed to a settlement to provide compensation to affected nurses. A lawsuit was never going to reverse the injustice of Astria’s decision to close the medical center and this settlement involves compromises from both sides. Nevertheless, your Local Unit Officers and WSNA’s Cabinet on Economics and General Welfare believe that a negotiated settlement is preferable to protracted litigation with no guarantee of success.

Under the terms of the agreement, the settlement amount is confidential until the agreement is approved by the Bankruptcy Court. We expect that approval to come within the next few weeks.

Once the Court approves the settlement, we will contact you to arrange for the delivery of your check. We understand that many of you have relocated during the last 8 months. Please provide updated contact information to WSNA at membership@wsna.org.

This has been a long and painful journey. This settlement will not undo the frustration and chaos experienced by ARMC nurses. We do hope that it will provide some relief and allow ARMC nurses to close a challenging chapter.


If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Jayson Dick at 206-858-2139.