Don't be fooled. Refuse to be harassed.

 Our WSNA local units have let us know that the so-called “Freedom Foundation” has mailed nurses using a PO Box to an Olympia address. This is yet another campaign in Freedom Foundation’s long-running efforts to curtail worker power and destroy unions. We will not be fooled.

Unfortunately, the state cannot legally stop the Freedom Foundation from getting our names, birth dates, and email addresses, but we can ignore their messages.

The Freedom Foundation wants us to think things would be better if we didn’t have our union or that nothing would change if we just stopped paying our membership dues. That’s just nonsense. Our membership and solidarity with each other are the only things that allows us to speak with one unified voice and achieve contract gains that protect the public, our patients, and our professional lives.

So, who is the Freedom Foundation and why will they try to convince us to give up our union voice?

The Freedom Foundation is, at its core, anti-worker and anti-union. Their goal is to undermine unions so they can implement an extreme agenda that includes cutting health care, pensions and wages of workers, undermining funding and privatizing public services, and attacking the rights of underrepresented communities.

Freedom Foundation harassment tactics and how you can stop it:

Freedom Foundation operatives have been known to show up at facilities where employees work. They have harassed union members in their homes. They have even gone to the homes of workers and claimed to be representatives of the worker’s union. The good news is that if we are informed and ready, we can stop them and their dirty tricks. Here are some tips to protect yourself if you are contacted by the Freedom Foundation.

Freedom Foundation email harassment and how you can stop them.

Contrary to what the so-called Freedom Foundation said in emails targeting WSNA nurses, our active involvement in our union is what keeps us strong. We have negotiated with management agreements that our members have ratified time and again. We need 100% membership and involvement so we can keep pushing, keep advocating, and keep winning at the bargaining table and at the State Legislature for our members and our community. Here are some ways you can block unwanted email from the Freedom Foundation:

• Reporting email as SPAM or Junk: Outlook and other email servers will often allow you to report messages as spam, which helps to identify and filter similar messages and those from the same sender as spam.
• Blocking a Message: Another option, if you employer uses Outlook, is to block a message. This option will add the sender of the message to a block list and automatically mark any message from them as junk.
• FTC Do Not Call Registry: If you receive an unwanted call from the Freedom Foundation you can report it to the FTC’s do not call registry (National Do Not Call Registry).

 REMINDER: Do not reply to any email you receive from the Freedom Foundation from your work email. The emails we have seen from the Freedom Foundation to our members invite you to “respond to this email with any questions you might have.” Don’t let them lure you into violating state policy by using your work email to respond.

We are in this together.

As union nurses we know we do our best work when we work together and our commitment to each other through our union is no different. Now more than ever we need every nurse to stand together in our union to ensure the best care for our community and the strongest voice for our profession.

Let’s not be fooled or harassed by an organization that aims to destroy our unity and our power.

Benefits of Union vs. Non-Union

The document linked to below shows the benefits of being a union member vs. the experience of a non-union member.

Hospital Staffing Committee

The purpose of this Committee is to develop, oversee, and evaluate an annual nurse staffing plan covering.

each shift and patient care unit in accordance with the provisions of RCW 70.41.410-420.

Below is the Lunch/Breaks Schedule and the Process-Workflow for Lunch and Breaks that have been developed by leadership.

What is an ADO and why should I file one?

An Assignment Despite Objection is a tool that nurses have to identify and document an unsafe staffing situation.

Once a concern is identified, the registered nurses communicates the concern to the next in the chain of command (charge nurse, supervisor, manager or CNO)

If the concern is not remedied to the satisfaction of the registered nurse, an ADO should be filed. All ADOs come to the Hospital Staffing Committee for review.

Staffing Complaint / ADO Form - WSNA

1. Charge nurse is unable to perform charge nurse duties, secondary to increased patient care assignment.
2. Inadequate nurse to patient ratios for patient acuity based on your clinical judgment.
3. Insufficient support staff requires you to assume additional duties.
4. You are not trained or experienced in the area assigned.
5. You have not been oriented to the unit or case load.
6. Patient care equipment is missing or unusable.
7. Necessary equipment is not available (medication availability, IVs, supplies)
8. You are trained or experienced to use the equipment in the assigned area.
9. System failure (phones, call system, computer, etc.)
10. An assignment poses a serious threat to your health/ safety (WPV)
11. An assignment poses a serious health/ safety threat to a patient under your direct care.
12. Forced /mandatory overtime.
13. Missed breaks/meals.

Nurses week is fast approaching

If you would like to participate in an event to celebrate, please reach out to: Kerry Harrington Local Unit Chair or Katrina Rostedt, Grievance Officer.

Secretary/Treasurer

This position is open and needs to be filled. If you are interested in being an advocate for your local unit let us know!

Questions/Concerns Contact Laurie Robinson, Nurse Representative, 206-620-4136,  lrobinson@wsna.org.

For more information on how you can get involved contact Jenny Galassi, Nurse Organizer, 206-707-2948, jgalassi@wsna.org.

WSNA Membership: If you are not a WSNA member please consider completing a membership application today! Just click on the link!

YOU ARE WSNA!