We are looking for several new grievance officers. Two of our grievance officers have left Virginia Mason, one because of the closure of the Family Birth Center and the other for a move out of state. We sincerely thank Donna Watts (FBC) and Aaron Persinger (CP 17) for their involvement both in bargaining activities, as an officer and more! They will be missed!  This opens up several opportunities to serve as a grievance officer.

Grievance officers help with contract enforcement and representing nurses at investigatory meetings. They are part of the officer team and often choose to participate in bargaining and other activities.  If you have questions about this role or are interested in serving, please contact one of your WSNA chairs, Hannah Collins-Lewis (PCU), Michael Salters (ICU) or your nurse representative, Sara Frey sfrey@wsna.org.

Investigatory Meetings Heads up!

WSNA has noted an increase in nurses being investigated for various reasons. Recently, management has started approaching nurses "in flow" rather than in the privacy of an office, to ask them about something that happened and then later, issue a discipline based on this conversation that occurred in passing. This "gotcha" approach to an investigatory meeting is not okay.

Investigatory meetings are where an individual is asked to explain something that happened. Examples include but are not limited to why you clocked in late, didn't document something, made an error, details about a conversation with a peer that allegedly didn't go well, etc. If this occurs, you need to ask management when you are approached, "is this an investigation and could what we discuss lead to discipline?" If the answer is yes, then you should indicate that you would like to have a WSNA representative present, and you will not be able to respond until arrangements are made. If your manager states, "oh no, I'm not disciplining you right now," that is not the question. The question is, could what is being discussed lead to discipline? Your right to representation is called your Weingarten Rights and that right is contained in your contract. These rights apply to nurses in a residency program too.

Article 5.3 A nurse may request the attendance of an Union representative during any investigatory meeting which may lead to disciplinary action.

Your Weingarten Rights apply whether your manager talks to you in the hallway, at the nurses' station or calls you to their office so be sure to ask the question! WSNA is disappointed and not in agreement with the hospital taking this hallway approach to investigations. Please immediately reach out to one of your WSNA officers or your nurse representative if you need assistance at one of these meetings. Management cannot select someone to attend with you to represent you.

Staffing Committee

The staffing committee has been continuing to work on the staffing plan following Monica Hilt's rejection of the proposed plan in July and her presentation of management's unilaterally developed plan that would severely cut staffing. The committee wrapped up the work this month without any reductions in staffing. We will see what Ms. Hilt elects to do with the resubmitted plan.

Please join us as an observer for the next meeting on Monday, December 9th. The staffing committee meets every second Monday of the month from 11 am - 2 pm. Come for an hour or the full meeting. Please reach out to one of your staffing committee members or an officer for the link to the meeting.  We are expecting to tackle some of the many ADOs and perhaps some other TBD topics.

In solidarity,

Hannah Collins-Lewis, Chair (PCU)
Michael Salters, Vice Chair (CCU)
Kimberly Travis-Carter, Secretary (ED)
Kim Adekoya, Grievance Officer (ED)

Sara Frey, Nurse Representative, sfrey@wsna.org