Wages and Benefits

It’s no surprise that Virginia Mason has a significant problem with recruitment and retention based on the Hospital’s own data. A number of departments have turnover rates of more than 100% over the past year. This is not sustainable, and the effects are impacting us and our patients! VM needs to take bold steps and agree to our compensation package that would put us at the forefront of Puget Sound hospitals, comparable to Seattle Children’s.

We proposed dramatic changes to the wage scale that put more money in everyone’s pockets, including significant increases for new nurses and bulking up of the middle range of the scale which will encourage midrange nurses to stay.  Currently, 40% of all VM nurses have *less* than one year of experience! If VM is serious about reducing the number of travelers and increasing core staff, it needs to change how it operates.

We also proposed a student loan repayment plan. Many area hospitals including MultiCare and PeaceHealth offer this valuable and effective recruiting tool.  This plan would provide for up to $400/month and is nontaxable, up to a combined $5,250 in total education funds annually.

We also proposed increasing several premiums:

• Preceptor pay – from $1.50/hr to $3.50/hr
• Charge nurse pay – From $2.75/hr to 12.5% of the regular rate of pay
• Shift differential -  Evening shift from $3.00/hr to 11% over base pay, Nights from $5/hr to 19% over base pay
• On-call pay – From $4.25/hr to $8.50/hr

We also proposed allowing for premium pay for two specialty certifications instead of one which recognizes that nurses are becoming more and more specialized. You should be compensated for your time and effort in insuring you have expertise in your field and are providing top-notch care to your patients.

Management rejected our staffing ratios.

Unsurprisingly, management has rejected our staffing ratios proposal. As you know, the CEO rejected the 2023 plan that the Staffing Committee agreed on.  Management’s continued degradation of the staffing plan by management is unacceptable and continues to impact nurse satisfaction and retention and of course patient care. We’re not backing off this fight – staffing must improve.

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Watch a fun, one-minute recap of yesterday's Beer with Bargainers.

Coming Soon - Breakfast with Bargainers!

Watch for further information about a date, location and time!

Our next session will be on July 21, 2023.  Join us as an observer at negotiations by emailing Organizer Sam Scholl at sscholl@wsna.org. Watch for further updates on what YOU can do to support your negotiation team and help with the fight to Save Virginia Mason.

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In solidarity,
The Bargaining Team
Kim Adekoya, ER; Sam Asencio, WSNA Treasurer and OR; Martha Bermeo, C8; Hannah Collins-Lewis, C9; Jane Hill Littlejohn, WSNA Chair and Resource Nurse; Art Laycock, IV; Kaylyn Lesser, ER Aaron Persinger, C17; Michael Salters, CCU; Kim Travis-Carter, ED; Donna Watts, Birth Center; Allison Wortman, J5 Recovery

Questions or comments, please contact your Nurse Representative, Sara Frey sfrey@wsna.org.