We reached a tentative agreement on a new contract, late on Tuesday night, that will substantively increase VM’s ability to recruit and retain. This is entirely due to our solidarity, our strength, our turn-out on the picket line, our courage in bringing our personal stories of experiencing assaults at work to light, and our determination to take a strong stand for our patients and ourselves. Thank you to everyone who came and observed and everyone who stood strong to save Virginia Mason.

We are recommending a YES vote.  We were able to secure substantial wage increases for all nurses (mid-range and higher nurses will have the highest rates in Seattle!), staffing language that holds management accountable to the state-submitted staffing plan and agreement that charge nurses should not have a patient assignment, significant and specific workplace safety language including a metal detector and a path to having all visitors register upon entering the hospital, and a change in how nurses get wage step increases (now based on years and not hours worked) which includes adjustments for all nurses (including per diems) who are not at the proper wage step because they haven’t worked enough hours in the past so that they are at the step that actually reflects how many full years they’ve worked for the Hospital.

Early next week, we will be providing a comprehensive summary of what is included in the tentative agreement which you will be able to find on the VM page at https://www.wsna.org/union/virginia-mason-medical-center.  We think you will be very pleased with the improvements we were able to gain in this new contract.  Our team will be holding the Thursday Sip and Chats this coming Thursday 11/9 and the following Thursday, 11/16 at 6 p.m.  You can join them for more information about our agreement.

Save the date!

We will be holding the ratification vote on Monday, November 20 from 6 – 8:30 a.m., 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., and 6 – 8:30 p.m. with vote count immediately afterwards (all nurses in good standing can vote, and we welcome observers at the vote count).  Watch for further details on the location of the vote. You must be a member in good standing to vote. You can find a membership application at https://www.wsna.org/membership/application or you can fill out an application at the vote.

The TA summary and Final Wage Scale are posted in the document bar above or you can use the links below:

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 – Please contact your nurse rep, Sara Frey sfrey@wsna.org or Organizer Crystal Doll at  cdoll@wsna.org.