On June 22, our bargaining team met with management. We began by stating our intentions: it is critical that VM once again become the Seattle hospital where nurses want to work. This means valuing nurses through competitive pay and fostering work conditions that entice nurses to stay and come to work at our hospital. We passed initial proposals across the table including language to make our union stronger, strengthen anti-discrimination protections, and make Juneteenth a paid holiday. Our team lead a discussion on the egregious safety issues we face at work and shared our terrifying experiences VM nurses have had with workplace violence. We don’t have enough staff to allow us to provide the patient care we want, we should not be adding safety and security to our lists of duties as well.

#WSNAblue22

Hospital-wide, we saw tremendous solidarity through #wsnablue22! Nurses did a great job wearing WSNA attire in solidarity. We were literally in the middle of a discussion with management at the table about the Hospital’s excessive response to nurses wearing their t-shirts when the CNO sent out an email.  We then told management across the table that threatening to send nurses home without pay is, effectively, a suspension, and that is a disproportionate response (basically, the punishment doesn’t fit the alleged crime).

We further told management that we will consider whether the Hospital’s response to t-shirts is unlawful and are contemplating whether to file an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board. If you were forced to take off your t-shirt or threatened with discipline if you didn’t, make sure you email Sara Frey sfrey@wsna.org and Barb Friesen bfriesen@wsna.org , our nurse reps, about it if you haven’t already.

Remember, If a manager asks you to remove or cover a WSNA logo on your uniform:

1. Ask if not doing so will result in discipline:
   1. If no: continue wearing shirt/button/union insignia
   2. If yes: take note of who said it and the context. Remove the shirt or change it and let Nurse Reps Sara and Barb know ASAP. sfrey@wsna.org and BFriesen@wsna.org
   3. If the answer is ambiguous, ask the manager to let you know when they have a firm answer so you can determine if compliance is a suggestion or a directive. Notify the nurse rep: sfrey@wsna.org and BFriesen@wsna.org.

Bargaining Session 2 happens Wednesday, 6/28. Get your stickers from your unit reps and let’s show our solidarity in force!

Find us on Instagram, post your #wsnablue22 solidarity pics!
https://www.instagram.com/vmfhbargaining_unit

Join our private Facebook group!

(10) WSNA - Virginia Mason RNs | Facebook

Become a member, make our voice stronger!
https://www.wsna.org/membership/application

Want to get more involved? If you would like to attend negotiations as an observer on your day off, and learn or suggest other ways to support the bargaining team and strengthen our contract fight, get in touch with WSNA Organizer Sam Scholl sscholl@wsna.org to learn more.

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