Your WSNA team met with the Office of Financial Management and DVA on September 10 and September 12, 2024. We continue to have hard discussions on wages and move to reach tentative agreements as a coalition.

OFM has raised their across the board offers to 3% in year one and 2% in year two, an increase from their original offer of 1% and 0%.

WSNA proposed increasing the ranges for RN2 and RN3 both by two and OFM rejected those proposals. They are proposing only one range increase for RN2 and none for RN3. WSNA asked for an explanation for this, and we were told that both the DVA did not request funds for those adjustments prior to bargaining, nor did they have a recruitment or retention issue with the RN3 position. WSNA continues to advocate on your behalf for this to be improved.

OFM and DVA continue to reject our proposals to stretch the gap between evening and night shift premiums. WSNA advocates that night shift workers should and are traditionally paid a higher premium. We provided OFM and DVA with information about how shift work impacts healthcare workers. OFM continues to reject our proposal saying they are not hearing from disgruntled night shift nurses or that nurses are unsatisfied with their shift. OFM did propose to start in July 2025, a $1/ hour premium that would be in addition to the current evening and night shift premiums.

WSNA proposed that the 24/7 facility 5% premium be maintained and advocated that eliminating it would financially disadvantage our nurses. OFM proposed today to maintain this MOU but that overtime hours would not be eligible. WSNA continues to push for this but currently OFM has rejected those proposals.

OFM has rejected multiple other proposals including reimbursing for license fees, education degrees, certifications, and our proposal for a call-in phone premium. Many nurses indicated on our bargaining survey that RN2s were having to hold the call phone on a daily and shift basis. This is not in the job description and can become burdensome on top of cart work. WSNA proposed a premium when an RN2 must hold the call phone and OFM has rejected that.

WSNA was successful in getting new steps added to the N1 pay range scale! Nurses at years 14, 17 and, 23 will now get wage adjustments. These steps do not exist in the current contract or in previous contracts and we are proud that nurses approaching these or at these steps will now get compensation for that tenure.

We were also successful in securing language for voluntary overtime. New language will require the facility to offer OT shifts to ALL staff prior to agency. Further, it designates that OT shifts can be offered to ALL classifications of RNs after a priority 24-hour window reserved for on-call nurses. Once the shift has been awarded to a FT or PT nurse, the shift cannot be taken away and given to an OC or agency. This is a huge win for nurses who rearrange their schedules when accepting a shift!

Our last scheduled day of bargaining is September 17, 2024. Watch your email for the final bargaining update which will include dates and times for your contract vote. At the vote, you can see all the tentative agreements and enhancements made to your contract and vote for your 2025-2027 contract!

Questions? Contact your Nurse Representative!

In Solidarity, 
Laurie Robinson NR Walla Walla Veterans Home  lrobinson@wsna.org
Janet Stewart NR WA Soldiers and WA Veterans Home JStewart@wsna.org
Alle Machorro NR Spokane Veterans Home amachorro@wsna.org