The deal we negotiated contains significant improvements in key provisions of the contract on staffing, workplace safety, and working conditions. During negotiations, we worked tirelessly for almost a year to fight off several management takeaways, and made many improvements in the contract, each of which was hard fought. Those gains include:

• Protection of your personal information - Orientation and PRA Requests: The right for WSNA to conduct new employee orientation and receive notification before the release of employees’ personal information in response to a Public Records Act request. WSNA works hard to protect nurses from potential harm these public disclosures may cause, such as for victims of domestic abuse or workplace violence.

• More layoff notice: Nurses are now guaranteed 21 days, rather than 14, before being laid off.

• Open Shifts: New language requires the Hospital to offer open shifts to regular full-time and part-time nurses before offering them to per diem nurses after the first two shifts per schedule.

• Low Census: New language ensures that when a nurse requests to be paid PTO for low census, those hours will still count toward the 48 hour cap on low census, and when nurses are given the option of floating to another unit, they will not be expected to take a full assignment.

• Preceptor: Nurses will receive preceptor pay for supervising students who do not have a supervisor “immediately available” (not just somewhere “on-site”), and new language limits the Employer’s ability to claim that nurses are merely “orienting,” not “precepting.”

• Notice of future sale - Successorship: The Hospital will provide WSNA with 180 days’ notice of an impending sale (or at least 90 if the contemplated closing date is sooner) as well as the identity of the purchaser and anticipated closing date, and also to notify the purchaser of the existence of the CBA.

• Education Time: Allotted education time will = not include time spent on education required for unit, and the $200 per year for can now be used for the costs of certifications.

• Committment to maintain staffing according to staffing plan, enable breaks, and use of PTO: The Hospital has agreed to the same language adopted at other leading hospitals throughout the state, requiring the Hospital to strive to maintain staffing that enables nurses to receive all their breaks, to use accrued PTO, and to care for no more patients than anticipated by staffing and safety guidelines. It is important to note, that by adding this language to our contract, we have another mechanism that we can use to ensure safe staffing; we can use the grievance procedure.

• Improved workplace safety - Safety & Health: WSNA can appoint up to three RNs to the Hospital’s Safety Committee, which will receive copies of Safety Intelligence Network and Violent Act reports.

• Enhanced language on Nurse Staffing Committee: The Hospital agreed to language allowing WSNA to appoint nurses and alternates to the Staffing Committee and to develop the agendas and obligating the CEO to attend staffing committee meetings semiannually.

Information sessions are scheduled to give you the chance to ask questions.

WHEN: Wednesday, Jan. 29 and Thursday, Jan. 30

WHERE: Boardroom (across from HR offices)

TIMES: 6 - 9 a.m.; noon - 5 p.m.; and 6 - 9 p.m.

The Ratification Vote will take place on Tuesday, Feb. 4.

WHERE: Boardroom (across from HR offices)

TIMES: 6 - 9 a.m.; 2 - 5 p.m.; and 6 - 9 p.m.

(Note: You must be a member in good standing to vote.)

In Solidarity!
Gwen Parrick, Local Unit Chair, Quality; Jeremy Aaron, Local Unit Grievance Officer, Home Hospice; Ann Bell, Primary Care Cabot Dr., Bonita Garcia, PACU; Dori Painter, ED; Jessica Shaffer LU Secretary, ED; Mary Meek, Home Health; Luka MacKay, Home Hopsice; Lucylyn Sinette, ED; Sarah-Lyn Clark, Surgery; Michael Aube, OR

Questions? Contact WSNA Nurse Representative Terri Williams at twilliams@wsna.org.