American Medical Response

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Action Alert! (12/3/2009)

Serious take-aways proposed at negotiations by your employer. Some of which are:
- Increase mandatory call back from 8 to 10 hrs.
- Eliminate “bumping” options from layoff procedure
- Shorten time period a nurse on the layoff list is entitled to job return rights from 1 hr to 6 months.
Important meeting - your team needs your input.
Don’t miss attending one of these meetings at the WSNA office

(575 Andover Park West, Suite 101 - near The Southcenter Mall):

Tuesday, January 5th from 1000-1200
Wednesday, January 6th from 1000-1200

Action Alert! (10/28/2009)

Management has proposed, during our current negotiations, to take back contractual advances won in previous negotiations (takeaways).
Important meetings scheduled- come hear what the issues are.
Your negotiation team needs your help to show corporate management that the nurses at AMR will stand up and say “no” to the takeaways; therefore your attendance at one of these meetings is critical.

Monday, November 9th from 1000-1200 at the WSNA office.

Friday, November 13th from 1000-1200 at the WSNA office.

(WSNA is located at 575 Andover Park West, Suite 101 near The Southcenter Mall.)

Negotiations Update (9/25/2009)

Your negotiation team has met with management for two full days. We submitted our proposal on the first day and management has not yet responded to any of our economic issues.
Our next negotiation dates are October 19th and 21st. We will continue to send out updates as we go along. We may have a local unit meeting sometime after our next negotiation dates. Stay tuned.

Current Issue

Short Staffing = No Breaks = Unsafe Patient Care

The issue of meal and rest breaks has plagued nurse for many years. It has never been about nurses not wanting to take their breaks. It is about real concerns related to staffing and the ability to provide SAFE Patient Care. It is about hospitals having enough STAFF to meet the requirements of the law to provide rest breaks.

Missed meal and rest breaks have a direct relationship to short staffing which can lead to unsafe patient care. Missed meal and rest breaks are a direct result of the lack of commitment to provide adequate staffing. Missed meal and rest breaks force you to work exhausted and lead to increased medical and medication errors, thus putting both Your Patients - and YOU - in jeopardy.

We don’t think it is unreasonable to expect to be able to stop and rest for 15 minutes every 4 hours … do you?

As a Registered Nurse working in Washington:

Did You Know?

You are entitled to an unpaid meal period of one-half (1/2) hour if you work five (5) or more hours.
You are entitled to one (1) fifteen minute break halfway through every four (4) hours of work.
You are entitled to compensation if you are required to remain on duty or in your unit during your meal period.
You are entitled to compensation for your missed rest breaks.
Short staffing results in you not getting your breaks and in unsafe patient care.

WSNA Is Fighting For You!

Filed grievances at numerous facilities on missed breaks, Settlement reached at Virginia Mason Hospital and St. Joseph Hospital in Bellingham.
Won Arbitration decisions on missed breaks at Sacred Heart Medical Center, Yakima Regional Medical & Heart Center.
Pursuing the Department of Labor & Industries to change State Regulations on missed Breaks for Nurses.

What You Can Do!

Follow your contract, if you miss your meal/break period, document on your time card and keep your own personal record of missed breaks.
Complete an ADO form and distribute to your manager with a copy to your local unit chair and your WSNA Nurse Representative
To file a complaint with the L & I, notify your Nurse Representative at WSNA for the paperwork and instructions.

We need a few minutes of your time to fill out a quick survey to let us know your experience with meal and rest breaks at your hospital. Please take a moment to complete this short online survey.