Benton-Franklin Health Department

Benton-Franklin Health District and the Washington State Nurses Association reached agreement on the terms of a new collective bargaining agreement, and the new Agreement has been ratified by vote of the WSNA members in the bargaining unit.  However, the Employer has unlawfully refused to sign the new Agreement.  WSNA has filed an unfair labor practice complaint with the Public Employment Relations Commission against Benton-Franklin Health District to compel the Employer to sign the new Agreement.  In the interim, the following is a copy of the new Agreement:

Benton Franklin 2012-2013 Contract Signed by WSNA

• On May 15, 2012, YOU voted to ratify the new agreed contract.  This vote PASSED with an overwhelming YES vote!
• The fine details:  On the evening of March 14, Management attempted to insert new language regarding a dress code and layoffs – which had been rejected by WSNA at the bargaining table – as well as other changes.  WSNA caught these errors and on March 15 and we brought YOU a corrected version of the contract that the parties agreed to on February 28.    
• When the parties reached agreement on February 28, they canceled the planned February 29 negotiation session because the contract was finished.  Now, BFHD is trying to back out of the deal.
• On March 20th, 2012, the contract was sent to Management for their signatures but has refused to sign the agreement.   This is an Unfair Labor Practice.
• WSNA is working hard to defend your right to bargain.  On March 21, 2012, WSNA filed an Unfair Labor Practice, to protect your voice at the bargaining table and preserve your rights.
• What does this mean for you?  WSNA bargained a new Step I on February 28.  Members of the bargaining unit will receive this new rate eventually but BFHD is attempting to delay your raise by unlawfully refusing to honor the CBA reached by the parties on February 28.

Eventually, the law will catch up to Benton Franklin and it will honor its agreement.  It will also be required to read a statement at a public Benton Franklin Health District meeting that it broke the law.

Don't worry!  You are still protected by your collective bargaining agreement. 
Stay tuned.  We will keep you informed with updates as they come.

If you have any questions, please call your Nurse Representative Jaclyn Perkins, BSN, RN, 1-800-231-8482, Ext: 3118 or you can email at jperkins@wsna.org.

Your bargaining team has met with Management two times.  Here are the high points from our first two sessions:

• Management offered a 2% COLA increase for 2012 only, with no cost-in-living increases for 2013 or 2014 and no other economic improvements to your contract.
• Our work to improve vehicle safety has fallen on deaf ears.  While Management has listened to our proposals, they have refused to agree to any contract language that would protect you from having to drive an unsafe vehicle.  WSNA has proposed that the Nurse should have the right to refuse a vehicle that is not safe to make the trip.
• We have heard from you that an additional step on the wage scale is important.  Management continues to reject our proposal on your essential request, although other health districts have more steps for their nurses.
• Management is pushing changes to the layoff procedure and is warning the possibility of layoffs.  WSNA is working to protect your contract’s current language which requires Management to layoff by seniority.

For more information, talk with your Bargaining team on your next break.  We plan to get back to the table in February.  Stay tuned.

Please take the time to say congratulations to the following Nurses who represent your Executive Team!
 
Co-Chairs: 
Geraldine Tyler
Danielle Koelzer
 
Secretary/Treasurer: 
Marie Hutson
 
Grievance Officer: 
Gretchen Patrick