Skagit Valley Hospital

It is time for Local Unit Officer Nominations!
 
The following positions will be opening soon:
Co-Chair
Secretary
Membership
Grievance Officer
 
A “Consent to Serve” form must be completed to be eligible to be placed on the ballot. Deadline for submission is July 1, 2013. Any of the Local Unit Officers listed below would be happy to supply you with a form or you can contact your WSNA Nurse Rep Barbara Friesen at bfriesen@wsna.org.
 
Yours in Solidarity:
Greg Wilhelm, Linda Warman, Julie Forkan, Liz Rainaud, David Hari, Kristen Hanson, Mae Nayan, April Torrey, Julia Weinberg                  

Wow…..that was what unity looks like…..that was what solidarity feels like.

Wednesday, May 29th WSNA St Joseph RNs boarded a bus for a trip to PeaceHealth HQ in Vancouver, WA to deliver petitions and a message to CEO Alan Yordy.  It was no secret we were coming.  WSNA sent a letter to Mr. Yordy on Friday May 24th via email and 1st class mail informing him why the nurses were coming and requesting he come out to meet with the nurses, listen to the nurses and accept their petitions.  He did not.

Media was present to cover the event. To view the newspaper article and video clip follow this link:  http://www.columbian.com/news/2013/may/29/contract-dispute-comes-vancouver-nurses-stage-prot/  
Photos are posted on WSNA's facebook page.

There was great support from all of the Peace Health facilities as well as numerous labor unions, community groups and members. It was an event to remember!

Just one final comment: We had previously reported 3.5 million had been spent on the PeaceHealth HQ remodel.  We have since learned $8 million has been spent with plans to spend an additional $3.5 million.  If you would like to read that article with pictures follow this link: http://www.columbian.com/news/2012/apr/07/peacehealths-new-home-in-clark-county-health-care/

Thank you to everyone who participated in this event by going to Vancouver, working for someone so they could go, and/or circulating and signing petitions!

In Solidarity,

Your WSNA/SJMC Negotiating Team: Roni Kelsey, Sarah Newell, Janie Carter, Michelle Corzine, Kim Finger, Emma Hamilton, Geri Falacy, Teresa Roedell, Tracy Pullar
Barbara Friesen, Nurse Representative. bfriesen@wsna.org
 

The Bargaining Unit voted to accept the hospital’s proposal for the Urgent Care RNs. 

The fight at PeaceHealth St. Joseph’s in Bellingham is your fight too!
Please support the nurses and join them on their trip to PeaceHealth Headquarters in Vancouver, WA on May 29th.

WSNA is providing buses that will depart from Bellingham at 8:00 a.m. and return about 9 p.m.

There will be a pick-up stop at the Burlington Chuckanut Park & Ride at about 8:30 a.m.  The bus will continue on to Vancouver for a rally/ informational picket and to deliver petitions to PeaceHealth President Alan Yordy from 1 – 4 pm.  The bus will then be boarded and return to Bellingham with a drop-off stop at the Burlington Chuckanut Park & Ride.

To sign-up for the trip, click here.
To print copies of the petition, click here.

An injury to one is an injury to all!
For more information, click here or contact WSNA Nurse Rep Barbara Friesen at bfriesen@wsna.org or WSNA Organizer Tara Goode at tgoode@wsna.org

Nurses at PeaceHealth St. Joseph in Bellingham are not being treated fairly during contract negotiations, with management proposing drastic takeaways. Nurses are fighting to have affordable and accessible healthcare, retain sick leave benefits, and have meaningful input on safe staffing and issues surrounding safe patient care.

The Washington State Nurses Association asks you to stand in solidarity with our registered nurses at PeaceHealth facilities in Washington. We represent three facilities owned by PeaceHealth and are currently in negotiations with our Bellingham local unit.

We are bringing together nurses from PeaceHealth facilities across Washington together. This goes beyond one hospital—it’s about the corporatization of our healthcare system. We need your help.

Find out more! (pdf)

Registration to be Paid in full for up to 5 lucky winners among our WSNA/SVH Nurse members to attend the full 2013 Washington State Nurses Convention!

Recently in early March 2013, the WSNA/SVH Local Unit Officers had some discussion around the subject of supporting and sending some of our Local Unit nurse members to the upcoming Washington State Nurses Convention which is being held at the Tulalip Resort Casino in Tulalip May 1st thru the 3rd, 2013

It was agreed to pay for up to 5 of our Local Unit member’s full registration fee of $250.00/each from our WSNA/SVH Local Unit account.

What do I need to do to be one of the Lucky ones to be selected?  What do you need from me to apply for this opportunity?

See below!!

All members interested in having your full convention registration fee paid for are encouraged to apply.  Only 5 will be selected. ALL are encouraged to submit at least 1 page with at least two paragraphs with the following information: 

• Why should you be one of the 5 to be selected?
• Of all the topics that the Washington State Nurses Convention offers, which one or more of the topics is most important to you and why? 
• As an additional follow-up request included in your letter submitted:  We want to know YES or NO -- If you are selected as one of the five, would you be willing to write a couple paragraphs sharing your experiences after having attended this year’s WSNA Nurse Convention for the next summer/early fall 2013 WSNA/SVH Local Unit Newsletter.

Please send your letter to Linda Warman, our WSNA/SVH Local Unit Co-Chair.  She works in the PCU.
Or
You can send your letter to: Attention: Barbara Friesen, WSNA Nurse Representative at WSNA, 575 Andover Park West, Suite 101, Seattle, WA 98188

All letters must be received by no later than April 9th, 2013.

Those selected will be notified no later than April 12th, 2013.

Thanks Everyone and Good Luck!!
 

Your March newsletter is online, click here.