PeaceHealth Southwest Washington Medical Center

On the WSNA Bulletin Board in each of your units you will find a NOMINATION FORM posted. The offices that are open for nomination are listed. Holding office and voting are privileges of dues paying members. If you are interested in running for an office, please put your name on the nomination list. On August 5, the Nomination Forms will be collected. At that point the nominations for the election of new officers will be closed. Dues paying members will receive a ballot in the mail around August 14. Please vote and return your ballot in the self-addressed envelope that will be provided.

If you are interested in running for an office, be assured there are plenty of opportunities for you to get the training that you will need to do the job. Remember the Leadership Conference held at Lake Chelan is coming up at the end of September. This is a great opportunity to learn what it takes to run a Local Unit.

Your July News Bulletin is now posted on your units on the bulletin board and is available online (PDF). You can read up on an important message from the Nursing Commission regarding a possible fraud threat.  We also have information about your new contract available and finally an important announcement calling for the nurses at Southwest to run for office.

Get all the latest on contract negotiations at PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center in your new local unit News Bulletin (PDF).

Your WSNA negotiation team has met with management 4 times and is scheduled to meet again on May 18th. Here is where we are currently:

1. Your bargaining team recognizes that seniority means something to promote and reward longevity and retention in nursing and is fighting to keep these benefits for nurses.
2. The negotiating team is fighting to ensure that SWMC will continue to be market competitive with wages that recognize your loyalty to your facility.
3. We recognize the shortcomings of your benefits packages related to health care. As we do not negotiate specifics of your health care benefits in the contract we are having discussions across the table about how to best ensure your benefits remain competitive with other facilities.
4. Mandatory membership has always been important to WSNA and our members at SWMC. People have always known how fair share membership impacts; the strength of our collective voice at the bargaining table, our visibility with management within all of the units, increases nurses strength in nurse practice issues, and keeps people engaged in what is happening nationally.
5. Flu season is over but it will be coming back, WSNA is in favor of following CDC guidelines which means NO MANDATORY vaccinations nor punitive repercussions for failing to receive one.
6. There are MANY more issues your team is working hard to negotiate with management to best serve ALL of the nurses as SWMC. 

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

• Wear WSNA Blue, your buttons and bracelets
• Place an “I support SWMC Nurses” sign in your car.
• Speak to your local unit reps and colleagues about the issues.
• The negotiation team has to use their own PTO time to serve the bargaining unit in this capacity so donating even ONE hour of your own PTO would GREATLY help the nurses on the team.