Kittitas Valley Community Hospital

We have been at the table with management for two sessions.  We have two more sessions scheduled (December 6 and 12).  At this point, Management is proposing substantial and serious “take-aways” that will affect your pocketbook and your quality of life:

• Wage and step freeze for each year of a three year contract.
• Can be placed on mandatory standby when placed on low census.
• Home Health and Hospice nurses would take an 18% wage cut effective 1-1-12 with a wage and step freeze.
• Nurses must work both Saturday and Sunday on consecutive weekends to receive time and a half on the second weekend.
• Language making it easier for Management to force nurses to work consecutive weekends.
• No seniority protection from working weekends.  Deletion of 15-20 year weekend language.

The current contract between WSNA and your Local Unit expires December 31, 2011. This survey is our first step in our preparation for contract negotiations.  Your input is critical to determining our priorities as we head to the bargaining table. It is vital that we know your issues and concerns prior to the start of the negotiations.

Take a moment to complete this survey now.  The power of representation comes from the willingness of Registered Nurses to unite; our strength is in unity!  Remember in order for WSNA to be an effective, strong, influential voice for you at the negotiation table, we need your membership and involvement.

Please complete this online survey by October 30, 2011.  Click here to take the survey.

As we enter another flu season, WSNA is committed to advocating for the health of nurses and the patients that we serve. Because of this commitment, and consistent with interim CDC recommendations, we strongly recommend that nurses and all other health care providers who provide direct patient care be vaccinated this fall.

However, a voluntary vaccination program is only one component of a comprehensive influenza prevention policy that must include hierarchy of controls such as screening visitors and employees, having appropriate and adequate supply of personal protective equipment, patient and employee education programs and supportive workplace infection control practices and policies. If you have reasons for not having the flu vaccine, sign the declination letter. You do not have to provide them with a reason.

WSNA sent a letter to the CEOs and CNOs of all the WSNA represented hospitals (including Kittitas Valley Community Hospital) urging them to adopt an approach that adheres to the comprehensive, proven, and reliable flu prevention protocol recommended by the CDC and offered to partner with the hospitals to achieve optimal levels of health and safety for both patients and nurses. 

We believe that masking policies must follow CDC guidelines for all workers, not just those unvaccinated (currently required when within 6 feet of patients) and not be used as a retaliation or punishment for unvaccinated workers.  WSNA has opposed policies of employers who require unvaccinated nurses to wear a mask at all times and clearly communicated our position through a variety of methods.  The National Labor Relations Board is currently deliberating on our case against Virginia Mason Hospital with regards to their masking policy.

We need you to be vigilant as to whether Kittitas Valley Community Hospital is practicing or providing proper support to adhere to a comprehensive program.  If you have any concerns or questions, please contact:

Carmen Garrison WSNA Nurse Rep
1-800-231-8482 ext 3113
cgarrison@wsna.org

1. The employee must make a clear request for union representation before or during the interview.  The employee cannot be punished for making the request.
2. After the employee makes the request, the employer must choose among three options.  The employer must either:
   1. Grant the request and delay questioning until union representative arrives and has a chance to consult privately with the employee: or
   2. Deny the request and end the interview immediately: or
   3. Give the employee a choice of  1) having the interview without  representation, or  2) ending the interview
3. If the employer denies the request for union representation and continues to ask questions.  It commits an Unfair Labor Practice and the employee has the right to refuse to answer.  The employer may not discipline the employee for such a refusal.

• Was the Nurse adequately warned of the consequences of conduct?
• Was the rule or order reasonably related to efficient and safe operations?
• Did management investigate before administering the discipline?
• Did the investigation produce substantial evidence or proof of guilt?
• Were the rules, orders, and penalties applied evenhandedly and without discrimination?
• Was the penalty reasonably related to the seriousness of the offense and the past record?

Do not leave out any past issues that may have happened.  Even though you are being disciplined about a concern, another incident from your past may pop up during discussion that would lead administration to have concerns about your practice as an RN.   If these were two separate incidents they should not be viewed together as a punishment for the last incident, so contact your grievance officer.