News

11/6/2008 - Tentative Agreement Reached

Download and read the tentative agreement between King County and the coalition of King County unions, addressing the 2009 budget crisis (PDF)

October 31, 2008 - ITS TIME TO VOTE ON THE FURLOUGH ISSUE!

This is an important subject and WSNA is recommending a YES vote on this issue because:
a. It guarantees COLA in 2010 even though our contract ends in 2009.
b. There is no more than one day pay loss per month instead of a two week block all at once.
c. Part-time people will be pro-rated.
d. Management is impacted, too.
e. It preserves the base pay rate, as a reduction in COLA would not.

You can vote at any of the following dates and locations.

Auburn: Nov. 5, 8-9:30am

Renton: Nov. 5, 12-1:00pm

RJC: Nov. 5, 2-3:00pm and Nov. 7, 6-7:00am

Eastgate: Nov. 5, 3:30–5:00pm

RJC Scheduling Change MOU, Voting Nov. 5 from 2-3pm and Nov 7, 2008 from 6-7am

Federal Way: Nov. 6, 8-9:30am

Kent Alder Square: Nov. 6, 11:30am -1:00pm

Kent Springwood: Nov. 6, 3:30-4:30pm

TB Clinic: Nov. 7, 8-9:30am

White Center: Nov. 7, 12-1:00pm

Northshore: Nov. 7, 3:30-5:00pm

KCCF: Nov. 10, 6-7:00am and 2-3:00pm

Chinook Building Nov 10th 3-4pm

Child Care/Downtown: Nov. 10, 8-9:30am

North: Nov. 10, 12-1:00pm

Columbia  Nov 12   8-9:30am

WSNA, 575 Andover Park W, Suite 101, Seattle 98188: Nov. 5, 6–8:00pm and Nov. 10, 5-7:00pm

Please participate! This is your contract and it is important to make your voice heard!

 

 

October 22, 2008

The County and WSNA will be meeting again in the next few days, and hopefully we will have their proposal regarding furloughs finalized. We will be scheduling times for a vote of the members as soon as we have a final agreement. It will most likely be a quick turn around time, so please watch your mail and the WSNA web site www.WSNA.org (click on Local Units) for the date, times and place.

 

October 21, 2008 - County Proposes 10 Day Fulough

Due to the financial emergency facing King County, the County has given the King County Coalition of Unions a proposal to implement an unpaid furlough of ten days during calendar year 2009. In the absence of a mutual agreement on the issue, King County would reserve its right to implement a furlough and/or alternative measures to address the budget shortfall. Therefore, the King County unions are meeting with the County in an effort to mitigate the impacts of the potential furlough.

To minimize the impact on employees, and demonstrate to the public the financial challenges facing King County, the current proposal contemplates that the ten unpaid furlough days would be scheduled adjacent to holidays and/or weekends, spread out during calendar year 2009, with no more than one day in any month. Pursuant to the proposal under discussion, the County would shut down all non-essential operations on these ten furlough days. Therefore, the furlough would affect all employees in non-essential functions irrespective of their representation status, including supervisory and managerial personnel. These furlough days are offered in lieu of additional layoffs.

Bargaining units that accept the negotiated proposal would be assured the standard COLA through 2010. In addition, vacation and sick leave accruals, seniority, and medical coverage and other insurance would not be affected by the furlough. Retirement service credits would not be affected, although 2009 contributions to the Department of Retirement Services would be reduced (based on reduced compensation) as required by law.

 

October 14, 2008

King County administration called a meeting today, Oct. 14th with union representatives at which they presented a proposal to address the $8 million budget shortfall which remains after Ron Sims, King County Executive made his budget proposal.

The County proposed an 80 hour unpaid furlough per each employee, with no anticipated affect on retirement, seniority, vacation and sick leave benefits. The details of this proposal have not been determined at this time, but the County has indicated a willingness to be flexible in implementation. This initial proposal will have no change to the COLA formula for 2009.

If agreement can not be reached, the County has taken the position that they can unilaterally implement this furlough option. An alternative to implementing the furlough would be the layoff of approximately 120 additional represented employees effective January 1, 2009.

Discussions will continue tomorrow and we will update you as discussions progress.
NO plan will be agreed to by WSNA without you having the opportunity to vote on the issue.

 

October 8, 2008 - Public Hearings on King County Budget

On Oct 13, 2008, Ron Sims will make his proposed budget public in a presentation to the County Council. Following that, there will be six open public hearings for public comment to the Council to allow all county residents to share their comments.

WSNA will be there to speak for Public Health at each meeting!

Oct 14 7pm - Pacific Cascade Freshman Campus,
24635 Southeast Issaquah Fall City Road, Issaquah

Oct 16 7pm - Maleng Regional Justice Center Courtroom 3F
401 4th Avenue North, Kent

Oct 21 7pm - Finn Hill Junior High School
8040 Notheast 132nd Street, Kirkland

Oct 23 7pm - Shoreline Conference Center, Shoreline Room
18560 1st Avenue Northeast, Shoreline

Oct 28 7pm - King County Council Chambers
516 Third Avenue Room 1200, Seattle

Nov 10 1:30pm - King County Council Chambers
516 Third Avenue Room 1200, Seattle

Please plan to attend one or more of these and speak up to make the Council aware of how important you and your programs are to the health and safety of the community. More information is available on the Public Health webpage under budget updates as well as at www.kingcounty.gov/council/budget.aspx

 

September 4, 2008 - Unit Reps Are You Out There?

Do you know any "Shop Stewards"?
WSNA does not have "Shop Stewards" We have Unit Representatives.

We are reactivating the Unit Rep System and hope you will consider participating as a Unit Rep for your area of the county if you are not already doing so. There should be more than one Unit Rep per office and we want you to be involved!

As a Unit Rep, we would like you to be involved with things like helping maintain a WSNA bulletin board in your area, scheduling Brown Bags and notifying co-workers of the dates and times, being available to distribute flyers or other information to mailboxes for nurses you work with, updating email address lists and being a person who can collect information and notify the Nurse Rep of developments at your site.

Please give me a call at 1-800-231-8482, ext 3012 or email me at mconley@wsna.org and let me know that we can count on you to be active in WSNA!

Sincerely,

Margaret Conley, RN, ARNP

 

August 10, 2008 - Public Health Funding Crisis

Public Health funding is a top priority for the Washington State Nurses Association. A comprehensive plan is being formulated to address this urgent issue. We are utilizing a variety of resources to fight the proposed Public Health funding cuts and to secure a long-term, adequate and stable source for Public Health funding by raising public awareness and galvanizing support.

Your involvement will be vital! Please stay informed and ready to act! We want to act together, in unity, for the greatest impact!

Your WSNA representative continues to attend all County meetings regarding the budget to represent your interests, as well as to be present when any new information might be presented regarding the Public Health budget.

WOW! That is a good idea!

Recently you received a message from the County Executive inviting you to contact him directly with any cost saving ideas you might have. We urge you to use that avenue to communicate your ideas, big and small, that could be helpful in any way. Several of you have commented that you do have ideas but think they are too small to matter. Every idea is important at this time and we urge you to contact the Executive’s office with your value saving ideas!

A small cost savings as your location might translate to a huge cost savings if applied County wide, so send in those ideas!

Margaret Conley RN, ARNP
WSNA Nurse Representative
206-575-7979, Ext. 3012
mconley@wsna.org

 

July 25, 2008 - Local Conference Committee .... WHAT and WHY?

The purpose of conference committee is to work to communicate and resolve issues that arise at each site
during the life of the contract. Issues of interest or concern to a group of nurses at the site are appropriate to place on the meeting agenda. Individual issues about specific nurses are not discussed and confidentiality is maintained. It seems to work best to have a variety of representation at the meetings so all nurse issues are addressed.
If your site does not yet have a conference committee and you are willing to be involved in that way, please contact Margaret Conley. A big thanks to those of you who have already agreed to serve on the conference committee at your site!

 

July 25, 2008 - Labor Studies School 2008-2009

IT IS FREE! Classes start in September 2008 thru June 2009.
Three tracks are available with a variety of classes! Classes include:

• What does the law say about Unions?
• What is a grievance and what does it mean to me?
• What are negotiations and how do they work?
• What do Local Unit Officers do?

You can choose a track or mix and match classes to meet your interests! For info or to register check on line at www.wsna.org/laborstudies-school or call 1-800-231-8482, ext. 3011

 

July 25, 2008 - BUDGET WOES!

Watch for more news soon about how you can help us help you respond to the pending budget shortfall! We are planning to coordinate our efforts for maximum exposure and benefit. We will need YOUR help when the time comes!
For concerns, questions or to get involved with WSNA contact your
Nurse Rep. Margaret Conley at mconley@wsna.org or 206-575-7979, ext. 3012.

 

July 15, 2008 - Conference Committee News

Several people have asked about conference committee issues at other sites, here are some recent agenda items:

• Concern about potential service changes when the budget is announced
• Need for self defense or defensive training for nurses and other staff
• Nurses desire for more part-time positions to be available
• Developing a site specific staff satisfaction survey
• Scheduling hours of work
• Vacation and LWOP approval
• Productivity
• Slow computers, poor computer access
• Missed breaks
• Concern about public comments when using county cars
• Parking and security

If your site does not yet have a committee or if you want to get involved, please contact Margaret Conley, WSNA Nurse Rep at 206-575-7979, ext. 3012.

 

July 15, 2008 - Budget Update

WSNA continues to attend all available budget update meetings with the county and will update you as soon as there is any news. At these meetings we continue to be told about the budget process but have not heard any specific word about proposed cuts to any site or program.

 

July 15, 2008 - Communications

Thanks to those of you who have called or emailed with your updated phone numbers and email addresses. It is important in these tough budgetary times that we be able to contact you directly without going through your work place. If you haven’t contacted us with your updated info, please do so today!
Send email to mconley@wsna.org or call 206-575-7979, ext. 3012. 07/15/08

 

June 18, 2008

Here is the response WSNA received from the county in response to our letter on your behalf.

Dear Mr. Sears:

I am responding to your May 30, 2008 letter to King County Executive Ron Sims regarding public records requests made by a former inmate of the King County Correctional Facility for personal information about employees at that facility. we have no interpreted those requests to include employees of Jail Health Services. As such, please be assured that no information about Jail Health Services employees will be disclosed at this time.

Sincerely,

Hikari Tamura
Deputy Director

BUDGET CRUNCH WORRIES!
YOUR PARTICIPATION WILL BE VITAL!

As you know the county budget process is on-going and cuts in many areas are being proposed. We plan to be ready to respond quickly when there is any news regarding the counties plan for nursing positions and programs.

You need to be ready to act promptly when the time is right! Nurses will need to attend meetings to speak up for your jobs and your patients! Be ready to help WSNA distribute leaflets and flyers to educate the public! Write letters to the editor of your local newspaper in favor of maintaining County funded health care services. There will opportunities for everyone to help, in many ways.

Please contact me directly at mconley@wsna.org or 206-575-7979 ext 3012 and let me know that we can count on YOU to be ready to act as soon as the budget proposals come out.

 

June 2, 2008 - WSNA Acts to Protect Your Privacy

WSNA has learned that the County has received an information request related to staff at the King County Correctional Facility downtown.

WSNA attorneys are requesting information from the County about the Public Disclosure request and considering all options for appropriate legal action to protect the safety and privacy of our members!

Please contact me if you have any information you feel we should know about this issue. Watch this page for updates!

Margaret Conley, RN, ARNP
WSNA Nurse Representative
206-575-7979, Ext. 3012 - mconley@wsna.org

 

May 20, 2008 - Banking of Holiday Hours!

Did you know you can now bank holiday hours as vacation time rather than accruing it as comp time? WSNA has been working with HR and Payroll to assure that the system was ready to accept this new option in time for the Memorial Day holiday. Directions for how to mark your time card have come out from the county in the last week so check your county email if you are interested in this option.

The advantage of banking hours as vacation time is that you can accrue them long term, they are not subject to payout at the end of the year, nor are they capped. The disadvantage is that they are banked as straight time ( 8 hours) rather than accrued as 12 hours of comp time.
The choice is yours, you DO have options!

 

May 20, 2008 - Are You Bilingual?

Watch this site as well as your county email if you are a nurse who uses bilingual skills as part of your job. The county is updating their form and process to accommodate paying you the bilingual premium won in your new contract. You will need to have a supervisor sign off on the form assigning you this premium so please be aware that this benefit is coming soon and do the necessary paperwork to get this money. The premium amount is small but it is an acknowledgment of your skills by the county. We will work in the next contract cycle to increase amount.

 

May 20, 2008 - Are You Reading This?

If you are reading this and think this is a good way to get updates from WSNA please contact your WSNA unit rep Margaret Conley at mconley@wsna.org or at 2-6-575-7979 ext. 3012 and let us know.

 

May 1, 2008 - Local Unit Update…Did you know?

Conference Commitees or LMCs are currently active at the following locations: Columbia, Northshore, Eastgate, Federal Way, Renton, Auburn, Child Care office downtown, TB Control Clinic, and the Regional Justice Center in Kent. WSNA is working with nurses at the King County Correctional Center, White Center, North, Kent, DYS, and other locations to start conference committees or resume LMCs where those have become inactive.

Brown Bag Meetings have occurred this month or are scheduled in the near future at the following locations: RJC Federal Way Auburn Northshore White Center
Renton TB Clinic North Eastgate Child Care Office

Nurses have been calling and your Nurse Rep has attended numerous meetings to support King County Nurses this month in investigatory meetings, disciplinary meetings, and PIP meetings at several different sites.

To Do List:

• Update your email address and phone number with WSNA, so that we can contact you more easily.
• Contact WSNA Nurse Rep to set up a meeting at your site or to become involved.
  Margaret Conley, RN, ARNP, WSNA, Nurse Rep at (206) 575-7979, ext. 3012 or email mconley@wsna.org